Klarinet Archive - Posting 000241.txt from 1993/12

From: Andrea Hakari <hakari@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Andrea Hakari and St. Olaf
Date: Wed, 15 Dec 1993 11:19:54 -0500

>
> Andrea, where is St. Olaf? What state?

Northfield, Minnesota, about 45 min. south of Minneapolis/St.
Paul. My teacher, Dr. Jo Ann Polley, is MN chair for ICA.

>
> Third, regarding the Irish Tune of Percy Grainger, I know for a fact
> that he would not have minded your low D. I knew Percy well and
> once asked him if I could play down an octave at certain points because
> the line appeared to me to have to change directions because of the
> range of the b.c. when he arranged the work. He agreed with me and
> told me to go ahead.

Yes, the fun of having a low C bass! In most of the pieces
we've done this fall, I've done a little octave switching, mostly on
slow lyrical pieces, like the ton of Grainger we've done this year,
and on slow sections of Oklahoma! highlights and Pirates of Penzance
highlights. Octave switching on Rocky Point Holiday? HA!

Oh, here's another oh-joy...earlier this fall I got roped into playing
Bb contra in the high school Festival Band for the annual Festival of
Bands that we do here each October (one St. Olaf Bandie from each of
our sections played in this band). I had the low clarinets to take
care of. We had 9 HS bass clar. players. Only one of them was using
a floor peg, the rest were on neckstraps, with three of them playing
tenor-sax-style, out to the side. The neckstrappers playing out front
were leaning forward, propping their elbows on their knees, trying to
play like that! Our 2 alto clarinets were like that, too. We also
had 2 Eb contras. One of them didn't even know that her contra was in
Eb! Even though both Eb contras had floor pegs, neither were used. I
really felt sorry for these kids, to have band directors that
can't/couldn't/wouldn't even show their kids how to properly hold
their instrument! All I can say is that when I'm out teaching, my
kids will know how to hold their instrument the RIGHT way, and if
they're not, by golly they'll find out - I'll be nice =)

*gripe mode off*

--Andrea, Bb bass clarinetist extraordinaire!!!
hakari@-----.edu
St. Olaf Band, bass and Bb contrabass clarinets
St. Olaf Clarinet Choir, Bb contrabass clarinet
St. Olaf Cantorei, alto 1
St. Olaf Orchestra, part-time bass clarinet