Klarinet Archive - Posting 000150.txt from 1993/11

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: I had not finished my note re Muide Achmad's mismatch
Date: Sat, 20 Nov 1993 10:27:33 -0500

I simply must learn not to push buttons indiscriminately. My note
went out unfinished due to my hasty action.

Muide, I simply wanted to say that you should make an effort
to be more discriminating with respect to comments made to you about
your playing. I presume that your teacher (or whoever told you that
business about mismatch) had a very specific notion in mind. He or she
had a duty to tell you his/her perception of whatever problem was bugging
you. But you have a duty to your teacher, too: you must become
inquiring about what is meant by the details of constructive criticism.

Were I in your position, I would have asked "Could you help me
understand a little bit better what you mean by a mouthpiece/reed
mismatch" (if indeed those were the words used).

Teaching clarinet is (I think) a very difficult task. One is beset
with the student's problems and sometimes it is not clear what the
origin of those problems is. It is through student/teacher dialog
that such remarks will become clear. But that is only going to happen
if the student cooperates and articulates his/her confusion with the
recommendations and suggestions.
====================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
(leeson@-----.edu)
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