Klarinet Archive - Posting 000794.txt from 1996/10

From: "Sydney R. Polk" <jazzman@-----.NET>
Subj: What to do with myself
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 1996 18:44:13 -0500

Hi. I just wanted some opinions from the pros out there. Eventually,
I want to start doing music full time.

Some background is in order. I went to a performing arts high school,
where I studied jazz baritone saxophone. I also taught myself
to be somewhat competent on flute ad on clarinet, and played a lot
of bass clarinet. When I graduated, I got a scholarship
to the University of Miami, where I continued my study of jazz.

I relaized about halfway though one year at Miami that I did not
have the discipline it took to be a good musician, at least at
the age of 19. So I transfered back home to Rice to study
computer science. I never stopped playing, however.

I think that I don't really have the talent to be a good jazz impriovisor.
I have never enjoyed classical saxophone playing; one has to
play alto, the lterature is limited, I am not enamored of the sound,
etc., but I have always been interested in clarinet and flute classically.
I am completely self-taught on clarinet and only recently began lessons
on flute.

I have also dabbled in my time with composition, and arranging, and am
very, very interetesd in conducting.

The point is this. I am getting burned out slowly programming computers.
I find that I am doing more and more music in my spare time. I have decided
I am going to try to find a way to do music full time.

So I want to get into to conducting and get good enough on clarinet or
flute to make an orchestra somewhere. So how do I go about this?

San Jose State has a graduate student program that people can do part time;
I know somebody is doing this. Should I go there to study flute and/or
clarinet, get good enough to go to a conservatory, etc., while saving
enough to go to school full-time? Should I just take lessons,
and try to get auditions with essentially nothing on my
resume except shows and community band?

I am open for suggestions.

Syd Polk