Klarinet Archive - Posting 000496.txt from 1998/07

From: "Mark A. Bradley" <markb@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Re:
Date: Sat, 18 Jul 1998 00:21:47 -0400

Hello to all.

I am back to these groups after a long break. I was attending the Crane
Youth Music program, at the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, New York.
So much stuff that I learned...

While I was there I picked up a Vandoren Optimum ligature. The ligature
improved my tone a lot and also the three pressure plates really have
different effects. My favorite is the corrugated one. I also bought a
new 66mm barrel to improve my tuning (after the suggestion of the wind
ensemble director).

The clarinet instructor for this program was Dr. Alan Woy (anyone know
him?) He's been teaching for around 20 years and has played for even
longer. He was the best clarinetist that I have ever worked with. He
gave us exercises to work on tonguing, long tones, and, of course,
excercises to help in going over the throat tone and alitssimo breaks.
Oh and you should have seen his barrel collection. He owns more than 50
and certainly seems to be an expert in the area.

I ended up with first clarinet second chair in the wind ensemble and
therefore 2nd chair in the orchestra. We played some fun songs and
after being in rehersal for 5+ hours each day for two weeks, my
endurance has dramatically increased. The wind ensemble director was
Dr. Timoteus Topolewski and after reading about his experience, he
certainly seemed like an experienced musician. Before composing and
conducting he played clarinet so he took a shine to our section during
rehersals. This year there was a serious balance problem in the
ensemble, though, with about as many french horns (actually more I
think) than clarinets....

If any of you young clarinetists, in junior high or high school, live in
the New York and New England area, please look into this youth music
camp. You'll really learn a lot. What was said in this message was
only very little of what we did (of course.) The $650 fee to attend
camp is less than modest but in my opinion worth it. In any case it's
cheaper than the Saratoga orchestra camp...

Well, that's about it for now. Thanks for listening (reading).
Mark

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