Klarinet Archive - Posting 000758.txt from 2002/04

From: AnneLenoir@-----.net (Anne Lenoir)
Subj: Re: [kl] memorizing: suggestions?
Date: Thu, 25 Apr 2002 22:19:48 -0400

Last year when I was practicing Rose #26 for the Sneezy Competition, I
couldn't play it from start to finish, at first. Jon Manasse was in town
at the time (June of last year) and he gave me a lesson on the Rose, and
although he was not trying to teach me how to memorize, I found that I
had it memorized very quickly because of the way I was practicing. Jon
showed me how to play every measure as though it was an exercise itself,
with repeat signs at the beginning and end. When I could play the
measure effortlessly, say after several hundred times, then I would tie
it to the next measure and practice 2-measure segments, then 4, and so
forth. Within a couple of days, I had the first section of the etude
memorized, then the 2nd, then the 3rd.
But what was most exciting about this method of repeating just one
bar over & over, was the benefits that it had for my students,
particularly some of my 11-year olds who had a tendency to fall apart
after a few notes. It made me feel so good to see them able to play
longer passages with confidence, and developing memorization skills.
For me, personally, I have to feel very relaxed and confident when
I am playing passages to be memorized. If I have "fobble fingers", then
it is no good. I like to "iron it out" properly. I agree with Jay about
the scales and arpeggios 100%. ANNIE

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