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Future Career

Author: JonAugie
Date: 2003-02-23 01:59

Hello,
I am a fresham clarinet performance major and I want to seek some advice on a career as a performer. My goal is to play in an orchestra, but attain a position that would allow me to live comfortably is quite near impossible. I, however am interested in pit/commercial work. All this talk about what is going on with the musicians union has raised some questions. I would like to know what is involved with being a comercial clarinetist, how to break into the industry and what i should be doing now to help me later in life (aside from the obligatory practicing). Also i wanted to know if it was imperative to be a doubler to get this work. I bring up this question because I am familiar with flute and saxophone, but i have many opertunities with the teachers here (John Sampen and Kristina Jennings) to become as proficient on them as I am on clarinet. Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You All
-Jonaugie

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Re: Future Career

Author: allencole
Date: 2003-02-23 09:10

This from a local yokel. If your ambition is an orchestra seat, make sure that you're well settled into your college curriculum before expanding your workload.

If you want to do anything "commercial", your best immediate move is to listen to the kind of music that you might find work playing. Show work requires a wide variety of styles, and working pop bands require a good understanding of the music itself.

If you double saxophone, you might want to take lessons with a jazz-oriented teacher. That would give you a chance at apprenticeship in popular styles. As scientific as jazz and modern pop styles have gotten, there is much in the rhythms and articulations that are still a matter of experience and oral tradition.

I would also recommend that you develop your ear training as far as you can. You can integrate much of it into your technical practice on clarinet. For example, learn to play Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring in every major key. It can be quite a challenge not only to your ear, but to your pinkies as well--because you have to work them with no markings in real time. Good ear training can open new opportunities and literally save your life in all kinds of situations.

Final thought. If you double, make sure that you completely embrace each instrument that you play. Saxes are easy to finger, but intonation and tone quality take work. Also save your money. You need good quality instruments, mouthpieces and reeds for doubling and it gets expensive. I spent years with my face buried in the want ads looking for deals.

Allen Cole

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