Klarinet Archive - Posting 000083.txt from 1998/09

From: Dan Sutherland <dsuther@-----.ca>
Subj: RE: [kl] re:Kinder Clari
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1998 18:48:44 -0400

At 14:15 03/09/98 -0400, you wrote:
>If the commitment is there and the child can handle the instrument, then
>let him/her play. How many of you learned to ride a bicycle that was
>appropriate for your body size? If one really wants to do something,
>success is waiting to be had.
>
>Nancy
>
>Nancy Buckman
>Anne Arundel Community College
>Arnold, MD USA
>nebuckman@-----.us
>
>> ----------
If an insanely driven parent is there the child can handle the
instrument. I'm not sure if my experience has universal relevance but I did
start 2 of my children on clarinet at age 4. Standard Bb that is. I was
surprised how easily it came to them. My son performed a solo at his
kindergarten concert and my daughter played White Christmas for her grade 1
class. I acknowledge piano or keyboard teaches the principles of music more
easily and systematically however as wind instruments go clarinet need not
be shunned for young people.
Some thought is needed as to just how the instrument can be taught.
Initially I wrote out simple melodies using the throat tones down to 1st
line E. The kids came up with suggestions and I just adapted the tunes by
transposing octaves and not jumping fifths. Eventually we worked up to an
octave using trill key fingerings and the left hand exclusively. The kids
sat in a chair supporting the clarinet any old way they wanted to. I could
write music in any key and because they had not formed any idea about what
was difficult they mastered fingerings faster than many of my teenaged
students. I set the clarinets up to blow quite easily [a Vandoren M13 and
scraped down Vandoren reeds that were no longer fit for my use]. I did not
coach much on embouchure till age 10 where it becomes increasingly
critical. At age about 7 the kids could play all the notes-use all the keys
and were well into the 1st few pages of Galper's excellent method.
I know that when they are concert hall sensations they will blame me for
being opressive but hey I've had my fun.

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