Klarinet Archive - Posting 000365.txt from 1998/04

From: dap@-----. Paprocki)
Subj: Re: Bass Clarinet Majors
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 08:39:54 -0400

My first answer is "WHY"? With the job market for performance being like
it is I wouldn't recommend anyone to major in performance. Get a music ed
degree and then go on for a masters in performance. Do you REALLY know
what the competition is like at orchestra auditions? You better have
something to make a living at besides playing the clarinet. Now I'll
assume that the student knows the odds and still wants to major in
performance.
I'm a substitute with about 6 professional orchestras and have done
about 20 orchestra auditions (a couple for bass). Most of my work is
playing bass clarinet. Any audition for bass clarinet the orchestra will
also want to hear regular clarinet and usually the first round is only
regular clarinet. So why would a student major in bass clarinet? Major in
being the best musician you can be and a complete clarinetist (can you
sight transpose, read bass clef, play Eb,etc).

Dan

*********************************************************************
Daniel A. Paprocki

Instructor of Clarinet & Music, Malone College
Adjunct Professor of Clarinet, Kent State University - Stark Campus

dap@-----.net
**********************************************************************