Klarinet Archive - Posting 000002.txt from 2006/07

From: "Christy Erickson" <woodshome7@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Need some advice on teaching an 8-year-old.
Date: Sat, 01 Jul 2006 12:35:09 -0400

Oliver, It definitely depends on the child. I currently have a student who
began taking clarinet lessons at age 8. For some reason, it was the only
instrument she wanted to play at the time and the local music store would
not even rent a clarinet to her parents. They said she was too young and
they had a policy of not renting instruments to kids that young. Her Mom
went to another city to rent a clarinet. This girl has gone on to take
piano lessons from me, in addition to clarinet and when she started 5th
grade, she starting playing saxophone in the school band. She had the
saxophone for several years but prior to that time had been physically too
small to play it. I have never regretted taking this student, since she
will probably end up being THE most talented private music student I have
EVER had! She is simply a "natural" and plays with a fantastic tone that
I've never had to work with her on at all to develop. She just blows and
produces that wonderful sound all by herself. Before one of my student
recitals, she heard one of my high school (10th grade) students warming up
and asked me why her tone was so "weak." I discovered a year after I began
working with her that her mother has perfect pitch. We've had to work on
rhythms but this kid is naturally VERY musical and a joy to work with. I
say if the kid can hold the clarinet (this girl I speak of used a neck strap
in the beginning) and produce a tone, give it a shot and see what happens.
Her fingers do need to be large enough to cover the tone holes on a Bb
clarinet but if not, you could try an Eb clarinet. Christy

----- Original Message -----
From: "Oliver Seely" <oseely@-----.edu>
To: <klarinet@-----.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 01, 2006 11:20 AM
Subject: [kl] Need some advice on teaching an 8-year-old.

> A music teacher friend has been asked to begin teaching clarinet to
> an 8-year-old girl. A "small 8-year-old" she told me.
>
> She had been taking cello lessons but her father now wants her to
> take clarinet lessons.
>
> I will meet the father tonight at a concert I am going to play with
> the Mariposa Symphony. I recall this thread having been touched on
> in the last couple of months or so, but I didn't follow it.
>
> All opinions about teaching clarinet to a small 8-year-old will be
> cheerfully received. What ought I to advise the father? Many thanks,
>
> Oliver
>
>
>
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