 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jacqueline
Date: 2007-06-26 13:33
So, how many of you have dated, are dating, are married to or divorced from another clarinet player? Is it the match made in heaven or should it be avoided at all costs???
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Author: rsholmes
Date: 2007-06-26 14:09
My wife played clarinet in her school days, but only briefly, and I don't think she even admitted to it until after I married her. Then again, I wasn't playing clarinet at the time either. At least we don't have screaming Buffet - Leblanc arguments.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-06-26 14:15
And with clarinet couples, do you share and share alike with your clarinets when need be (even if you both play different makes)?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Grant
Date: 2007-06-26 14:43
My wife and I met because of the clarinet. We recently celebrated our 42nd anniversary. (We gave a co-gift of a soprano sax for thatt one). I play a LL she plays a Vito but we sound a lot alike. It also increases the odds that one of us will get a good reed out of a box of VanDorens.We have been known to swap reeds but not mouthpieces.We play in two community bands with small clarinet section she plays first in one and I play first in the other.
Peace on Earth and May You always have a reed that PLAYS.
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Author: bassbuddy
Date: 2007-06-26 14:52
My teacher and his wife both met at Ithaca college while studying clarinet. During my lesson, his wife's clarinet is usually out so he uses it. There's a lot of comments about the "girly" clarinet with the soft reed and lipstick on the reed. It's rather entertaining.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2007-06-26 15:46
An opinion based on my 'inverse' experience: I believe my own marriage failed partly because my ex-wife was NOT a musician in any way, and so she could never really understand me; just as I could never understand her obsession with horses. I think it would be a good thing for a clarinetist if one's spouse were a musician, if not specifically another clarinet player.
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2007-06-26 17:15
I think it can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on the people. Musicians differ from each other so much that it's hard to generalize. Still, a long discussion about why we'd both quit our instruments was the first serous discussion I ever had with Kevin (violin), back in 1968. We later encouraged each other to re-think those decisions about quitting. We've been married since 1970 and I think the mutual enthusiasm for our hobby of amateur music does add a lot to the good marriage.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2007-06-26 17:38
Most notably I can think of Stanley and Naomi Drucker. I am sure there are others.
My wife is a pianist and takes lessons from a prominent prof. at nearby college. I go with her to lessons (inner city Parking is difficult, so I leave her off at the college door and try to find a parking spot). I gain much from the insights of her teacher.
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: LonDear
Date: 2007-06-26 18:08
I think it is a great idea, either both clarinetists or just both musicians. My wife and I started playing clarinets in a community band after a many year hiatus. It was just a blast for several years - it something fun that we could do together. Unfortunately, I started taking lessons and subsequently started taking more and more paying gigs, keeping me away from the community band. But, at least she understands.
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Author: musiciandave
Date: 2007-06-26 18:40
Then there's the various couples made from University teacher/student relationships.
The famous ones (as far as I can recall) seem to have lasted.
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Author: dgclarinet
Date: 2007-06-26 19:09
I met my wife in 1975 when we sat next to each other in the Atlanta Falcon pep band (which was a semi-scholarship type thing for students at Georgia State Univ, where we went to school). Our clarinet lives have seen some good days and some bad days, but the marriage itself seems to work pretty well.
I don't think she's ever been able to get a note out of my setup, so being total opposites in clarinet mechanics doesn't seem to affect anything either.
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2007-06-26 19:21
My wife and I also met in 1`975, but it was German language studies that brought us together. We met on a study trip to Germany, paid for by the German government. We both played clarinet, but she was never really serious about it. She gave it up in late high school, when band would no longer fit into her schedule. I was a little more serious about it, and became serious again a number of years after we got married in 1986. When our daughter got started with clarinet in the 5th grade, I helped her work out the problems, supplementing her private lessons. She is now in high school, going into 11th grade, and far better than i ever was. We play together in an adult community concert band, and our final concert of the season is tomorrow night.
Jeff
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Author: FrankM
Date: 2007-06-26 19:30
My wife of 27 years sat next to me in the college band. I sat between her and a very cute blonde. Her version of the story is, I spent most of the year asking the blonde out...after I finally gave up on her, I turned to my right and asked my future wife out....luckily for me, she did say yes. She played Eb but I married her anyway.
