Klarinet Archive - Posting 000311.txt from 2001/04

From: rgarrett@-----.edu
Subj: Re: [kl] On the matter of editing and other things
Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 18:23:35 -0400

At 03:45 PM 04/15/2001 -0500, you wrote:
>A friend told me of a really good clarinetist/private instructor once - he
>was in the middle of a piece with a student when he stopped and stopped
>his student and asked the student, "Are you having fun?" From time to
>time, I ask the same question to my peers and students. When I think back
>to why I started music, I remember how much fun it seemed like. I had so
>many things I wanted to try out. Why? It was fun. I didn't care about
>how it was "supposed" to be played. I just used music as a way to express
>myself and have fun.

Your friend's former teacher was very wise.

Thus the discussion at the end of one of my former posts in which I stated
that musician's tend to take themselves so much more seriously than they
probably should. I believe I stated:

Practicing, performing and serious musicians most certainly need
to make decisions -
but as an entire lot, most practicing, performing, and serious
musicians take
themselves and their position in the arts (and therefore their
position in the food
chain of life) much too seriously. I don't mean that lightly, but
it reminds me of the
basset horn discussion and statements surrounding it. Some things
just are not
critical to being good people in life - and, in my opinion,
defending a dislike for a
sound is not one of those critical things - as is if the bore of a
modern basset horn
is the same as it was 50 years ago.

Musician's tend to place themselves, their art, and everything they do
above what others do - in terms of importance (gross generality I know - so
take that with a grain of common sense). I remember my younger brother,
who is first call trumpet in Portland, OR, a substitute in the Oregon
Symphony, a principal trumpet player in one of the Symphony Orchestras in
Portland, OR, and a member of several jazz groups, brass quintets - but,
miraculously, makes his living designing sets and displays for different
companies (big ones included the National Star Trek Touring Exhibit for the
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry as well as Nintendo.....) remarking
in college when we were attending U. of Michigan together (he sat principal
in the Sympony Band and was a non-music major!) about how strange and in
their own little world musicians are. I could have been insulted - but I
believe there is a strong element of truth to that comment.

Have fun! This is what attracts most people to playing and performing -
and teaching. Without the fun, it just isn't the same. But - don't
sacrifice what is most important about playing, conducting, teaching, and
listening - expression that is true to both YOU and the music.

I sure enjoyed Jonathan's post.

Best wishes,
Roger Garrett

Roger Garrett
Clarinet Professor
Director, Symphonic Winds
Illinois Wesleyan University
School of Music
Bloomington, IL 61702-2900
Phone: (309) 556-3268
Fax: (309) 556-3121

"A man never discloses his own character so clearly as when he describes
another's."
Jean Paul Richter (1763-1825)

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