Klarinet Archive - Posting 000713.txt from 2001/01

From: stewart kiritz <kiritz@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Sounding like your teacher...
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2001 13:30:31 -0500

What if I would rather sound like Mitchell Lurie than myself? :)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Benjamin Maas" <benmaas@-----.com>
Subject: [kl] Sounding like your teacher...

>
> /Soapbox On
>
> I've been reading these posts about sounding like your teacher... People
> mention David Weber and Jon Manasse. Mitchell Lurie was mentioned way
> earlier... Now I have to bite.
>
> I have been very fortunate to have studied with some of the great teachers
> out there. At USC (and because I grew up out here, High School), I worked
> with Yehuda Gilad and Mitchell Lurie. At Eastman, Peter Hadcock, Eli
Eban,
> and Ken Grant... One of the overriding comments that *all* off these
> teachers made is something I take very seriously. It is: Sound like
> yourself. You can have concepts of tone, etc... but it is a physical
> impossibility to sound exactly like another player, so don't even try. It
> is important to have a centered, focused sound that is *yours.*
>
> Mitchell Lurie tells a story of a student that came in one day playing the
> Halsey Stevens Concerto (if you don't know this piece you really should...
> It is a great work). Mitchell said that the student sounded exactly like
he
> did on the recording. There was not an original thought in the entire
> performance. He became upset that this student did this as it wasn't
their
> true playing. They were just emulating him. He sent this person home and
> told him to relearn the piece. Next week he wasn't to hear a single thing
> in the performance that was the same as his.
>
> I realize this is somewhat extreme, but it goes to show how seriously he
> took this concept. Every player must sound as an individual. While I was
> at Eastman, I was given the opportunity to study with Jon Manasse. I
turned
> it down. Why? After all, he is a great person, he cares a lot about his
> students (they keep a very close relationship), he's a great player...
> Because I had his students coming up to me extolling the virtues of
sounding
> *exactly* like him. They would have tapes with the great players
performing
> standard repertoire given to them. They would come up to me in the
practice
> rooms play the tape and then play the exact same passage live. They would
> sound just about identical. Then they would ask "Wow! Isn't this great?!
> I sound like [fill in the blank]." I couldn't believe that this was being
> sanctioned by the teacher. In his defense, I never actually had a lesson
> with him so I cannot say with certainty what was said.... However, I do
> know that it was with many of his students that this happened.
>
> So I guess this is my very long-winded way of saying. Your teachers
provide
> a great reference. But use it as that... Don't emulate it. Be yourself.
>
> /Soapbox Off
>
> --Ben
>
> Benjamin Maas
> Freelance Clarinetist and Recording Engineer
> Los Angeles, CA
> benmaas@-----.com
> http://www.fifthcircle.com
>
>
>
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