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Author: bufclar
Date: 2007-06-26 19:51
Noteable Clarinet couples that I am aware of,
Greg and Carolee Smith
John Bruce Yeh and Tereesa Riley
Michele Zukowsky's husband is a clarinetist but I don't remember his name.
Drucker was already mentioned
Thats all I can up with.
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Author: SavvyClarinet
Date: 2007-06-26 20:06
I met one of my best friends at All State tryouts. I was in 7th grade, he was in 9th. He shoved in front of me to try out before me, and then and there, I vowed I would beat him when I got into his high school. After I was a freshman, I practiced nonstop because I thought I couldn't stand him. After I beat him and became section leader, he and I became best friends. We did every solo and ensemble event together, and when we bought anything clarinet-related, we ordered it together. We went to prom together and everyone told us we were the cutest couple. He's in college now, but whenever he's home, we hang out together. His best friend is also a really good friend of mine (he plays bass clarinet), and people call us the "Three Musketeers" because we're always together. People think it's funny that two of my best friends are guys, but it's perfect for trios because we have a bass, soprano, and Eb clarinet and the people to play them.
I'm not sure if a clarinet relationship would work out if both were competitive. Luckily for me, neither of my friends was as dedicated as I was/am. And neither had the advantage of playing on Buffets. ;-)
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Author: Bradley
Date: 2007-06-26 20:16
There is also Charles Neidich and Ayako Oshima, in addition to the four mentioned previously.
Bradley
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Author: musiciandave
Date: 2007-06-26 20:23
Anthony Gigliotti and his 2nd wife Tai-Ling who was a Clarinetist. His company went on (after his passing) to come out with such classics as red/blue colored mouthpieces and a line of plastic/hard rubber clarinets.....
At least the reeds are very good.
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2007-06-26 20:54
My husband and I both played the clarinet. He quit after high school, while I never quite quit, but never quite played very much, either.
After I decided to join the local community band, he decided he would re-begin on the clarinet, as well. Which is one of the reasons (only one of them!) that I decided to switch to oboe.
Now he plays (my) Bb clarinets and (his) bass clarinet, and I am an oboist --I haven't touched a clarinet for three years. We sometimes have a bassoonist friend join us for trios.
It's a good thing generally (having a spouse who plays something), but since he and I play on markedly different levels, it sometimes leads to conflicts. But he is getting there, and I am resisting trying to teach him (anything).
Susan
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-06-26 21:14
What about clarinettist couples that have kids that are all clarinettists?
And their parents and grandparents were clarinettists too?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-06-26 23:36
Probably because I couldn't remember his name (though maybe if I used the search function...).
I don't think it would have gone down too well if I said 'Sabine Meyer and 'er other 'arf'.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Gandalfe
Date: 2007-06-26 23:54
Suzy played the lead clarinet chair and I the alto sax in High School. Then we got married and quit cold turkey for 20 some years. Five years ago I started back up and two years later Suzy started. Last year we go serious about trying to learn each other's instruments. She now plays 2d alto sax in the jazz ensemble and tenor or bari sax in some combos and I play bass clarinet in the community concert band.
Many people remark that it must be nice to have a spouse who shares a passion for music. I think I can speak for my wife when I say we think so. And taking time from our busy day to sit down and play duets has become one of our favorite things to do.
But I really think there are as many answers to this as there are people. :o)
Jim and Suzy
Pacifica Big Band
Seattle, Washington
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Author: Jacqueline
Date: 2007-06-27 13:58
My husband and I just got married in March - we are both clarinettists and at the same level with roughly the same ambition. It has it's moments but we were both mature age uni students so our lives seem to contain enough non-musical stuff to keep it interesting. We met at uni - he in his last year, me in my first but he went to WAAPA and I was at UWA so it was still quite serendipitous.
It's great to hear such fantastic stories of people still happily married and enjoying their music together! That's what we will be like.
I think I might have to start a new stream though for those who have married a musician...how does it work with practice? Do you practice at the same time? Do you hate it when the other person practices and you don't feel like it?
