Klarinet Archive - Posting 000000.txt from 1992/09

From: Simon Rae <S.A.Rae@-----.UK>
Subj: greeting and query
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 05:15:05 -0400

Allow me to introduce myself - Simon Rae, Academic Computing Services, The Open
University, UK.

Got the mailing concerning this new list KLARINET today and joined up for a very
personal and particular reason ... I'm not a clarinettist (nor even a musician)
but I have a 10 year old son who seems to be developing that way (as a musician
that is). He started playing the oboe last October and has got on well with it
(just won a local music school scholarship to provide training throughout his
schooling). Prior to the oboe he played the recorder and was 'offered' the oboe
on the strength of the music teacher's perception of my son's committment and
musicality. Fine - wife & I very happy ... son very happy ... school very happy.

Then on vacation - browsing through bookshop, see book on 'choosing the right
instrument for your child'. Flick through to see what they say about oboe ...
HORROR ... book says "one word of advice - DON'T". It then goes on to expound on
extream difficulties of playing oboe and, most worrying for my wife and I, the
dangers of playing the oboe if at all unwell. According to the book the very
high back pressure that one has to develop to get a note out of the double reed
can a) cause severe headaches and b) (more seriously) if you have a head cold or
virus, force the virus into your eyes and/or brain.

I know that oboes and clarinets are different but I wondered if any of you had
heard of the problems outlined above and could maybe give me any references to
follow up.

Reply to me personally if you think the public list is not the place to air this
sort of query - and thank you for reading this far.

Simon Rae, User Services Officer, | S.A.RAE@-----.UK (Internet)
Academic Computing Service, | S.A.RAE@-----.OPEN (JANET)
The Open University, Walton Hall, | phone: (0908) 652413
Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, United Kingdom. | fax: (0908) 653744