 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2003-09-22 04:36
The more I read the board, the more interesting it is to see all the different perspective on issues... It got me wondering what everyone's "Clarinet Resume" would read. I don't mean this to add or subtract credence from anyone's comments and opinions. Just wondering what everyone's background is and where they've gotten their experience on clarinet (or musical in general). I'll start!
Started on Flute 6th grade
Switched to clarinet in 11th grade
Made Texas All-State in 12th grade
Clarinet/Composition Major on full scholarship at Oklahoma City University for 1 year
Continued Clarinet studies for 2 years (and counting) while studing social science
Also I've taught clarinet for the past two years.
Additionally, I've played extensively at weddings and other similar events with my dad who plays classical guitar
I've played piano for several years and have accompanied juries while at OCU and some junior high soloists during my teaching experience.
I've played one full length recital and had several of my compositions peformed by the college I used to attend..
That's about it for me
Don-theclarinetist@yahoo.com
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2003-09-22 11:57
This should encourage a few more late-starters to tell their stories: I grew up in a musical family, meaning that my father played piano just for fun. But since he worked at a radio station in Ohio for many years, he was given the pick of all the music they were discarding. So he brought home all sorts of music, LPs, 78s, reel-to-reel. We'd play this all the time. My brother, being the electronics type, geared up the reel-to-reel tape player to begin playing at the time he wanted the household to wake up in the morning (in the days before clock radios). So we'd wake up to classical music, even "The Classics Mod" if anyone remembers that, without having a clue who the composers were or the names of this stuff. I can still hear a piece and remember the exact note on which the tape ran out!
My parents bought instruments from second-hand stores. So we had a metal clarinet (which my brother sold for his wife's wedding ring), a flute, a violin, a trumpet and trombone besides the piano that's been there forever. We learned to play on our own and when the time came, joined band at school and bought our own second-hand wooden clarinets, buying our reeds one by one at the music store. After school I played with a community band a few times, then marriage and children ended that for about 20 years.
When my kids were in middle school I finaly started lessons. Since then I:
- conducted clarinet sectionals with the band kids for 6 years
- worked my way through the Royal Conservatory levels up to grade 10
- am one of the founding members of the Upper Canada Clarinet Choir
- was introduced to our professional orchestra by my teacher and have volunteered with them doing a multitude of different and interesting things with them.
- now I am their Volunteer Education Director, this year working on the committee to prepare a comprehensive teaching package based on the "Billy the Kid' suite by Aaron Copeland and using the Ontario Curriculum to provide teachers with in-class projects for English, Geography, History, Visual Arts, Music and so forth. A major CD company has contributed 75 CDs to be inserted in the package for the teachers to use in class. This project will culminate in the attendance at a special student concert of the "Billy the Kid" suite, and the students will bring in their projects to be displayed in the lobby for the regularly scheduled Saturday evening concert. The teachers, I must say, are thrilled about the project which ties in the orchestra to the required teaching curriculum for Ontario.
- Meanwhile I'm still plugging away at improving my clarinet skills as much as an adult student can and learning extensively from this bulletin board.
My best wishes go out to all of you who have renewed your friendship with your instrument, and have persisted in spite of other responsibilities in life!
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-09-22 12:40
As the second millenium drew to a close, the advent of a new age began:
In a desperate attempt to stop his singing; the wife of SyBo offered him what appeared to be an intricate kazoo as a distraction.
To this day, from his rightful place amongst the spare music stands and piles of outerwear, he takes unplanned solos in the spirit of 'Trane.
"He can make anything sound like Sousa!" - director emeritus
"He chooses reeds well." - section leader
"He can drive at night." - groupies
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Author: Tim P
Date: 2003-09-22 14:25
Started playing Clarinet in 5th grade
played through highschool.
Took a 3 years of piano lessons (had a terrible teacher who had a worse student, that is not a good combination)
achieved 2nd chair, 1st clarinet in high school band
graduated in 1973. picked up clarinet 4 times for about 1 week each time untill 2003
started playing again in feb 2003 and still going
joined community band this month
i really suck and the dog still howls from time to time.
my wife is a dear and says "i sound good" ( but she always goes upstairs)
I am considering taking private lesson from the famous Synonymous Botch on reed selection
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Author: hans
Date: 2003-09-22 18:18
Tim said:
"my wife is a dear and says "i sound good" ( but she always goes upstairs)".
That's exactly what mine does.
Hans
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Author: Carol Dutcher
Date: 2003-09-24 01:53
Mine says "Able to clear any room in five minutes or less." But I keep trying anyhow.
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Author: Rick Williams
Date: 2003-09-24 15:50
I grew up in a totally non-musical family. I believe the lack of musicality also included the extended family, aunts, uncles, cousins, none of whom I can remember listening to, let alone playing music. Although there was a second cousin I heard about who supposedly played the flute, but the family never talked about her. My mother did listen to Rachmaninoff records on occasion, but I think it had to do with some movie she saw once. My father however I cannot recall ever listening to music. Even our dogs howled off key.
In school, around the 6th grade, a guy came in and shoved a bunch of instruments into our faces in about a 15 second period of time. I managed to get a squeak out of the clarinet and it was with that amount of forethought and consideration that I took up the instrument. Things progressed nicely until the 8th grade when I met the queen witch of the universe, my new music teacher. QWOTU took an instant dislike to me and I to her. Fortunately our association was limited to one year whereupon I changed not only schools, but school districts.
During my formative years in HS I had a very nice music teacher and managed with a lot of help to make all city and the youth philharmonic (2nd chair) for two years. Unfortunately though my beloved teacher became ill and had to take a leave of absence. One day we were collectively introduced to our new teacher…yes, QWOTU was back. Three months later I resigned from the band and only occasionally picked up the clarinet for the next 30 years.
