Klarinet Archive - Posting 000058.txt from 2004/10

From: Adam Michlin <amichlin@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Clarinet popularity was: [kl] Re: Another Clarinet Faculty
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 2004 11:47:09 -0400

It is very true that we are awash in clarinet players. The average
technical facility is staggering compared to what was considered virtuostic
one hundred years ago.

We are awash in clarinet players, I'm not so sure we're awash in musicians.
I find it very difficult to find clarinet players who can play a melody
with true beauty. I can't honestly say I know the old days were better and
I am quite willing to concede I may just be old fashioned (well, trained
old fashioned, I'm not that old!). Maybe melody just isn't important anymore.

It seems more likely melody has become unimportant to people who aspire to
play the clarinet more than they aspire to play music and then wonder why
they can play all the notes of the Nielsen Clarinet Concerto but can't get
past the first round of an audition. This may just have something to do
with the problems facing symphony orchestras - conductors more interested
in conducting rather than playing music. And, of course, the problems
facing symphony orchestras directly relate to the lack of jobs for clarinet
players.

It's also interesting to note that, despite all these virtuoso players, I
know of a least a few auditions for major orchestra where the ultimate
decision was either no one was qualified or the person chosen couldn't cut
it. It is hard to compare this to the "old days" because back then, as you
well know, conductors could hire and fire players at will. We now live in
an era of professional audition takers, many of which can play their
excerpts blindfolded with one hand tied behind their back but don't have
the slightest ability to function in a professional performance situation.
You have to be a professional audition taker to get the job and a
professional musician to keep the job. Quite overwhelming, if you ask me.

Regarding teaching both clarinet and saxophone. If there were enough
students for two separate full-time studios, they would have to have two
separate full-time professors. They certainly aren't going to pay full-time
professors to teach only part-time. So either they have one full-time
professor teach both or two part-time professors. In a certain sense the
latter creates more jobs, but not really.

So many notes, so little music,

-Adam

(Who is constantly perplexed by students who think Mozart is easy to play.)

At 09:40 AM 10/4/2004 -0500, Forest Aten wrote:
>We have no shortage of "educated" clarinet players. (in this country) There
>are far more competent players than there are jobs.
>
>The recent teaching jobs posted on the list are a pretty good indication
>that many smaller colleges and universities are relying on one person to
>teach both clarinet/sax. This makes fewer jobs available...right?

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