Klarinet Archive - Posting 000245.txt from 1994/11

From: Lee Callet <LCallet@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: A growing KLARINET(Japane...
Date: Wed, 16 Nov 1994 14:09:52 -0500

I too want to welcome Gengo Suzuki to our list. O genki deska.

In the United States we call "brass bands" wind ensembles or wind orchestras.
( I think we are talking about the same thing.) There are many of these in
the school systems, but only a few professional groups that can support
themselves financially. There is a growing repertoire for this
instrumentation, some of which is very good. There is a very large wind
ensemble in Orange County (in Southern California), but it only performs at
best two or three times a year. It has a large clarinet section, including
Eb contralto and Bb contrabass.

It is interesting that you play Buffet clarinets. I imagine they are much
more expensive in Japan. In the U.S. the Yamaha saxophone is becoming more
and more prominent, and to a lesser extent so is the clarinet. Some
clarinetists have tried Yamaha and then gone back to Buffet, because of the
sound quality. The mechanisms and pitch are superb.

Nice to have you on the list. I hope you can write to us when you have time.
Lee Callet