Klarinet Archive - Posting 000096.txt from 2009/07

From: Tom Puwalski <tski1128@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] doublers - help!
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:02:04 -0400

Come on Bill I spent 20 years in the army specializing in giving the
idiots what they want. That's the diferance, ameteurs whine and pros "
get er done"
Tom Puwalski

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 20, 2009, at 9:18 AM, William Foss <billfoss47@-----.net>
wrote:

> 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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