Klarinet Archive - Posting 000845.txt from 2001/01

From: Will Cicola <clarinetguy@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Clarinet Choice
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 19:20:51 -0500

>I had a very maddening experience yesterday.
>
>I sent a private high school student to a very well-respected School of
>Music for an audition to be accepted for school next year. The student
>will get in, and she will do very well. Here is the maddening part. The
>professor, while complimentary of her playing, told her that she should buy
>a particular brand of mouthpiece - that all of his students play on that
>mouthpiece. He did this without trying out her mouthpiece or even
>examining it. The mouthpiece is a Portnoy - a really GREAT Portnoy - and
>one that has had a minor tweaking here and there by different famous
>mouthpiece makers. I always thought it was so good she should just remain
>on it. While I don't mind if he tries it out and thinks it might not be
>good for her playing (which I would disagree with - but would understand),
>to suggest a new mouthpiece immediately on one hearing without trying
>it...............
>
>*sigh*
>
>I contacted another professor at another school who is a wonderful person
>and teacher, and hopefully this student will have another choice for where
>to go. I was really, really surprised at the ridgidity of this
>person. The funny thing is, I don't think he even plays on the mouthpiece
>he recommends - he plays on a Kaspar - and one that is completely different
>from the mouthpiece recommended.
>
>*double sigh*

I live in a town with a moderate-sized state univerisity, and from time to
time music ed majors make the trek on down to my high school to give
lessons....pre-student teaching, I believe they call it. Anyway, I was
receiving a lesson from one of htem one day, and she asked what size reed I
was using. (At the time, I believe it was a 4.5.) She looked shocked and
said "Why are you using that??? All of us here are (name of college) are
playing on 3.5s!!!!"

Far be it from me to question the opinion of a college professor, but
doesn't dictating reed strength (or, at the very least, not encouraging
exploration) seem a bit excessive, especially at the college level? I was
under the impression that reed strength choice was determined by the facing
of the mouthpiece...and if every student at this college is playing on the
same mouthpiece, that goes back to the situation above.

Oh well...there are several other reasons why I wasn't planning on going to
that college anyway...

(On a completely unrelated note, I play on a Fobes CF mouthpiece that I just
got, and I love it!! Thank you very much, Mr. Fobes!!)
--
Will Cicola
I don't need a life. I've got orchestra!

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