Klarinet Archive - Posting 000389.txt from 1999/03

From: Andrea DiOrio <diorio@-----.edu>
Subj: [kl] U of I faculty
Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1999 00:34:28 -0500

Hi Everyone,

Dan had inquired about the faulty here at U of I. Since have have not
been here a full year I do not know a lot of them. For my classes I have
mostly TAs or professors that are from other colleges that are only here
for a little while. But here's what I do know.

My clarinet professor, J. David Harris, is really great. I love the enthusiasm
he has when he is teaching. When I am playing well he gets into the music
as much as I do. He'll get up and start conducting while I'm playing.
Sometimes I wish he would play for me more often. When he does play he
has such a gorgeous sound!!! I almost have that sound. :) I can't
believe how much better my tone has gotten since I started taking lessons
with him. My emboushure was a mess and now its a lot more stable. He's helped me
to make my technique more even by tons of suggestions on ways to practice
correctly. I've really improved a lot in a very short time.

Side note--as teachers I hope that you guys play for your students I
believe it is really important for them to have the sound in their ear of
what they should try to sound like--also teach young students early how to
practice correctly. It will really help them later on!!!

The bassoon professor, Timothy McGovern, is wonderful also. He has
organized about five woodwind quintets. He finds music for all
of us and coaches each group. He also finds us opportunities to play in
other places than just at U of I. In two weeks my woodwind quintet is
going to go to a local elementary school and play Three Shanties. We are
going to be able to play and teach the kids about our instruments, etc. I
can't wait to go. Prof. McGovern also started an orchestra repertoire
class with the horn professor (Prof. Machala) I was able to get into this
class and its a really good learning experiece. We play major orchestral
pieces with just the wind and percussion section of the orchestra.

There is also the "Illinois Trio." David Harris, Tim McGovern and oboe
professor Nancy King play together. They went on a tour in Feb. They
played for all of us just a couple of weeks ago and I really enjoyed it.
I have never heard a trio with instrumentation before. Forgive me, I do
not remember the pieces that they played.

I am also in the Wind Symphony that is conducted by James Keene. Mr.
Keene is a very well known conductor. The rehearsals move very quickly.
When he stops the band during rehearsal it's only for a second. He will
immediately say four or five different things that he wants changed and
then he moves on. That is how rehearsals should be. I never feel like my
time is being wasted like I have with other conductors. I also like his
taste in music!

I have only heard good things from students about the rest of the faculty.
If you want more info about them I know there is a lot of information on
the web. Just go to www.uiuc.edu and you can find out more
specifics--like what orchestras they play in, etc.

Hope this "enlightened" you all a little bit!!

Andrea

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Andrea DiOrio
clarinetist
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
diorio@-----.edu
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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