Klarinet Archive - Posting 000324.txt from 1998/02

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: re starting on Eb
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 21:39:46 -0500

Great, Karen D. from Los Altos, CA......

If you disagree that isn't a problem. But keep in mind that you have used
yourself as the example. What do you currently do? Are you a student?
Have you graduated and are working? Or.....if you are a student, do you
feel that, amongst the students you are with, you are the "top
dog".......just curious. It is important that we see some kind of
reference so we can see if your success is measured by your experience in
high school, college, or the professional world. You have made a big
statement here........please be a bit more specific?

I bring this up because, as a music educator, I can easily name well
over 200 clarinet students (with talent) who failed their development on
clarinet in lieu of fun on other instruments - sometimes to do as Karen
has suggested.... gain "bragging" rights or escape boredom. My oldest
son asks to watch TV everytime he wishes to escape the boredom of reading
a book or doing a homework assignment......that he is successful escaping
boredom does not label him as a great student.......I have seen enough
mediocre clarinetists in the past 15 years to feel comfortable
saying.....when are the main thrust of high school students
going to decide to do one thing right first? By the way....I have lots of
respect for the high school comments I have seen on the list so
far....Jason, Nick, Craig, etc... but they are the exception. My feverent
hope is that Karen is a successful clarinetist......by way of
description.......and then all of the educational jargon she laid on us
below will be very credible!

Frankly, I have enough experience teaching ages 10-18 that I can say with
a little bit of authority that moving a studenet to another instrument too
soon will not only jeopardize his clarinet playing, it will negatively
impact on his musical development. But....it will keep him happy and from
being bored in a lousy band program.

Roger Garrett
IWU

On Thu, 5 Feb 1998 Cheddar99@-----.com wrote:
> >Generally, nothing will screw up a good fundamental base than starting a
> >kid on another instrument too soon. This 7th grader isn't ready even to
> >go to Bass Clarinet or Eb Clarinet yet......I certainly would not want her
> >going to saxophone or, worse, a brass instrument.
>
> This isn't always true. I started clarinet in 5th grade and by 7th grade I was
> already up to the 8th grade level on clarinet flute and sax. I was also
> beginning on the trumpet. And it's not like Im a special case or anything cuz
> all of my friends from band are profeciant (spelling) on more than one
> instrument. Playing the different types of clarinets is absolutely no big deal
> around here. even in 6th grade we always switched around between Bb, Eb, Bass
> and even Contrabass clarinet. It offers a wide range of benifits from
> reinforcing fingerings to improving embechoure and support. I know this from
> personal experience because my sohpomore year in high school I played Bb
> clarinet in syphonic band, Contrabass and Wind Ensemble and Eb for an out of
> school band. My support was majoprly improved from the contrabass, much like
> the Bass clarinet would help the support of a beginning player. It also gives
> a lot of confidence to beginniers because they can brag that they can play
> more than one instrument and feel better about themselves which might
> encourage them to continue with their music. Plus learning different
> instruments will help keep the student happy and not bored. That's why I
> learned so many instruments. I was so high above the average ability level in
> my junior high band (which wasn't that high) that my teacher would take out
> all the instruments the school owned and have me choose one to learn on my
> own. Then I'd go play for her and get a LOT of extra credit. by freshman year
> I could play all the woodwind instruments and a few of the brass (not too
> great on brass though) I strongly incourage any bored musician to go pick up a
> totally different instrument and see how good they can be on it. for me it's
> like a game. "how long will it take me to play this as good as my clarinet?".
>
> Karen D
> Los Altos, Ca
>