The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Mitch
Date: 2001-12-19 04:08
Howdy:
I am a former ardent clarinetist (Columbia University Wind Ensemble and Orchestra) coming back to the instrument after a VERY long hiatus. Though I have made a reasonable amount of progress on my own (new instrument, new mouthpiece, new embouchure ;-) etc.), I could sure benefit from a teacher who has at least some experience with folks like myself. I live in the Palo Alto area, if that helps zero in the search any better.
Any recommendations would be appreciated.
Regards,
Mitch
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Author: mike
Date: 2001-12-19 16:11
I live further north, so I can't help you directly, but you might want to call the music dept at Stanford and see if they have a clarinet faculty or staff that you might speak with.
Further afield, you could contact the San Francisco Conservatory and ask them about teachers in the area, or even contact the SF Symphony players. While they probably charge $$$ for lessons, they might be able to put you onto someone.
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Author: Suzanne
Date: 2001-12-19 21:47
I graduated from Stanford and studied for a little while with Greg Dufford, who was the clarinet teacher there in the '90's. I don't know if he is still there, but he was a good teacher.
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Author: diz
Date: 2001-12-19 22:10
Mitch
Wow - I too, am returning to clarinetting after 10 years. I'm very scared that my technique will be horrendous - though I still "visualise" the fingerings quite often! Good luck! I've just purchased a lovely E flat clarinet from a guy in up state New York, and my "baby" should arrive in the New Year - eeeiiikkk how exciting!
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-12-20 05:36
Don't know any teachers over your way, Mitch, but I just couldn't resist sending a greeting to ya from over here in Sac'to...
WELCOME BACK :]
I'm also curious about, with your background, why you feel you need a teacher. Sounds like you were pretty well advanced when you decided to take a time out. I don't doubt that you feel the need or you wouldn't mention it. You say you've made reasonable progress since you re-started and I'm sure you have. I don't think we ever forget what we learned earlier but reinstatement is not instantaneous for most of us. I came back to playing after thirty years. A teacher might prompt me to practice more regularly but, other than that, I already know what to do; practice and play. None of us old timers have forgotten how to do that : It's just a matter of sticking with it. I, too, have made 'reasonable progress' and so far am having lots of fun doing it
All the while I was not playing I knew I missed it. I just didn't realize how much until I took it up again.
- ron b -
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Author: MA
Date: 2001-12-20 13:21
Hi Mitch,
Its so good to hear a clarinetist realize that they can always learn and
improve. I went back to playing after 26 years of not playing. I had played and competed for many years. I couldn't believe how much I had forgotten and how much I still needed to learn! I then went back to college, studied with a member of the Fla. Philharmonic who was wonderful, strict, and demanding. It was the best thing I ever did. She definitely made me work harder than I would have on my own, I corrected some bad habits and am still correcting things to this day. I received my Bachelor of Music with Honors in 1995 . As a musician you should be like a sponge gleaning all the good things from each of your experiences and people around you. Good Luck in your search for a private teacher. Make sure you have a good rapport with whomever you choose. In addition to good credentials, you need to be able to get along and understand each other. You also need to under-stand that a person never really masters his/her instrument. There is always something you can learn. But I gather you already understand this in searching
out a good teacher.
MA
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