Oboist Warming Up in Predawn Candlelight

Warm candlelight flickers across the dark corner of a Taoyuan rehearsal room, illuminating a musician poised at the frame's edge. Early autumn chill hangs low in the air, visible as faint, low-hanging clouds drifting against the high windows. The oboist, dressed in heavy seasonal layers, grips the instrument with steady fingers. Shadows stretch long across the wooden floorboards, cast by the single flame source. Dust motes float in the narrow beams of light, settling on the polished keys of the oboe. The musician's face is partially obscured by the shadow of the instrument's bell, focused on the reed. one drop of condensation forms on the metal joint of the instrument, reflecting the orange glow.