Klarinet Archive - Posting 000368.txt from 2001/10

From: AnneLenoir@-----.net (Anne Lenoir)
Subj: Re: [kl] Simpler is Better (Most of the time)
Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2001 01:47:07 -0400

Dear Robert Moody,
I want to hear all about it! I have a couple of students in the 5th
grade who simply can't go over the break, let alone play a chromatic
scale from low E all the way up to G above the staff, and then back down
again, memorized. I have one little student with a beautifully pointed
chin and lovely tone, who simply cannot read music at all, who is ready
to quit band because she can't stand being last chair any longer. I'm
sure that she (Christina) would love to hear your solution. Yesterday at
her lesson, I tried for the whole lesson to get her to go over the break
from an A to a B, so that I could help her memorize a simple Bb concert
scale (in STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE, Blue book). This is one of the
passages for tryouts next week. I had her covering the holes in the
right hand with pinky down. We tried for dozens of times to go from A to
B. She did get it every now and then, but it was excruciating for both
of us. She is supposed to come back for extra help tomorrow. Part of the
try-outs is also supposed to be for a G scale later on in the book. I
suppose I could teach her to memorize the lower octave. (It is written
with the lower and upper octave, divisi). Perhaps I should have started
with that. I really feel that I have failed her. Please send your
"system" right away before Christina's lesson tomorrow. ANNIE

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