 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2022-07-05 17:30
And still playing clarinet. :-)
Still in the Army. But I took a job for three years that had me off the clarinet. And then after that (and honestly, before that) have been playing lots of sax in a Brass Band scenario.
I think, after... oh LORD knows how many years of being in a Brass Band... it's time for me to start working on my improv chops.
Here's a video of one of the coolest things I've done with the Army... (to be honest, I haven't done THAT many cool things in the Army, but this one was pretty awesome). It's of the brass band in Mongolia! Playing in a park that used to be a quarry. There to help celebrate 35 years since Mongolia left Russia's hold and became allies with the US!
https://fb.watch/e3ZiRX7c7l/
I'm on tenor sax mostly. Clarinet parts start around 26 minutes. And it's only about 4 or 5 songs.
Toot well, fellow clarinetists! I'm still workin' on it too!
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Neil
Date: 2022-07-06 04:39
I remember when you were talking about going in. You must be close to retirement now.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2022-07-07 08:36
Alexi,
Great to see/hear that you're still around and active! Thanks for dropping in.
Thanks for your service!
;^)>>>
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2022-07-07 16:30
Quote:
I remember when you were talking about going in. You must be close to retirement now.
So you're a woodwind.org longtimer like me! Awesome! Yeah, I still credit this board with me GETTING into the Army. I had three one on one lessons before auditioning, and the majority of my learning came from reading and following advice on this board.
I'm at 18.5 years in. I CAN stay for around 24 or 26 years (the limit changes every now and then... I don't keep up anymore!) Not sure if I'm going to move past 20 or not. Life is always flowing. But I definitely still enjoy playing music. hell, even SAX is fun now after years of playing it! LOL!
In two weeks, I'm going to spend some serious cash and overhaul a bunch of clarinets and saxophones, just to be pretty set.
I'll be back on this board. With less frequency than I used to be earlier in my career, but I still love playing, and sharing and absorbing knowledge. Keep tootin' folks!
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ed
Date: 2022-07-08 01:17
Good to have you back. Don't be a stranger!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: DAVE
Date: 2022-07-13 04:47
USARJ TDY to Mongolia! Wow!
I hope they can save USARJ somehow. I spent a little over two years there. Loved it.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: EuGeneSee
Date: 2022-07-14 07:37
Alexi,
Good to see you back in the fold!!
I, too, have been off of the BBoard for several years...I just happened to log on this evening and saw a familiar Alexi on here (the only name that I recognized).
I'm still hanging out in the deepest, darkest, North Arkansas Ozarks...it ain't easy to drag a hillbilly out of the hills!
Haven't played in a couple of years, as our community band shut down 2 years ago with the advent of the Covid thing. Because of my COPD, I had to give up on the contrabass clarinet, and donated it to the local high school. The bass clarinet is a bit easier, and I figure playing it will (maybe) help strengthen my lungs.
I got a fantastic deal on a Haynes sterling silver piccolo (practically stole it) & sent it to Haynes for a factory overhaul (only $1,000...gulp!!), and bought a new Haynes case and a padded carrying bag for it. I don't play the piccolo, so I am working with the music department at my alma mater college to identify the most deserving (and neediest) piccolo player, and will present it to them as a graduation present.
Anyhoo, after about 2 years without playing my R13, my chops will need a bunch of work to get in shape. Instead of staying in shape, I have spent the past couple of years Geocaching and doing Genealogy, neither of which has done anything for me musically!
Anyhoo, I need to get back on here and back into squeaking and squawking my clarinets...hopefully you will also get back to playing your lonely and forlorn clarinet as well.
Welcome back.
EuGene Smith
Clinton, AR
Post Edited (2022-07-14 07:42)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: EuGeneSee
Date: 2022-07-14 08:08
Hey, Alexi!
Quote: "Not sure if I'm going to move past 20 or not"
With 18.5 years behind you already, you have a golden opportunity, so I assume you plan to stay at least for the 20 years, then you have the next 1.5 years to think about what to do after that.
With all your years as an Army musician, you might even consider a second career with an orchestra, or some other gig. Of course they don't generally pay as well as the military and may have a penny ante retirement as well.
College/University music departments may be better paying with better retirement to boot.
In any event, you might begin exploring your post-retirement options during the remaining 1.5 years. If you don't find what suits you, consider staying on beyond 20 years and continue looking for what will be best for Alexi.
Then, when you have your post-retirement future laid out, the you will be ready to put in for retirement and will have a seamless transition back into the civilian world.
EuGene ("Smiff")
Post Edited (2022-07-14 09:12)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2022-07-15 07:39
[quote=EuGeneSee]Welcome back.
Thanks! It's nice to see updates and to see old AND new names on this board. You're absolutely right, I've got about 1.5 years to make a decision, and there are always life factors that will play into that decision that are OUTSIDE "employment".
Sorry to hear that you've had to switch your main instruments, but I'm very happy to hear that you're looking into other options to continue music. I've determined (more like it's just 'evident' to me) that participating in the creation of music will always be a part of my life in one shape or other.
I'll post every now and then just moreso on my life experiences. I used to post my responses to how to get better, but honestly, I have no formal musical training... only lots of practicing (I've had... maybe 20 lessons in my life?), nor do I have any experience on how to win auditions to college or beyond. I just try to play those black dots as well as I can!
But I'm doing some interesting stuff in Japan, and it's a unique situation that maybe others in here might want to enjoy hearing about.
Next big mission is a big band mission where I'll be playing Tenor 1, and a LITTLE bit of clarinet on Sing Sing Sing (probably the written out solo as we tend to stick pretty strictly to the form).
Keep tootin' folks!
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2022-07-15 18:15
Retirement benefits are great (you will thank God for Tri-Care). Also if you are anywhere near a promotion, wait for that, because that will bump up your retirement pay. And finally keep inflation in mind. Your retirement pay may look decent now but think about what that figure will look like in ten years. The period the country is going through now is a good example.
...............Paul Aviles
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
