Klarinet Archive - Posting 000516.txt from 2003/08

From: Nancy Buckman <eefer@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Klezmer? (and eBay horns)
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 16:08:55 -0400

At 09:18 PM 8/19/2003 -0400, you wrote:

> >At $31 just about ANY Bundy would be QUITE a
> >bargain. A Bundy that has just been serviced,
> >however, would be worth $200 or more on the
> >non-eBay market.

>I am no shrinking violet on eBay.
>(Just paid $610 for a metal Buffet.)

A few years ago I bid on a pink Vito Dazzler (on eBay) for a school for
learning disabled kids. The clarinet was used for four years until the
young lady to whom it was presented purchased a Leblanc Concerto. That bid
cost me $800, for which I was roundly chastised on the list (I think Mark
C. will remember this). That was before I had told everyone giving me
grief that I was reimbursed for my money by someone who dared me to get the
clarinet, no matter what I had to pay for it. It was used as a carrot in a
good behavior war at the school. The carrot also included a good
mouthpiece and lessons for the school year. To make a long story short,
after the young lady graduated from the Baltimore High School for the Arts
(and went on to Julliard), she gave the clarinet to me as a thank you for
my kindness. I still have this clarinet. I have had it re-padded in cork,
voiced and lightened the action somewhat after re-springing it with blue
steel springs. I now use it for jazz. There is nothing funkier than that
pink "thing" being the center of attention. With a good mouthpiece (I'm
using a B45 and # 2.75 Legere), nobody would know that it was a student
clarinet unless they saw it. I was laughed at when I brought to rehearsal
the first time, but we just gave a concert where we did "Sing, Sing, Sing"
and the result was extraordinary. I suffer terrible performance anxiety
when I am concerned about adequate preparation, and I am not a super jazz
player, but the uniqueness of that clarinet took some of the heat off me
and it was a bang-up performance. It was the first time I have ever done
solo jazz licks in performance and "Sing, Sing, Sing" is not easy. I
memorized my solo because I can't improvise (yet) and truly amazed myself
with that lick. I got a standing ovation for a performance that wasn't
worthy of a standing O and I am certain that the pink clarinet had
something to do with it. I guess one could say I was truly "in the
pink". So don't sneer at student clarinets. When properly set-up, they
can do just about anything with a good mouthpiece. I am currently trying
to convince the director to let our staff arranger arrange "The Pink
Panther" or something else pink for us. It was a great experience for me
and I'd like to do it again.

Nancy

Nancy Buckman
Principal Clarinet / Orchestra AACC
eefer@-----.net

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