Klarinet Archive - Posting 000661.txt from 1999/01

From: fltlndr@-----.net
Subj: Re: [kl] Non-professionals
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 09:21:18 -0500

I am a non-professional 40-something Bass Clarinet player who has played
in any community or college band in my area that had a horn I could beg
or borrow.( If I was really desperate I would play flute or Bb clarinet
but my real love since junior high school has been the Bass with a brief
try at contrabass) About two years ago I was able to finally purchase a
Bass of my own it is not anything really fancy just a very old Conn that
I am thrilled to own. I drool over the accounts on this list about the
new Buffet Basses knowing I will never own one without first winning the
state lottery, but that's OK. The personal satisfaction I receive
playing is immeasurable. I am now playing with a quite advanced group &
every rehearsal and performance is a challenge to me. I look at my
playing as "mind aerobics" & I can really tell the difference it has
made in both my playing & my thinking over the last two years. The
feeling you get playing with a group (whatever size it may be)is hard to
express, never having been active in sports I can only imagine that it
is the same feeling an athlete experiences when he makes a great play.
One of the things that playing so much lately has made me done is look
up some of my old teachers & thank them for the great gifts they gave
me. I had no idea 25 years ago that I would still have this great love
for music as an adult & did not appreciate at that time how valuable
their contributions were.
I guess my point is simply that you don't have be a pro or a
virtuoso to proudly carry the title musician , you just have to do it,
as the Nike people say.
I'm sorry if I got wordy with this it was just something I needed to
express. Thank you for the forum.

Mary Chmiola
Bass Clarinet
Fox Valley Concert Band

PS Look up your old teachers & thank them too! Neither of you will
regret it.

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