Instrument
Oboe
A double-reed woodwind with a penetrating, nasal tone - and the orchestra's tuning note.
The oboe produces sound through a double reed — two thin strips of cane bound together, vibrating against each other when the player blows between them — giving it a penetrating, slightly nasal tone that cuts through the rest of the woodwind family even at moderate volume. That reed is also notoriously difficult to make and adjust well, and many professional oboists make their own reeds by hand rather than relying on manufactured ones.
The oboe holds one specific ceremonial role in nearly every orchestra: it plays the tuning note (usually an A) that the rest of the orchestra tunes to before a performance begins, a tradition that persists partly because the oboe's steady, clearly-defined pitch is easy for every other instrument to match against.
Where to start listening: the oboe's opening solo in Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake theme is one of its most recognizable orchestral moments.