Klarinet Archive - Posting 000624.txt from 2003/10

From: "Vic Brincat" <vbrincat@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Starting a youngster
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2003 15:41:52 -0400

Thanks to all those who responded with their wonderful suggestions,
approaches and positive ideas...

I must point out that my question was how do approach this not whether or
not I should...

Regards,

Vic Brincat
vicbrincat@-----.com, AOL Instant Messenger ID: vicbrincat58, Yahoo!
Messenger ID: vicbrincat

>From: Richard Bush <rbushidioglot@-----.net>
>Reply-To: klarinet@-----.org
>To: klarinet@-----.org
>Subject: Re: [kl] Starting a youngster
>Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 17:09:15 -0600
>
>I would like to chime in on the side of Karl. Little is to be gained by
>such an early start. Bad habits, faulty hand positions and mental
>immaturity will limit the rate of progress too much. If they can't succeed
>then and drop out, they will probably never take it up later, as they will
>have considered it a bad experience.
>
>A GREAT alternative is to start on piano. I've NEVER had a beginning
>student with piano background have problems. Some of these students have
>even started out on bassoon as their first wind instrument experience, and
>done exceedingly well.
>
>RB
>
>On Wednesday, October 22, 2003, at 04:47 PM, Karl Krelove wrote:
>
>>I hate to throw a wet blanket on the enthusiasm a couple of other
>>responders
>>have shown, but my answer is - wait at least a year or (depending on her
>>size and apparent interest) two.
>>
>>Just getting a sound is not all there is to playing a clarinet. That even
>>this basic preliminary is, for any reason, proving difficult suggests that
>>she just isn't physically ready. I don't have a strong opinion about using
>>small clarinets with very young children because I've never tried it. But,
>>though your daughter may be different, 7-year-olds with whom I've had
>>experience are not grown enough to cover holes on a full size clarinet (or
>>any of the other standard orchestral/band wind instruments, which don't
>>come
>>in tiny sizes the way Suzuki-style string instruments do). Children that
>>size *can* handle tonettes, melody flutes, even recorders - all of which
>>can
>>be used to teach and build the basic concept of fingering without the
>>complexity, weight or stretch of a full-size clarinet or the muscular
>>demands of a reed or standard flute embouchure. My advice would be to find
>>another less effortful means to teach her the basics of music and let the
>>clarinet wait until just getting a sound is not a barrier that needs
>>surmounting.
>>
>>My $.02.
>>
>>Karl Krelove
>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: Vic Brincat [mailto:vbrincat@-----.com]
>>>
>>>I would love the get my 7 year old daughter started playing the
>>>clarinet.
>>>
>>>What can I do to get her to make a sound?
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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