Klarinet Archive - Posting 001126.txt from 2004/07

From: "Lelia Loban" <lelialoban@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] ClarinetFest, last day
Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2004 15:15:37 -0400

On Sunday, July 25, I wanted to try to hear all of the clarinet choir
concerts on the last day, when all the events took place in the Performing
Arts Center. Since there was no bus from any Metro station that would get
me to the 9:30 first performance on time, I accepted Kevin’s offer to drive
me to the campus from the Georgetown flea market. That way I could go to
the flea market with him, too, and still arrive at ClarinetFest early
enough to spend some time talking with people before the concert.

If I’d heard the high school clarinet choir (participants admitted by CD
audition) without knowing what it was or seeing the kids, I never would
have guessed they were only in high school. Very impressive indeed.
Edward Palanker conducted with a clear beat and a warm, encouraging
approach. He clearly won the kids over and inspired them. (The day
before, I overheard one of the kids telling some adults who were probably
his parents, “I can’t believe how good our clarinet choir rehearsals are
going. We’ve got the best conductor in the world!”) The kids rumbled
their feet for Mr. Palanker when he came onstage and again during the
well-deserved round of hearty applause from the audience at the end of the
concert. Afterwards, mingling with the audience, I heard many positive
(and no negative) comments about the high school choir. The soloist,
Dagmar Van Engen (a Palanker student), played superbly, using the sheet
music, in the Jacob Concertino.

Here's something that people are reluctant to mention, for fear of sounding
shallow or sexist, but someone, preferably female (and I guess I might as
well volunteer) needs to explain bluntly to young, female clarinet players
why a clingy, short skirt is a mistake for a woman who plays sitting down
with the bell of her clarinet between her knees, on a stage raised above
the front rows of the audience. Almost as bad: a short, tight, tank top
with skin-tight pants made of thin, stretchy fabric. Even on a very thin
girl, bare flesh bulged over the waistband and the fabric outlined every
detail of her crotch. When choosing a concert outfit, it’s wise to give it
a trial run by wearing it while sitting alone in front of a well-lit,
full-length mirror and practicing the clarinet. Every now and then, make
sure to catch yourself off-guard (relaxed, not “sucking it in” or raising
the clarinet while clamping the knees closed) and take a good, critical
look. Better a less-trendy costume than an accidental peep show -- unless,
of course, you *want* to look as if you shop at Sluts R Us.

The ICA College/University Clarinet Choir, up next, included teachers as
well as students. My favorite piece by far was the only one listed in the
printed program, the Buss Prelude and Dance. Soloists Jared Davis on Eb
and David Niethamer on Bb had finely tuned their ensemble and dynamics, and
gave a top-notch performance of music that I liked fairly well.

In the rest of the College/University program, overall, the choice of music
didn’t appeal to me. I don’t remember most of the specific selections,
which conductor Charles West announced (entertainingly) on the spot, but
nearly all were transcriptions, and not all were good transcriptions -- or
maybe they just weren’t balanced right for this group. Accompaniment
drowned out melody sometimes. I did like the opener, “Nimrod” from Elgar’s
Enigma Variations, and wish I could remember who transcribed that. On the
whole, however, I would have preferred to hear fewer transcriptions and
more original repertory written for clarinet choir. I thought that
conductor Charles West’s beat looked hard to follow, and this may be the
reason for some slightly ragged ensemble playing.

The ICA Conference Choir was open to anybody, without auditions, but I
wouldn’t have guessed that from listening: The Choir (in which I did not
play; I listened from the audience) sounded like a carefully hand-picked
group, and played masterfully. Most impressive. At more than 100 strong,
this was by far the largest group of clarinet players I’ve ever seen and
heard assembled in one concert! The conductor, Harvey Hermann, and an
assistant, James Moffit, had transcribed the entire Schubert 5th Symphony.
This mad idea must have required a monstrous job of work. Yipes -- another
transcription -- but the symphony sounded surprisingly right for a clarinet
choir, especially considering that Mr. Hermann, with no way to predict in
advance exactly what balance of instruments would show up for rehearsals,
had to adjust the scores and the seat assignments to compensate, with only
four rehearsals. Job well done by everyone.

The large clarinet section from “The President’s Own” Marine Band, IMHO the
finest military band in the Washington, D. C. area (and that’s saying
something), closed out the concert with a mixed program ranging from Mozart
to David Rakowski to John Williams, including an encore transcribed from
the “Harry Potter” movie scores, and received the only standing ovation of
the day. (This was a tough audience -- of course I missed a lot of the
five days of programming, but this was the only standing ovation I
witnessed during the entire Fest, though I’d guess that the Wolf Trap
audience was probably as liberal as usual with standing ovations on
Saturday night.) The lone drummer, the assistant principal from the full
band, mesmerized me, flawlessly playing difficult, “rub your stomach while
patting your head” scores that most ensembles would parcel out to two or
more percussionists. This exceptional group, with its regional connection,
made the perfect closer for ClarinetFest 2004.

Lelia Loban
http://members.sibeliusmusic.com/LeliaLoban
Kerry and Edwards in 2004, because regime change begins at home!

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Klarinet is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org