 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Lisa_UK
Date: 2003-06-10 17:13
Inspired by my lovely new mouthpiece, I took the bull by the horns today and phoned the contact number on the website of a local community band that I found, and asked her if they were looking for any new players. I was really surprised when she said yes, they were short on clarinets. So, I casually asked her when the next rehearsal was, and she said - "Tonight, come along and have a blow!"...
...*gulp*...
So, I'm about to go and make a complete idiot of myself in front of a room of total strangers with about, oh, an hour's notice. I used to play in my local British Legion band up until I was about 21. I'm now 31, which gives you an idea of how long it's been since I've played with an ensemble. I did explain to the lady that I was more than a little rusty, but she said that was OK, alot of their members are returning players (phew)
I'm excited and horribly nervous all at the same time - wish me luck!
Lisa
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2003-06-10 17:36
Lisa fearfully said: "...So, I'm about to go and make a complete idiot of myself in front of a room of total strangers with about, oh, an hour's notice..."
Just do what my Junior High students used to do:
When you make a glaring mistake and the conductor looks in your general direction, just turn and stare at the clarinetist to your right and make an annoyed look. It works every time....
Seriously, good luck, from all the bulletin board members...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-06-10 17:38
We all do wish you good luck, Lisa. I have played with quite a few bands/orchs along-side "real pros", and have found nearly all to be very considerate of 1st/2nd time "errors" in tempo, note and volumn and the cuts, conductor interpretation etc. We all try to "do it right" the first time, but like in Music Man, "You gotta know the territory"! Your CT should shine, as thats what the big-bores were made for. I've heard several VG British and DE German bands in railway stations and parades and wished I had a cl or Bass cl to join in, sight reading can be fun!! I've done a bit of tuning of my #2 CT, will report under the earlier thread. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BobD
Date: 2003-06-10 17:48
"break a leg" Lisa. I play in a CB and it's delightful. As our conductor says, " It's OK if you can't play some passage as long as you don't try to do it in concert".
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Lisa_UK
Date: 2003-06-10 17:49
Thanks guys!
Don, now is the time to see if I'm *really* in tune after today's adjustments...
GBK - you're not far off the mark on the glaring look idea. Actually, when I was playing with the Legion band, I had an imaginary focal point on the back of the clarinet, just under the thumbrest, (as did the girl who shared my stand) and we would turn the instrument over and stare at this non-existant spot with puzzled looks on our faces every time we screwed up. The conductor was a brass player, so it worked like a charm ;-)
OK, off to put my face on and get ready. I'll report back later.
Lisa
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ken
Date: 2003-06-10 18:27
GBK wrote: "When you make a glaring mistake and the conductor looks in your general direction, just turn and stare at the clarinetist to your right and make an annoyed look. It works every time...."
--LOL. I always enjoyed getting the blue-bloods in the band totally hacked off at me by giving the tuning note, stop after a few seconds, look down at the floor in disgust, shake my head and walk off the podium...hehe, worked every time! v/r Ken
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-06-10 18:53
Great comments both GBK and Ken ! When I tuned our orch, by oboe , I did similarly, and tuned them a bit flat, so that I would be in tune when they tuned/played a bit sharp!! Ah memories! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Sue
Date: 2003-06-10 21:43
Have fun Lisa !,
You mentioned its been about ten years, for me it was about 25 years!. I was terrible but I didn't give up and now I'm having alot of fun (been 2 years now). At the time I did notify the players around me how it was and found them to be very supportive !. Everyones there to have fun !.
Good Luck!,
Sue
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Lisa_UK
Date: 2003-06-10 22:46
Oh, wow!!! I had such a great time! I'd forgotten what a wonderful experience it was to actually make music with people.
All those who told me that it makes such a difference playing in an ensemble - how right you were. I realised that I can actually still hold a note, although I did lose my place in the music a few times, squeaked a couple of times, and had to ask what some of the notation meant as I'd forgotten things like how demi-semi-quavers are notated.
I sat in with the thirds - that was way more than enough for now. Shared a stand with a very helpful lady who helped me out when I got lost. We played 4 pieces, Nessun Dorma, that Bryan Adams song that was at number one for about a thousand years, Clog Dance (that was fun!) and some really fast military march in cut common time, which was interesting - to say the least.
Still, it was an experience - I can't wait for next week. I also got complimented on the lovely tone of my CT - which I was chuffed to bits about.
Thanks for all the support,
Lisa
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-06-10 22:59
Lisa_UK wrote:
> I also got complimented on the lovely tone of my CT - which I was
> chuffed to bits about.
That wasn't the CT - that was you!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Lisa_UK
Date: 2003-06-10 23:05
Mark wrote:
>That wasn't the CT - that was you!
What, little ol' me with a good tone after 10 years? Awww, shucks! Thanks Mark
Actually, one thing I had forgotten is how difficult it is to hear yourself. I actually thought at one point, gosh, this clarinet is really quiet - but maybe not. Maybe it was just the general noise level around me, which I'm not used to any more.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Lisa_UK
Date: 2003-06-10 23:19
Absolutely Bob - I'm quite happy for that to be me. I always rather liked the third parts - lots of interesting harmonies going on.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David
Date: 2003-06-10 23:24
Nicely done. Very British understatement. "Played in a BL band yonks ago", indeed...
I've heard BL bands, and they do not muck about. All pretty damn good.
Well, you're on your way now, and right into the best part of the year for concert.
Which band was it, if you don't mind me asking? I had an idea you were Surrey Sarf Londonish for some reason.
David
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Lisa_UK
Date: 2003-06-10 23:30
David, I am indeed in Surrey - I live in Woking. Good memory! I used to be in south London (Streatham), but moved a year or so ago.
It's the Bourne Concert Band of Woking, based in Addlestone. Not too far away from me. Very nice mix of instruments - clarinets, saxes, a couple of oboes, french horns, the usual brass, and a great drummer.
They're apparently desperate for trumpet/cornet players,so if anyone knows of anyone in the local area who might be interested, drop me a line and I'll send the details via email.
Post Edited (2003-06-10 23:31)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: williamainsworth
Date: 2003-06-11 13:20
I joined a community band with very little experience and the other players were very kind to me. I simply put brackets around the sixteenth notes or any other part that I couldn't play and treated those parts as a rest period. Of course I practiced them at home. There was only one other third clarinet in the band at that time so I liked to think that the band needed me for what I could play. In my city in Canada the bands seem to be perpetually short of third clarinet players, I wonder why?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: leonardA
Date: 2003-06-11 14:24
I applaud you for doing this. I recently took up the sax again after 40 years and am instrumental in starting a community band. We have people of varying experience and abilities, which I think is typical. It is a really great experience and it's nice to have a regular place to play. After taking up the sax, I decided to try clarinet for the first time, so I'm doing that too, which is why I am a regular participant in this wonderful board.
Good luck.
Leonard
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2003-06-11 14:39
Way to go, Lisa. And remember, when the notes become too frantic, it is always a "good time" to swab out your instrument.
(or break your reed "accidently")
But then, be sure to go home and learn the part--those avoidence tacktics only work once. I know..................
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Lisa_UK
Date: 2003-06-12 06:46
Thanks everyone for all the encouragement this week - it really has helped alot.
I did think about asking to take some of the music home but I'm not quite sure how that would be received as I'm such a new member. I seemed to do OK with the sight-reading, with only a few hiccups, so I'll wait until I've settled in a little bit, I think.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
