Klarinet Archive - Posting 000699.txt from 2004/10

From: Adam Michlin <amichlin@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] RE: klarinet Digest 22 Oct 2004 08:14:59 -0000 Issue 5597
Date: Sun, 24 Oct 2004 11:55:09 -0400

Audrey points out a fundamental truth.

The greatest musicians and music teachers are those who recognize music is
music is music irrespective of instrument or voice.

Whether one aspires to be a music teacher or a professional musician, the
key word is always "music" (which I why I so abhor the term "band
director"). Being a clarinet player only gives you the skills necessary to
become a musician, it should never be a goal unto itself.

-Adam

At 08:33 AM 10/24/2004 -0700, Audrey Travis wrote:
>I am one clarinetist who is a band director in elementary schools (6 of
>them). But I wanted to drop a note about what popped into my head as I saw
>this paragraph. I assume we're somewhat discussing how the musical background
>of a teacher affects the sound of the ensemble. It's quite interesting what
>one gets when a different background is thrown in. In one of our local high
>schools, one of the band directors (of the last few years) is a highly
>accomplished choral director and the sounds and styles he got out of his
>choirs is phenomenal - very, very tight, extremely well balanced, very clear
>enunciation, very dramatic and soulful, very musical, increbible intonation -
>his students produce absolutely jaw dropping results. Of course they've won
>Gold in many, many festivals both competetive and non competetive. A few
>years ago, when the band program grew, he began doing the Grade 9 Band classes
>and this group sounded exactly like his choirs! Same strengths. Though this
>director really knew nothing about bands, he knew about music and had his own
>unique stlye to pass on. Just as we can often tell who the clarinetist is by
>his/her unique sound, so we can tell a director's own particular band sound
>(assuming one has been developed) for better or for worse. The results are
>overwhelmingly unique.

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