Last year I once again took up the instrument and now take weekly or there about lessons from a very capable teacher and have joined a community band, where I immediately moved to second chair, primarily because that was the remaining folio. I have turned professional using my given talents to rid farmers and home owners of vermin while practicing upper altissimo and multiphonics. For $100/hr,. I’ll rid a building of most mice, rats & groundhogs, but human beings are required to remain 100 feet from me. By turning professional I can now deduct my lessons and equipment purchases which is quite a handy thing. I’ve also been approached to remove unwanted houseguests but I’m unsure of the liability issues that may be involved.
As an adult rethread I can only encourage others to once again take up the stick. For me, the time spent playing is time away from the worries of life. For those around me, it may well have other implications, but that is their problem and hearing protectors are relatively cheap!
Best
RW
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-09-24 16:30
I inherited my older brother's Vito clarinet when he (perennial last-chair 2nd clarinet in junior high school band) quit playing --- I was in 5th grade at the time. It's all been downhill since then. My wife married me anyway (too bad for her). The dogs tolerate my playing, the cat runs away. The donkey is louder than I am, so he doesn't care.
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Author: clarinetwife
Date: 2003-09-24 21:40
My cat now complains less about my clarinet playing than the cat we had when I was in jr hi and high school. However, the cat when I was in school was a very strong-voiced Siamese. Our current cat is not, so I don't know if that qualifies as improvement or not.
I got my feet wet in summer band after 4th grade and started playing in earnest in 7th grade. While in high school I decided that, although I love playing the clarinet, I did not really want to try to make a living doing so. So, I studied Spanish and education and stayed very involved in music. Instead of Spanish, though, I ended up marrying a clarinet player, working music retail, and playing in community symphony, church choir, and all grrl woodwind quintet. I also teach a few great kids and am raising two kids as well. Life is good.
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Author: clarinet87
Date: 2003-09-25 18:26
Here's my clarinet resume:
Started clarinet in 6th grade but didn't begin practicing until 9th grade when I began taking lessons. I have played in All-County Band, All-District Band, Honors Band, and Youth Concert Orchestra. I'm now in tenth grade participating in the marching band and wind ensemble at Atlee High School. I hope to continue with clarinet into college and major in music.
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Author: Meri
Date: 2003-09-25 19:49
My clarinet resume...
Started clarinet in Grade 7, 12 years old. But wanted to start learning when I was 10, in Grade 5.
Grade 8--started way behind the rest of the class, but by the end of the year, I was well ahead of them. First experience in a clarinet choir.
Grade 9--first time went to music camp. First solo experience, as part of the mid-term music exam.
Grade 10--first solo in front of a larger audience, the Larghetto from Mozart's clarinet Quintet. First clarinet trio, the Trio Quebecois.
Grade 11--Earned the privilige of playing one of the school's wood instruments (Noblets). Principal third in all-city Wind Symphony. Begged my parents for private lessons, with the help of my music teachers. Met my long-term clarinet consultant.
Grade 12--Played second clarinet/bass clarinet in all-city Symphony Orchestra. Principal clarinet really should not have even been in orchestra, her sound was poor, and she didn't seem to practice, or at least poorly. Following year was associate principal, but later switched to second clarinet because the two other clarinetists quit the orchestra because the music was way too hard for them. (Second Hungarian Rhapsody probably convinced them to leave)
First year university: Bought my own instrument. Really good college band, quality comparable to music faculty. Played in a Wind Quintet with piano.
Summer after second year of university: Took private lessons for the first time, from a former member of the pit orchestra of Toronto's production of Phantom of the Opera. Studied with him for 2 1/2 years, before he quit teaching to sell real estate, although he thinks that I condensed at least 5 year's worth of private lessons in that time. Still on good terms with him.
November, 2001: Got my first two requests to teach lessons, via my website. One of those is still studying with me, the other has moved on to another teacher (my current teacher), which I consulted with him and his parents, starting as an absolute beginner (music and the clarinet!), he is now able to play Grade IV Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto) in 1 1/2 years, he has an absolutely gorgeous sound (which he had almost from the very beginning!), fine breath control, and a very mature sense of musical style.
Summer 2002: Played in an international folk music ensemble, which didn't work out because the person running the group did not seem to care that the rehearsal location that he wanted was too far for almost all the musicians in the ensemble.
May, 2003. Started studying with my second teacher.
September, 2003. Playing in an upcoming production of Les Miserables. (unpaid gig). Serious increase of students. Got accepted (last night!) to play in a production of Cabaret, which pays rather well for 10 performances.
So, that's my clarinet resume.
Meri
"There is a difference between being flat and sounding in tune, and being in tune but sounding flat. The first I can live with; the second I cannot."
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2003-09-25 21:34
Meri: Tell me about your experience with international folk music, please! I play mostly Balkan stuff, myself, with a bit of classical and general international thrown in there for good measure...
Email me if you like!
Katrina
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2003-09-26 04:14
I completely understand Rick William's experience with bad music teachers! My high school band director was really horrible! When I switched to clarinet (from flute) in 11th grade and swore to make All-State by 12th grade he pretty much laughed in my face and told me it would never happen. I turned my anger into desire to spite him and (with the help of practicing 3 hours a day for 2 years) I did make All-State, and took every chance I had to remind him about it!!
I have a few students that I teach now who clearly have problems with their band director. One of the students in particular is VERY good, and his band director insists on keeping him in the lowest band (where they spend the majority of their time playing remingtons and open Gs)... He's mentioned in the past that the band director just doesn't seem to like him... Assuming that it's not a behavioral problem (which I doubt, although anything is possible), I don't see why this teacher would be disproportionately mean to some him (at least most mean band directors are equally mean to everyone!) haha
Don - theclarinetist@yahoo.com
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