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 So . . . first lesson . . . what do I do?
Author: sfalexi 
Date:   2005-09-30 23:01

Well, I'm meeting someone that I met at Mannes College clarinet day two weeks ago for a lesson this sunday. A student at mannes college. We talked briefly and she simply asked me to bring some stuff. I guess to find out where I am musically speaking . . .

problem is . . .

I only play in my local college community orchestra and band which really isn't that dificult or challenging. So what do I bring? The "usual" concertino, k622, etc. etc.? My book of "Von Weber" that I enjoy playing in? A scale book? My rubank duet book?

All of them? Some of them?

Any help is appreciated (even if it's just a simple, "Yes. Bring those.")

Alexi

PS - Nervousness not too high yet . . . but it'll probably climb steadily through sunday

US Army Japan Band

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 Re: So . . . first lesson . . . what do I do?
Author: Chris P 
Date:   2005-09-30 23:09

Bring something (or everything) you know well and can play from memory, and have the music with you as well.

Then you can both discuss where you want to go from there.

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 Re: So . . . first lesson . . . what do I do?
Author: tictactux 2017
Date:   2005-09-30 23:11

Who's the teacher then? (This may sound silly, but one can't ever tell these days)

Per your question: Bring what you're comfortable with; what you like. (maybe not that Jimi Hendrix album, though).
This is gonna be your "safe spot", after all...yes, bring your cuddly teddy too. :)

--
Ben

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 Re: So . . . first lesson . . . what do I do?
Author: Hank Lehrer 
Date:   2005-09-30 23:11

Alexi,

Bring those and maybe Rose Studies and/or Etudes if you have them. You probably start with some scales, arpeggios, and other warm-up type work. You may play thorugh the whole lesson and not even look at a piece of music.

If you are asked to play something, just a little bit of something lyrical and then something with just a moderate bit of technical stuff. Don't try to wow her. Just relax and enjoy the lesson.

HRL

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 Re: So . . . first lesson . . . what do I do?
Author: sfalexi 
Date:   2005-09-30 23:32

Apologies Ben. For the record, I will be the student. Her, the teacher.

Good advice so far. Wouldn't have thought bringing something to make me feel more comfortable. Maybe my dog? [wink]

US Army Japan Band

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 Re: So . . . first lesson . . . what do I do?
Author: tictactux 2017
Date:   2005-09-30 23:44

Heh, Alexi, just think of Glenn Gould and his chair, which was his comfy place.
Anyhow, enjoy the lesson. :)

--
Ben

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 Re: So . . . first lesson . . . what do I do?
Author: sfalexi 
Date:   2005-10-01 01:37

tictactux wrote:

> Heh, Alexi, just think of Glenn Gould and his chair, which was
> his comfy place.
> Anyhow, enjoy the lesson. :)
>

Wow. Being uneducated in the arts, I never heard of Glenn Gould. So I looked him up, and, only wonder if I'll even become so eccentric and OCD about some item of mine related to music . . .

Maybe I'll just wear my lucky undies whenever I play clarinet. Ones I feel 'comfortable' in . . . . .

Imagine THAT when I'm 50! (for reference, that would be 27 years from the date of this post . . . at the very least, I'll make some sort of guiness record.

US Army Japan Band

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 Re: So . . . first lesson . . . what do I do?
Author: hans 
Date:   2005-10-01 02:41

Alexi,
Could you phone the teacher and ask her for clarification?
Hans

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 Re: So . . . first lesson . . . what do I do?
Author: claclaws 
Date:   2005-10-01 02:51

Duet books are, I think, always good source to play with any body, including your teacher.
I'm glad that from the first lesson my teacher told me to bring Mozart's 6 Duets. Even though it took me many many weeks to progress, I still enjoy every piece (2nd cl.)

Lucy Lee Jang


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 Re: So . . . first lesson . . . what do I do?
Author: sfalexi 
Date:   2005-10-01 02:59

I most certainly could, Hans. However I think emailing would be better.

If I understand correctly though, I believe she wants to gauge my ability before proceeding. So I'll just play a little bit of two pieces that I play around with at home. Never performed them, won't anytime soon, but they're from a compilation that I enjoy messing around with and so I've played them dozens of times.

And I'll bring along my copy of baermann III, and my Klose studies and explain that while I do play often, I still don't have my scales memorized (for the most part I've just become fairly good at sight-reading by playing what's in front of me, not from recognizing what scales they are from) and that I'd like her help in figuring out a good study pattern for scales and anything else she would recommend to help get me up to speed.

I'm hoping that this could be a good mutual relationship. I improve with someone guiding me and helping me along the way, helping to set goals and accomplish them, and perhaps she gets paid to teach me, and (if she's going for some sort of education field), she gets experience teaching.

Alexi

US Army Japan Band

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 Re: So . . . first lesson . . . what do I do?
Author: BobD 
Date:   2005-10-01 10:36

Alexi, don't worry about becoming like Gould as it's hard to hum while playing clarinet.

Bob Draznik

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 Re: So . . . first lesson . . . what do I do?
Author: allencole 
Date:   2005-10-01 15:10

Most teachers will want to see what books you have, and what you have already been working on. Try to give her as good as possible a picture of what you've been doing in the last year.

Allen Cole

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 Re: So . . . first lesson . . . what do I do?
Author: sfalexi 
Date:   2005-10-02 19:26

Well I had it, and things went well. As expected, since I've been primarily self-taught (aside from the group lessons in high school/middle school) there were those infamous "bad habits" I have going on. Most noteably that I don't project nor play at a strong Fortissimo dynamic (since I play at home, I've kept it so quiet in order to not disturb my family that I've grown accustomed to playing too softly and have almost "lost" the ability to play out!)

But so far so good. I like her teaching style and even in this first lesson I noticed a few improvements in my sound which I need to practice to make sure I can sound that way ALL the time.

Thanks for the tips and advice from all.

Alexi

US Army Japan Band

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