Klarinet Archive - Posting 000319.txt from 1998/04

From: Shouryu Nohe <jnohe@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: lesson motivation
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 13:55:43 -0400

On Tue, 7 Apr 1998, Roger Garrett wrote:

> This is very common......how do you think this attitude can be changed?

I think that universities should emphasize education by demonstration -
teaching ed. majors that playing for your students as demonstrating the
proper pitches/rhythms, etc. when directing. There are already band
directors who do this, but not a lot. In this light, ed majors will see
that they would play quite a bit, and because they play to demonstrate,
excellence must be maintained.

> Just a bit of caution........two hours isn't really enough to achieve what
> you need......it is more maitenence.......anything over 3 hours a day is a
> good step.......closer to four and you will notice amazing, fast
> changes.....believe me on this!

Actually, I think I get a decent amount of work done in two hours.
Because I only rest for a half-hour to 45 min between rehearsal and my
practice session, I don't need a long warm up. My session begins with
long tones and articulation studies. This warms me back up and gets me
prepared for articulation tests. Then major scales in 2-3 octaves. Then
all modes. Then all the major routines I currently have under my fingers
(Albert's 24 Excercises on Scales). This takes anywhere from 35-50 min,
all of what I've mentioned. The fifteen minute discrepancy comes from the
possibility that I might flub a scale, find a problem, etc, and work it
out. Then about 30-40 minutes working on major routines, Klose mechanical
excercises, and Hite Book I Etudes. Then 30 minutes or so on the
currently assigned solo work (Beethoven sym. excerpts, Bordogni vocalises,
etc.). Of course, recent weeks have dictated more time on the solo
studies, because I will be performing them for an audience exclusively
there for myself and my partner.
I realize that I will have to expand this time frame. But I have
not yet learned/discovered all the different technical excercizes that
many of you incorporate into your daily repertiore, many because I am
still a student, with a HECK of a long way to go. The more I learn, the
more I incorporate into my daily routine, and the practice time must be
expanded. I'll just have to make up for it by dropping out of some
ensembles as years go by (yes, that means Woodwind Choir as well, Dr. B.
Sorry).
Weekends give me more time, too. I generally get four hours of
clarinet on both days, plus an hour of sax and an hour of pinano (I always
mispell it on purpose, so LAY OFF!!!). I add about half an hour to
technical study and half an hour for solo stuff, then the fourth hour is
spent tidying up spots in pieces for my ensembles.

While it's not completely adequate in your eyes, it's all I have. Any
free time during the day is usually spent on piano or sax (generally, 45
min of piano every day, and about an hour of sax on T/Th, so I don't get
yelled at in Jazz band. ^_^ ).

I imagine I could get up earlier or something, but Dr. Borchert
can tell you that early morning lessons are rather unpredictable in my
case - any such playing for me is a little wacky (my body clock is
naturally nocturnal). During the summers, though, I wake around 9, clock
in a hour of clarinet before doing anything else, and pick up a few hours
elsewhere...

One could also suggest that I use all the time I spend doing email
practicing...but I feel I learn a lot from this list, so I don't think
that will be happening just yet. ^_-

Shouryu Nohe
Professor of SCSM102, New Mexico State Univ.
http://web.nmsu.edu/~jnohe; ICQ 6771552
Coffee Drinker, Musician, Otaku, Jesus Freak, Admirer of Women
(Not necessarily in that order)
--------------------------------------------------------------
"I, um, I have to se my father tomorrow. What should I talk to him
about, Rei?" - Ikari Shinji
"I don't understand. Why are you asking me?"
"Um, because I've seen you talking with my father, and actually
_enjoying_ it."