Klarinet Archive - Posting 000382.txt from 1996/03

From: David LaRocque <DLAROCQU@-----.COM>
Subj: Children and music
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 1996 12:08:16 -0500

I've not introduced myself to the list yet, so I'll do that as part of what I
want to say.

I'm in the process of earning an masters of engineering degree - not
much to do with clarinet. However, when I was an undergrad I started
taking clarinet lessons my sophomore year. Why? My school offered
lessons just for a practice fee - too good of an opportunity to miss.

Before I took it up, I knew what a clarinet was, but had never seen one
up close, or listened to clarinet recordings, etc. Most of my music is full
symphonic orchestral, so I hear a clarinet on the occassion a solo rolls
around.

Relating to the topic, when I started my third year of playing the
instrument, I was proficient enough to be playing third clarinet in my
schools quite good band. I'm often greeted with suprise when this fact
comes up in conversation with other musicians - I guess that I made
some awfully quick progress.

How? Because I know music. My home was a place of lots of music,
classical and sacred. Church had me singing from way back when, and
choir later on. I had a few years of piano lessons, enough to be able to
play some Bach Inventions or so. I also play all the sorts of recorders,
which I think made the transition to clarinet easy: I knew how to blow
controllably, coordinate breathing and tonguing with my fingers, and the
fingerings were very similar, especially having to know them for several
recorders.

Basically, my opinion (uh oh, yes that's all it is!) is that the most crucial
music development factor for children is immersion in good music. Play
your best recordings around them from the start, but start them playing
simple, for the most part.

I have to put a plug in for the recorder here. I'm appalled that the
instrument is relegated to the role of teaching children basic music, when
it has such tremendous music potential in its own right. Ever heard of
Michaela Petri (sp?)? With all this talk of composer's vs player's right to
choose instruments, what do you do in Baroque or other pieces that
require instruments that are rare today?

Long enough, time to go.
___________________
David LaRocque
dlarocqu@-----.com