Klarinet Archive - Posting 000432.txt from 2002/01

From: AnneLenoir@-----.net (Anne Lenoir)
Subj: Re: [kl] Motivation
Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2002 10:30:32 -0500

I am a very lazy practicer. However, I have 25 students, many of them
10-year-olds, who are really coming along great. Part of my teaching
technique is to play along with them on the scales (which I teach in
1-octave "repititively", and passages from the Galper Clarinet Method).
The whole purpose of playing along with them is to get them into the
habit of sounding good. So one of my motivations is to sound good, all
the time, for my students.
My other motivation is the public. A lot of people here in Colorado
Springs think that I am a totally awesome clarinetist. When I was
younger and played gigs 6 nites a week, people would stop me in the
grocery store and ask me for my autograph. That hasn't happenned in a
few years. When I "take-off" on an improvized solo, I have to be capable
of playing whatever I feel in my head or else I flop. I also have to
have a gorgeous tone or else the customers won't be happy. They won't
think, "Oh gosh, that clarinet tone is not proper", but they seem to
know when the tone is strident or annoying. You can just tell. If
somebody were to say, "You know Annie, you used to sound really good a
few years ago. What happenned? Are you getting too old to play?" --- I
would feel so sad. I might have to be hospitalized for depression.
Recently after a great gig, I was thinking about my wonderful
clarinet teacher, Mr. David Weber, who is also a notorious character. I
was very upset with Mr. Weber because he had been acting terrible, and I
was sitting at the bar nearly in tears. One of my "fans" asked me what
was wrong and I told him that I was upset at David Weber, my totally
awesome teacher, perhaps (in my opinion) the worlds greatest legendary
clarinetist. The customer told me "No he's not. You are!" and I started
to laugh. I was very grateful that I had been taught how to play the
clarinet well enough to fool the public. And I am motivated to play the
clarinet because it means everything in the world to me that the public
enjoys my clarinet playing.
Having "future" clarinet projects helps keep me practicing. I play
in several bands, but I am really excited about playing Brazillian
music. Many of the tunes go by likity-split, so it's not the kind of
music that I can sight-read at performance level. I have also been
invited to perform at 3 upcoming clarinet events. I would love to be
able to pull these performances off. The only way is to practice.
Also, having another creative outlet has saved my ass and kept me
going. When I am "fed up" with clarinet, I switch to quilting for a few
days. If I have a sore lip or bad reeds, I just forget about it. When I
feel the urge to go to the fabric store, I take-off real fast. I have
been known to go to Walmart at 3 a.m. looking for fabric, usually in my
pajamas. For me personally, I can't stay "charged up" creatively without
my quilting. I make most of my quilts for famous clarinetists. Since my
quilting is equal or better than my clarinet playing, they like them and
give me lessons. Abe Galper is a very nice man and great teacher. I
haven't made his quilt yet, but he would teach me even if I didn't make
him a quilt. I'm going back to my quilt now. I am making it for Dr.
Denise Schmidt, as a token of my respect for her recently getting her
Doctorate in Clarinet Performance. I will be giving her the quilt in
person at her upcoming "clarinet retreat" at Mars Hill College in
Asheville, N.C. Feb 1-3, where I will be a participant and performer.
ANNIE

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