Klarinet Archive - Posting 001040.txt from 1997/02

From: Fred Jacobowitz <fredj@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: practicing
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 16:32:36 -0500

Deborah,
We get as much time as we can fit in. When I'm having a really
busy week, like this one, I am just playing and not even practicing
(luckily I have no repertoire to learn, having intelligently prepared for
this week by learning everything in advance).
Which brings me to the next item... professionals practice quite a
bit less than students because, among other reasons, a) we have
already learned much of the repertoire we need, b) our technique is set
and much of our practicing is just maintenance and not actively learning
new techniques (which takes much more time), c) We have other stuff to do
(such as families) which often cannot take second place to practicing,
unlike students whose main priority is learning (practicing). So we learn
to budget time wisely (we hope) and to prepare in advance for killer
weeks.
This is, of course, a very cursory and general answer which
describes only SOME of us. However, I believe it is fairly accurate in
the main.

Fred Jacobowitz
Clarinet/Sax Instructor, Peabody Preparatory

On Fri, 28 Feb 1997, Robert D. Shaw wrote:

> Just out of curiosity, I have often wondered how much practice time
> professional players put in daily and what do you practice? If anyone
> who plays for a living be willing to share?
>
> Deborah
>