Klarinet Archive - Posting 000779.txt from 1997/07

From: Mark Charette <charette@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Inderal (sp?)
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 20:08:34 -0400

Jacqueline Eastwood wrote:
> Aside to Mark -- I guess they used to have MAJOR drug problems at
> Interlochen -- I went to undergrad with 3 clarinetists who had been at
> school there and they were definitely not getting their meds at the
> office, if you know what I mean. I hope they have "cleaned up their
> act", so to speak.

AFAIK, there isn't too much of a problem now. 1 kid expelled for
selling Ritalin last year. No worse than other schools that I know
of, anyway.

IRT a prescription for Inderal at Interlochen - I went through the
student handbook, and the only thing that it says is that you must
report all prescription medicine in your possesion to the medical
office.

I personally feel that using a drug to relax before performances
isn't necessary given the right guidance, but, as a former
professional jazz bassist, I know it happens, prescription or
not. I've listened to recordings of myself "relaxed" (so to speak :)
at the beginning of a gig and when I was "tight". Even though I
*thought* I was better relaxed, I *sounded* better if I was tight
at the beginning and relaxed naturally (I used to be in mortal fear for
2 or 3 minutes and used muscle memory to playduring that time).
As long as I didn't have to solo during the first few minutes, I'd
get over it and then start enjoying myself. We used to plan our gigs
around everyone's stage fright - the songs we knew best always came
first. I know that orchestral players can't do this. For those
considering solo careers, planning the order can mean everything!

There's been a special on (Biography? PBS?) in the US about Carly
Simon. She's got a terrible case of stage fright, which has never
left her. She still goes on stage and puts on a show - and she
claims she doesn't use any medications to do it.
--
Mark Charette "How can you be in two places at once
charette@-----.com when you're not anywhere at all?"
http://sneezy.mika.com/clarinet - Firesign Theater