Klarinet Archive - Posting 000231.txt from 1998/10

From: CmdrHerel@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Nutcracker (A survival story! :)
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1998 00:21:29 -0400

(I thought you might enjoy my little Nutcracker story.)

One day early in a September, I found myself sitting for the first ti=
me
in the University Orchestra. It was my junior year of college, and the fi=
rst
time I@-----.
Well, I wasn=92t a music major back then, but by that occasional quir=
k of
fate, all the good clarinet majors had graduated and I was about all that =
was
left=85 Now, I played pretty good for a physics major, but=85 Okay, let=
=92s face
it: I sucked. I knew it, the director knew it, and the entire orchestra =
knew
it.
So, I had this neato idea to save everyone embarrassment: I=92d play
really quietly so nobody could hear me sucking away. Brilliant! Except i=
t
only took about two rehearsals before the phrase, "Clarinet=85?!" coming f=
rom
the director with his hand held to his ear (a very intimidating-to-me Paul
Phillips at the time) became my very own waking nightmare.
Anyway, I farted my way through the first concert (absolutely destro=
ying
the Schubert 8, but that=92s another story=85) and then came=85 The Nutcr=
acker!

I sat down at the first rehearsal (still mortified by the Schubert an=
d
knowing I was only there because all the good clarinet majors had graduate=
d=85)
and opened my Nutcracker part.
Now, it had never occurred to me to actually listen to the ballet bef=
ore
going to rehearsal. Which would have been good since I=92d never even *se=
en*
it.
But, I was a trooper, and I plugged away with the rehearsal, until we=
got
to=85 The Waltz of the Flowers! Ho-boy=85 Picture if you will the clari=
net
totally cacking the part until the entire wind section SINGING the clarine=
t
solo for me! They knew the solo and I didn=92t!

We had one month to pull the Nutcracker together. We=92d hired a bal=
let
company and the house was sold out well in advance. The option to suck di=
d
not exist.

You guessed it: I worked like hell. I finally realized that I had t=
o
blow, no matter what. There was no time to be afraid, there was no time t=
o be
intimidated, and there was no time to suck it in rather than blow out.

I did it. I don=92t think I=92d ever want to actually hear a recordi=
ng of
those performances, but I did it. I learned the licks, I learned to watch=
, I
learned to concentrate, and I learned to blow.

When asked by an enthusiastic audience member, "That was fantastic! =
Did
you enjoy it??" I had to say, "Well, no," however it forever changed my
approach to the clarinet. When after the winter break we found out we wer=
e
doing Petrushka, you can bet your best reed that I got my part and was in =
the
library listening to it well before the first rehearsal! And I never play=
ed
timidly in a rehearsal again. ;)

That was thirteen years ago. I=92m making my living playing and teac=
hing
the clarinet now. I haven=92t played the Nutcracker since, but I sure wo=
uld
love to! I think I=92d enjoy it a WHOLE lot more now! Especially Waltz o=
f the
Flowers=85 ;)

Teri Herel.

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