Klarinet Archive - Posting 000982.txt from 1999/03

From: "Dr. David McClune" <dmcclune@-----.edu>
Subj: [kl] You would understand
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 18:49:36 -0500

I had to tell someone, and you 400+ Klarinet members are it. We take on
new private students through out our lives never knowing what they can
become. A 7th grader alto saxophonist who has played for 1 1/2 years just
left after his first lesson. He sat down with a Bundy/Rico set up and
played the stuffing out of an advanced grade 3 alto solo. Great
embouchure, warm tone, correct tonguing style, fingers close to the keys,
vibrato (OK it was stomach), very musically phrased, etc!

I sat there and listened, more than abit stunned. He is from a rural town
with a good band program. His beginner band teacher is a clarinet player I
now, so he had access to good fundamentals. He knew scales through 4
accedentals in 16ths. The teacher had called me last week and asked, ok
begged, for me to take this 7th grader. Normally I take the advanced
students, but I respected her request. Boy am I glad.

The quandry is, does the world need another great saxophonist? I thought
through the lesson, that with the natural embouchure, etc., he could become
a great clarinetist or oboist. I do not intend to be a saxophone smasher,
but there are just too few sax jobs.

The previous was an open ended question for us to ponder.

Dave

Dr. David McClune
Professor of Woodwinds/Director of Bands
Union University, Jackson, TN 38305

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