Klarinet Archive - Posting 000708.txt from 1995/06

From: Laura R Bornhoeft <lbornhoe@-----.EDU>
Subj: Private lessons for young beginners
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 1995 20:57:33 -0400

I thought I'd just tell my story, for what it's worth.

I started playing FLUTE when they offered it in the school program -- I
was in fifth grade. They had class lessons (large class, since it's a
popular instrument) for the beginniners, and band/orchestra. It never
occurred to me to
ask for private lessons, although I was taking piano lessons at the time.

This continued for a few years. When I got into high school (ninth
grade), I discovered that quite a few of the better (older) players were
taking private lessons, and I started too. After a few months, my
teacher (who taught flute, clarinet, and sax) told me that my upper lip
had a downward dip (I believe it's called a pendant?) in the center,
causing the air stream to split in two, and therefore I would never be
able to get a focused sound on the flute. He suggested that I switch to
clarinet. I was a little doubtful, but agreed to give it a try.

...The rest is history. I did fine, got turned on to music, and ended up
getting a B.Mus. degree (and am, many years later, halfway through a M.A.
in clarinet).

The point is that because I didn't have the individual attention as a
beginner, I spent over four years struggling (although I didn't realize
it at the time) to learn an instrument which I was physically not suited
for. And because I started clarinet with a private teacher from the very
first note, I didn't have the chance to develop bad habits. On the other
hand, because I was that much older when I started the instrument, I was
able to appreciate a little better the value of discipline, etc.

I wonder where I might be now if I had started on clarinet from the very
beginning.....

Laura Bornhoeft