Klarinet Archive - Posting 000092.txt from 2009/07

From: William Foss <billfoss47@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] doublers - help!
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:18:08 -0400

I agree with Dave completely. Doubling IS always playing on cold
horns. So I do pretty much what Dave states, though once I have my
clarinet, bass clarinet, sax and bassoon reeds working, the only other
thing I do is blow soft long tones on a low C (on flute) and low D (on
piccolo) a few minutes before the overture. Also, I too, ignore idiot
directors.

Bill Foss
U.S. Army Retired
USC Aiken, Woodwind Professor
Director of Bands, Aiken Prep

On Jul 20, 2009, at 8:36 AM, David McClune wrote:

> I get to the hall an hour or more early and assemble each instrument
> and move them to the stands. The warm up of the body happened at
> home earlier that day and at the hall I am simply checking each
> instrument to make sure there are no mechanical glitches. Since
> doubling implies playing on cold horns anyhow I do not worry about
> compulsivly warming up each horn. However...I do put the top joint
> of the oboe and the barrel on top joint of the clarinet down my
> shirt. I let body heat warm up the instruments to reduce the risk
> of cracking!
>
> As for the '20s music, play long tones in the key and chord
> structure of the music. I tend to ignore idiot directors and do
> what is professionally required of me. If they continue to be a
> pain, I just do not play for them again.
>
> Dave
>
> Dr. David McClune
> Professor of Woodwinds
> Director of Bands
> Union University-1862
> 1050 Union University Drive
> Jackson, TN 38305
>
> Office-731-661-5294
> dmcclune@-----.edu
> www.mcclunemouthpiece.com
>>>> MICHAEL MARMER LINDA MARMER <mlmarmer@-----.net> 07/20/09 7:01
>>>> AM >>>
> Maybe the performing group could perform the pre show 1920's music?
>
> Mike
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Walter Grabner" <grabnerwg@-----.com>
> To: <klarinet@-----.org>
> Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2009 9:52 PM
> Subject: Re: [kl] doublers - help!
>
>
> I have played many shows where it was difficult getting into the pit,
> past the other instrumentalists, and avoiding tripping all over the
> wires for the stand lights.
>
> Trying to walk in all at once, carrying say, a clarinet, a flute, a
> tenoro sax, and a bass clarinet, is a prescription for disaster.
>
> I have usually arrived early, set up the instruments in place, stored
> all the cases backstage, then warmed up quietly, and be ready fifteen
> minutes before curtain.
>
> I do agree that extended practicing, playing cadenzas, etc. are out of
> place in front of the audience.
>
> Anyway, that's my objection to warming up backstage.
>
> Walter Grabner
> www.clarinetxpress.com
>
> On Sun, Jul 19, 2009 at 6:05 PM, Karl Krelove<karlkrelove@-----.net>
> wrote:
>> What the director isn't getting is the extra complication of multiple
>> instruments. The singers undoubtedly *do* warm up - backstage -
>> while the
>> twenties music is being piped in out front. No doubt in a community
>> show
>> the
>> director may not be especially aware of any problem he's causing. The
>> brass
>> players, assuming they aren't doubling, probably don't feel the
>> problem as
>> acutely, either.
>>
>> You say in your original post, "Our conductor has received more
>> than his
>> share of grief from the director and says that he has to 'choose his
>> battles' and that in the long run he'd lose this one anyway." Does
>> this
>> mean
>> that the issue hasn't even been brought up to the director? Before
>> anyone
>> considers quitting over this, the director needs at least to be
>> aware that
>> it's a problem.
>>
>> In the end, if the issue has at least been brought to the director's
>> attention without getting a workable accommodation, you have two
>> choices -
>> find a way to live with it or don't play. If the director refuses
>> to work
>> with you, he (she?) won't be the first community theater director
>> who has
>> overplayed his authority and damaged a community organization's
>> cohesiveness
>> (from the sound of it, he/she has already made the pit conductor feel
>> disrespected) in the interest of showing his/her more elevated
>> sense of
>> art.
>> Maybe next year's director will be more sensitive to the world that
>> exists
>> beyond a foot away from his nose.
>>
>> Karl
>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: josh stein [mailto:jstein53@-----.net]
>>> Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2009 3:49 PM
>>> To: klarinet@-----.org
>>> Subject: Re: [kl] doublers - help!
>>>
>>> of course musicians need to warmup like the singers in the show. if
>>> the
>>> director does not understand that one needs to warmup before they
>>> start
>>> playing the real thing, than the director is a moron.
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Rich Gordley" <rgordley@-----.net>
>>> Subject: [kl] doublers - help!
>>>>
>>>>> OK gang, I need some opinions on a ridiculous situation.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm currently playing a run of "Hello Dolly!" with a community
>>>>> theater. This is a volunteer gig which means the musicians get
>>>>> treated worse than usual. Last night we were told that we can no
>>>>> longer warm up in the pit because the director wants to play 1920s
>>>>> (?!) music over the speakers in the auditorium while the patrons
>>>>> are
>>>>> arriving.
>>
>>
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