 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-06-08 04:52
OK, so I have been accepted into our community orchestra as the bass clarinet player on a trial basis. I will be picking up the music Thursday probably and we have 3 weeks until our July 3rd concert "Booms and Blooms". The concert pieces:
Orpheus in the Underworld.........Offenbach-Binder ( from Moulin Rouge) this has the "can-can" theme in it.
The American Frontier..................arr. Custer
La Gazza Ladra Overture.............Rossini
The Star Spangled Banner
Ceremony of Allegiance...............Gillis
The Stars and Stripes Forever....Sousa
Chorale and Prelude/God of our Fathers.....C.T. Smith
Armed Forces Salute.......................Lowden
Selections from Porgy and Bess....Gershwin
The Empire Strikes Back Medley........Williams
Now, I am in high school (will be a senior next year) and am primarily a Bb soprano player. I play bass sometimes in our HS orchestra and have felt that I have been pretty successful with bass. The community orchestra director is hesistant because I am in HS, and he'll be gone for the next 2 rehearsals, and so that's part of why I'm on a trial basis. Also that they don't have a perminant bass player right now, so he doesn't know if he wants another person in. None of the current clarinet players have offered to play the bass except the Principle player will play it when there is a bass solo that needs to be heard. But, he's the Principle and should be in his position instead of on bass and I've talked to him and he would like to have someone on bass along with others from the clarinet section. So I'd be strictly the bass player, no Bb soprano.
Honestly, right now, I'm scared. I found out that one of the pieces he just handed out has a bass solo-kinda just plunging in head first! I don't want to emberrass myself or the orchestra and just want to get a great experience. Also, it's under the agreement that if I feel that I can't handle it, then I'll just go and tell the director and they will just cut me out of the concert. I really don't want this to happen, but I also understand.
Any advice? I would VERY MUCH APPRECIATE ANY advice or help! I'm just so scared and really want this to be successful.
Thank you SO MUCH!!!!!!!! : )
Post Edited (2005-06-08 04:53)
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Author: larryb
Date: 2005-06-08 05:05
well, it does sound nerve wracking, but it seems like the people in the orchestra are friendly enough. give it a try and see what happens - more than likely, you'll do fine. you can't embarass yourself by being ambitious. and you won't embarass the orchestra in rehearsals - that's where you'll learn if you're ready for the part or not. at least you have the music and a little time to prepare.
good luck, and report back on how it goes.
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Author: ClariBone
Date: 2005-06-08 05:46
Carrie
Congrats on the position, even if is temporary. If/when you go to the rehearsals, just make sure that the music is well prepared and that you play strongly (which you already know but I'll say it again anyway, the bass line is important too!!). If you have questions, it seems from your post that the principal clarinet knows how to play bass, consult him/her for advice. He/she may very well have played some of these pieces before and can offer insight. DON'T lET YOUR NERVES CONTROL YOU!!!!!! If you get nervous during the rehearsals, take a minute, breathe deeply, and jump back in. Take deep breaths and, like in a recent post about performance anxiety, imagine yourself getting bigger and bigger with each breath. This will help combat nerves. Go to the rehearsals well prepared and you should be fine. Good Luck!!!!!
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Author: mkybrain
Date: 2005-06-08 06:02
nm, stupid post. Commented on that our concert included some of the same patriotic songs, forgot about concert dates. Ours is July 4th.
Post Edited (2005-06-08 06:08)
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-06-08 15:16
OK, thanks. I'll try to calm down! Rebecca, she's in the orchestra too, (RC Clarinet Lady) is going to play around with the music with me on Thursday, so that should be good. I mean in our school orchestra we played Samson and Delilah and I was on bass and I felt like I tackled that piece rather well, especially since it skips all over the break and that was also almost 2 years ago and I've gotten better since then. Also, I took a woodwind quartet last year (2 flutes, Bb sop clarinet, bass clarinet-me) and we got a II at State, which was pretty good for not practicing very much, although a I would've been better.
Any more advice would still be appreciated! THANKS!!!!!!!!!
