Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2007-09-01 12:27
Hi,
I have several years experience at 4 different denominations in the Toledo area and have found church playing a very fine way to perform to appreciative listeners. Some are pay gigs and some are pro bono.
For the Lutherans, my church, I am part of a 6 piece group (rhythm plus me on sax or clarinet with a trumpet and trombone); this group is used for several weeks during the year. The keyboard player, in addition to being a fine organist, is one of the top jazz keyboard players in the area. As a soloist, I play either sax or clarinet and perform music for preludes, the offering, communion, and postludes.
At an Episcopal church, the century old organ is played by an Eastman grad and we do a lot things for the same parts of the service. This church is a little more liturgically correct for the music we select. The only problem there is that the pitch of the organ is really low. The Steinway piano is much better.
The Baptists have a praise group band with rhythm plus all sorts of instruments playing prepared charts (heavy doubling). I have been a soloist for the same parts of the service and with the main choir on special arrangements. I've even done some backing of country religious songs improvising with a sound track and a vocalist.
For the United Church of Christ, I get invited each summer to work with one of my former standmates. We do a lot of two clarinet plus keyboard items. A clarinet trio was performed this summer with the organist just doing the bass clarinet part; it was very cool.
The arrangements I use are some that I have transcribed from a keyboard or choral part for use with clarinet or sax plus keyboard (Bach, Vaughn Williams, some folk songs, etc.); although I have a degree in music ed., it's pretty easy to do. I try to use only things that are in the public domain but could be skirting the edge of legality at times.
There is a lovely book of French clarinet pieces as well as some nice alto sax things available. I use some of the oboe literature and just transpose at sight or work with Finale a little.
HRL
Post Edited (2007-09-01 12:35)
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The Clarinet BBoard
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