Klarinet Archive - Posting 000037.txt from 1998/04

From: Jacqueline Eastwood <eastwooj@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Transposition and college entrance
Date: Wed, 1 Apr 1998 17:34:13 -0500

On Sat, 28 Mar 1998, Hat NYC 62 wrote:

> Whether or not you choose to buy and use the d and c clarinets, the skill of
> transposition at sight into various keys is a necessary one for a professional
> musician. The sooner you learn to do it, the better. I don't think it is
> something that would come up at a college audition, but anything is possible,
> I suppose.
>
Yes, because, as we all know, "stuff" happens!

This weekend, at the final matinee performance of "Tosca", the principal
clarinet's A clarinet stopped working suddenly, near the beginning of Act
II, and I, as second, was obligated to give mine up. OK, time to
transpose -- no warning -- playing A parts in flats on Bb! I did OK; I
got all the "long notes" and most of the easier passagework. Of course, I
couldn't play the low E's -- no time to hunt for a toilet paper roll!

Jacqueline Eastwood
University of Arizona/Arizona Opera Orchestra
eastwooj@-----.edu