 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: steve
Date: 1999-12-22 15:01
there are some interesting comments on the lyons C-clarinet web site:
"There may be two million people playing clarinet in the world, but only a tiny fraction - at most three thousand - earn their living from it."
and
"Who cares if the music wasn't originally written for a clarinet? A melody is a melody!"
lyons seems to be making a pitch on the web site for using the clarinet in non-professional, possibly family based music making of the sort that was prevalent before television, video games, and highly competitive high school marching band contests <g>...sort of like turning the clarinet into a guitar...learn three chords and have fun...
IMHO, this is a great concept!!!! check out the web site...its greatly expanded...
food for thought...does our relentless pursuit of excellence in clarinettistry sometimes blind us to the needs of players/students with limited potential who will forever be amateurs...they will never sound like marcellus, never play the scherzo from midsummers' night dream up to tempo, but love making whatever music they can on the clarinet, or instrument of choice???
s.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Signe
Date: 1999-12-22 17:11
Steve: I agree. Kitchen music is the best. I've been teaching a community beginning band since last Feb. Only twelve members stuck it out, but we have a ball. The community band was only too happy to let us be the warm-up band for their summer concerts in the park, and we just finished sponsoring a Christmas fund-raiser for the Food Bank. We're called the Spring Chickens. Mostly retirees, but also a home-schooling family. The majority of them had never tried an instrument before. I plan to start another one in Feb. Hope it's bigger. It gets frustrating at times, but if we keep focusing on the fun part, it works. Ta ta.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: brian
Date: 1999-12-22 17:22
Steve,
I agree as well. Last year I picked my clarinet up after nearly nine years and I can't say I've ever enjoyed playing more--mostly at church where folks tend to be extremely forgiving and appreciative.
By the way, my parents belong to a beginner band in their home town. They have a ball getting together on a weekly basis. They call themselves the "Grateful not to be Dead". There's even an eighty five year old lady who has never played an instrument in her life who is despite her arthritis trying to learn to play the clarinet. Now if you ask me, that takes courage!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ginny
Date: 1999-12-22 18:38
I have a family band with my kids, we play music from nintendo games. I also play with friends twice a month and I have a great time.
I have played professionally in my 'prior life' but playing for the joy of music is better. Amatuer comes from the Latin amat, to love.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-12-22 23:01
The Lyons Clarinet is a sponsor of Sneezy.Org. Go to <A href=http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/Sponsors>http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/Sponsors</A> for links to Lyons and other sponsors.
There is also a large listing of vendors, including Lyons, in the Resources/Retail section here on Sneezy.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ron
Date: 1999-12-23 09:07
Music is meant to be fun. TV, video stuff and fierce competiton is really too bad. Before that, more than half the town played an instrument. The rest sang when they felt like it. And everyone appreciated one another's abilities because of their personal involvement. Isn't that what creativity is? Along with the media explosion of the past couple of decades music has become, for the vast majority of us, an impersonal commodity. This has also been fostered partly because of severe funding cuts in school music ed programs not too long ago. Fortunately that's being reversed to some extent.
Ron
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 1999-12-24 21:30
A "C" makes it easier for semi-skilled folks like me to play with others, without being limited to community bands. Sure, I'm "supposed" to be able to sight-transpose, but I just never got that far in my music / clarinet education (through high school only).
I happen to play a nice pro model Patricola "C", rather than the Lyons, but Steve's point is well made: Sometimes I wonder what I'm doing posting and browsing on this board, yet, I'm really not a bad player.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
