Klarinet Archive - Posting 000557.txt from 1999/06

From: "Dodgshun family" <dodgshun@-----.nz>
Subj: Re: [kl] Cold weather outdoor concerts
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 1999 22:59:11 -0400

> Without wanting to diminish Cindy's suggestions below (they're absolutely
on
> target for a marching band that has to perform well into the cold weather
at
> football games and Santa parades), I was being facetious with my answer.
> Realistically, playing an outdoor _concert_ under very cold conditions (as
> can be expected in this case) is plain dumb unless it's something like
entry
> music for Santa arriving at the local department store. I'd be surprised
> that the string players haven't already mutinied, and the cold will cause
> much more trouble than the possibility of a cracked instrument. Apart
from
> pad damage, the effects on pitch and response will make any kind of
serious
> music making (if that's indeed what they have in mind) unlikely.

It's not a serious concert - we do quite a lot of "lighter" concerts on
tour. Still, I'm not impressed with our management team's planning! I'll
take a plastic clarinet with me (I don't have to take my A clarinet, so the
second Bb will fit in my double case) and hope that it snows so that I don't
have to play outside! My brother (a cellist in the orchestra) is not happy
either, and from what I could gather, none of the other wind players are
very happy. Certainly my teacher thought it was a crazy idea. Brass
players I haven't talked to, but I imagine playing into a frozen mouthpiece
wouldn't be much fun!

> That said,
> if you wind up having to do the concert outdoors, use a plastic clarinet
and
> a plastic reed so you don't have a wet reed on your lips, especially if
the
> temp is any where near freezing.

It will be near freezing - where I am now is further north and about 5-10
degrees C warmer than Queenstown (where tour is headed), and this morning at
9am it was 1 degree. Right now, according to the TV weather forecast,
Queenstown isn't getting above 5 degrees during the day. I think we might
have to talk to the conductor and, if necessary, go on strike........outdoor
concerts are fine in the summer, but not winter.

Thanks for the advice,
Anna

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