 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Anna
Date: 2002-01-06 18:05
When did you start to play in an orchestra? (NOT professional one, just small church or community orchestra) How many years after you started to play? How good do you have to be? Iīve only played for a year but canīt wait until I get good enough to join one...
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Author: Pam
Date: 2002-01-06 19:34
My case is a little different than some, though not uncommon on this board it seems. I played all through school, took a 20 year break and then came back to the clarinet about 2 years ago. I had about a month or two of private lessons after starting again and joined rehearsals for our church orchestra and was "out there" playing each Sunday after less than a month of rehearsals.
If there is a specific group you are interested in joining, you might ask either a member or the leaders if you can visit a rehearsal and play along and see how it goes. I know our music for church tends to be fairly easy simply because of the volume of music we learn and most of the group has full time jobs as well as making music together. I know with our orchestra, anyone is welcome to come to a rehearsal. There are very few instruments that must audition (oboe is one).
Also, various groups within a community probably will have different levels that they play at so it might be worth it to check out several if you think you are ready.
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Author: FT
Date: 2002-01-06 19:41
I started to play in my church band a month after I started the sax. Everybody there was a begginer so I wasn't the only unexperienced one. Pretty soon there were like 5 sax players and 3 flutes(that is what the band was made up of) So I said, "Forget the sax, I'm playing the clarinet!" Those were the wisest words I've said. I Still play in that band. Since I'm the only clarinet, people pay attention to me the most. And thanks to that band, now I know how to transpose(both sax and clarinet, even though I don't play sax anymore)and I don't get stage fright(sp?) because every other week I have a solo, meaning just me and someone in the piano, I don't know how or why, I just don't get nervous, It's probably bacause I fell comfortable playing in my church(or maybe i just got used to it).
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Author: Kate
Date: 2002-01-06 21:43
I was pretty usless when I first went to my school orchestra; I had played for about 5 months I suppose, and although I was thrown in at the deep end within weeks I got better as being in orchestra forced me to sightread on the spot and forced me to practice, and the only thing I regret about joining that orchestra and many of my other bands, both professional and non-prof; was that I didn't join them sooner!!! Go join one, you'll get better at your instrument!!!!!!! I did - I went from useless to advanced within one year of being in this orchestra!!!! Now I'm recording CDs and I love all the orchestras and bands I play in!
Best of luck!
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Author: Keil
Date: 2002-01-06 23:05
depending on your level of dedication and the amount of time you put into practicing you could be in a youth symphony, community, church orchestra in no time. I myself started clarinet 3 years ago and joined my youth symphony orchestra as it's co-principal clarinet during my 2nd year of playing... i practiced like crazy before the audition and like Kate said, i improved greatly... i say as soon as you feel comfortable enough to go into an audition and play you should do so! whether it be after 2 years of playing or 5 months... go for it...ya never know... someone's gotta be chosen for the part, why not you? Happy Clarinetting!
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Author: Jean
Date: 2002-01-06 23:28
Hello Anna,
The band where I play has three level for musicians: beginners, intermediate, and advanced.
The beginners group includes musician of all ages that have never played a musical instrument.
Musicians move to the intermediate level after 6 to 12 months based on their skills and talents. The next step is the advanced, where musicians continue to develop for many years!
For example, the intermediate group gave a Christmas concert this year, and the first part includees 5 songs played by the beginner's group who had 6 musicians from 8 years to 18 years old. This was really good and the public liked it very much!
I think you can start now as you already have good experience, and do not wait until you are good enough... I learned a whole lot when I started. It was quite challenging, but playing in a band is very enjoyable and helps a lot develop your musical talent.
Good luck!
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2002-01-07 13:51
Since I don't know how old you are, I'm assuming you're a student. I'd get into the school orchestra to start out. Then, look for a church that uses instrumentalists and might be needing a clarinet--or a backup clarinet--and ask if you might be able to join. They might let you "sit in" if they don't want another clarinet player at the time. If your community has a community orchestra, you might look into that after you begin to improve a bit. If the places are full for a clarinet, you might look into playing bass clarinet to begin to get some reading experience with them.
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Author: William
Date: 2002-01-07 14:15
I would just like to add that, in retrospect, I wish that I would have started my orchestral "career" in college--or even younger. I've spent most of my adult life playing in wind ensembles, jazz ensembles, pit orchestras (doubling on saxes and flute) and combos--but just joined a local semi professional orchestra just five years ago. What I enjoy most is the quality of the music we perform and the fact that I am the only one playing my part--more of a feeling of contributing something artistc rather than being one of four first clarinets playing the same line. As for, "how good do I have to be," being an advanced player helps when you are in an "audition" situation, but there is no time like the present to choose an orchestral direction to your studies and start learning the reprtoire from excerpt books. Orchestral playing is, IMHO, much more musically rewarding--personally, as a clarinetist--than any wind ensemble could ever be and is HIGHLY recommended. Good Clarineting, Anna!!!!!!!!
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2002-01-07 14:29
My high school orchestra had only one bassoonist, so my orchestra "career" <LOL> began playing 2nd bassoon parts on the bass clarinet in the school orchestra (fun transpositions!), as well as playing "real" bass clarinet parts in community orchestras about the same time.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-01-07 18:10
The time is NOW.
Introduce yourself and start tootin'.
"Hi. Can I play?" will get you in every time 
We're all assuming you're a beginning clarinet student, Anna, but we have no idea where you are in the school system.
If you've been playing for a year and are not yet played in a band, ensemble or orchestra you're missing out on half the fun of making music... meeting and interacting with other musicians :
If your school has an instrumental music opportunity, go for it. Community bands/orchestras are great and the other suggestions above are all good too.
I started in fourth grade (U.S.). Took a couple of lessons, then began playing in the school orchestra, a rag-tag outfit that fit no 'standard'. Anybody who played an instrument did so as best they could. Some were surprisingly good at it too. Our fourth grade teacher was the director and our main objective was to have fun making music. It was the greatest musical experience possible at the time.
I went on to play semi-professionally later on, after high school, but experiences throughout school are still treasured. The music, the social interaction, fellow players, audience, are all experiences you'll get only by joining in.
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-01-08 04:02
I started to "play" in the school orchestra (which was a bit dodgy in standard) after about 2 year's clarinet playing. I loved it. Since then, went onto profesional playing (viola and clarinet) in pit and symphony orchestras. I really started to dislike playing in bands/orchestras when I went professional - too bitchy and too stressful - so I left it to the truely dedicated (please note - this is just MY experience).
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