Oh and yes, when he's making a beautiful sound I do try out his set-up, just to see if it's him or the set-up. It's usually him though
Post Edited (2007-06-27 14:05)
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Author: clarinetwife
Date: 2007-06-27 14:42
My husband and I are celebrating our 15th anniversary today. We met in a community band in Seattle. Before kids we enjoyed playing in pit orchestras and at church together as well. Now I am principal and he plays bass in our community orchestra. It works out pretty well for him to play the bass because there aren't parts for every piece and he can get the kids home. I would definitely like to do more duet playing as the kids get older. In recent years we have found it easier to just pull out a couple of whistles rather than putting the clarinets together. He has a LeBlanc Concerto that we found together and I play Selmers.
Barb (and Paul)
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Author: shmuelyosef
Date: 2007-07-02 17:01
My wife of 30 years is not a musician, but a true music-lover and my biggest fan. Interestingly, however, both my kids became musicians...my first axe is piano and my son (22) plays piano as well as clarinet. My daughter (20) has clarinet as her first love. Between the 3 of us, I think that we have 8 or 9 clarinets kicking around...some old, some new, including three R-13s from 1950 - 2000.
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Author: Phurster
Date: 2007-07-03 03:00
Great to see so many musical couples getting along.
My wife's main instrument is the flute however she does play the clarinet. We are both primarily music teachers, I play a reasonable amount of freelance work..shows, operettas, orchestral etc. We have a young family so my wife s not interested in doing any extra playing. So at home it sort of works out.
When we have tried to play together it has been disastrous. We did a performance of the Danzi Concerto for Flute and Clarinet. The performance went well be the rehearsals were a nightmare. Because she is out of shape she decided to adopt a "professional" attitude. Her comments were like this.."you are sharp here" ,"don't be late here", "YOU need to play more expressively"etc...
She might have had a point in some instances, but it was a pain to work with. We don't play together much so the marriage has survived and we are happy.
Chris.
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2007-07-03 03:08
Dates with other clarinetists from orchestras showed me that I definitely didn't want to have to deal with another clarinet player every day. Clarinet players are too neurotic, and personally, I don't like to share my neuroses.
I have met couples like this, with same gig, working together or playing the same instrument together or competing in the same sport, and I am always astonished. Couples who work together successfully are very, very special people. But somewhere in the back of my head there is a nagging thought about the stability of their marriage. I guess this infers that I am not "very special". Ha!
Where are your priorities? How are music and your relationship going to reconcile? Your needs may change as your life progresses, and I hope this doesn't become a problem. What if you both audition for the same position and one gets the job and the other gets shown the door? Lots of stuff can happen, and in the best of all possible worlds you will be able to put your marriage first without thinking about it. This can sure be tough if your work situation is not ideal, the conductor is a *****, and you are both under stress. If music is more a hobby, then there will be lots more options.
My wife of almost 20 years is a flutist. I play a pretty lousy flute, she plays a pretty lousy clarinet, and we haven't tried to improve upon that. We met in a bible class at our congregation, not in an orchestra, which surprises a lot of people. We found that music was just one of many things we had in common. My wife is a school music teacher, and my day job is doing network support. We both have our own careers, but it sure is nice when we end up at the same gig.
Regards
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Author: Mike Clarinet
Date: 2007-07-03 08:31
My wife and I are both amateur clarinet players. I use a Buffet RC, she uses a B&H Emperor. We also use different mouthpieces and reeds. I also play sax, my wife plays bass clarinet. In emergency, we have been known to use each others' insturments, usually with some good-natured teasing about 'crap instruments'. We met at university, where we both studied music, and have been married for 15 years. We play in the same community band.
Music for us is a hobby not a profession, which may make a difference, and we also have other interests. My wife is very keen on handicrafts and water colours, I build model railways. The trick is doing things together and respecting each other's other interests.
Famous clarinet couples: Thea King and Frederick Thurston
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Author: OpusII
Date: 2007-07-03 08:47
My current girlfriend plays the clarinet... and I think that's almost a must for a good relation ship. Some people just don't understand the passion for music, let stand a music instrument.
As amateur musician you will spend a lot of free time in practice and concerts / workshops / lessons / marching, the list can go on and on. If your partner doesn’t understand why you spend so much time on your hobby/profession… then the relationship is probably already starting to fall apart.
It’s also very nice to spend many of this quality time together and you both have many of the same friends.
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