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Author: larryb
Date: 2005-06-08 18:42
less time in front of the computer = more time to practice, prepare + less self induced anxiety
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Author: Contra
Date: 2005-06-08 20:02
I'd be ecstatic to have a bass solo first thing. I never got the opportunity to have one in high school since I switched to contrabass the year before the bass clarinets started getting solos.
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Author: archer1960
Date: 2005-06-08 20:12
Contra wrote:
> I'd be ecstatic to have a bass solo first thing. I never got
> the opportunity to have one in high school since I switched to
> contrabass the year before the bass clarinets started getting
> solos.
You never got a solo on contra? I got one in HS. It lasted all of 8 beats. 8 beats in two years!
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-06-09 19:46
OK, not scared anymore. I just got the music. I have 2 solos and they are easy, all the music is easy in fact. But, in general, what is some good advice for a bass player in an orchestra?
Thanks!
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-06-09 20:03
Advice to orchestral bass clarinetists? Hmmm... Larry Bocaner, we need you!
In the meantime, my two cents' worth:
1) Don't buzz, honk, or otherwise sound nasty. You are being paid (so to speak) for the unique, dark, hollow SOUND of the bass clarinet. Try to sound like you are emerging from deep inside a dark cave......
2) Learn to read bass clef as soon as possible. A fair percentage of your parts will be notated thusly.
3) Think/phrase like the wind equivalent of the cello.
4) Pretend you are in a small clarinet choir with the soprano clarinetists, and blend accordingly when appropriate.
5) For the most part, though, if the orchestral composer took the trouble to write a bass clarinet part, then he/she must have wanted people to HEAR your special sound -- so don't be afraid to play out! Consider yourself a Soloist/Specialist. Don't try to hide.
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Author: Rick Williams
Date: 2005-06-09 20:17
This may be basic but I'd say be aware of what your part of the music is doing. You may be on the main beat with the low brass or providing a counter beat with someone else or supporting the melody and it is real easy to miss an 8th or quarter rest and that will change the texture of the piece or conflict somewhere along the line.
I know on a couple of those pieces the bass cl supports the 3rd clarinet, then switches to the melody line provided by the first cl and even the 2nd as is the case in Armed Forces Salute. Also beware of the easy ones, that's typically the pieces that will bite unexpectedly for the simple reason they are simple.
Have fun!
Best
Rick
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2005-06-10 04:54
Kool and congratulations.
In our local community orchestra and the swing band, we have several younger people playing with us; and its great!
We have a modest/shy 9th grade piano player who can ad lib like a seasoned pro.
We have a 10-grade clarinetist who is always there when the rest is over --and she can read; and she can be patient with the older folks.
We have an 80+ saxophonist who just wails and sets a strong example of good phrasing for the "kids."
We're inviting our senior-year flutist to join with our woodwind quintet, and we're all at least 3 times her age!
Hey, it ain't (or shouldn't be) about age, but on the sound of the music.
Good luck.
I hope the old folks appreciate your participation as much as we, in our community, appreciate our young people. Now, if we could just keep them from moving away.
Its just great
Bob Phillips
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-06-10 19:49
Thanks everyone! I know the top 3 clarinet players out of the 5 and they are all very nice and they seem relaxed, so I think that will be good.
Yeah, I already know how to read bass clef because of piano, so that will come in handy.
Does this set-up sound ok? I got this all from school except the reeds:
Wooden Leblanc (don't know which model) that goes down to Eb
Selmer C* mp
Rovner light ligature
Vandoren 2 1/2 and 3 reeds
Is that all ok????? I hope it is!
David: I particularly enjoyed and will remember "5) For the most part, though, if the orchestral composer took the trouble to write a bass clarinet part, then he/she must have wanted people to HEAR your special sound -- so don't be afraid to play out! Consider yourself a Soloist/Specialist. Don't try to hide."
I'll watch out for those rythems (I always mispell that word, I can't remember how to spell it!) and just have fun!
Thanks everyone!
Good advice! Thanks!
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