 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: The Dad
Date: 2000-11-23 15:12
Today, after the Thanksgiving meal and in front of the assembled family, my daughters will be playing a couple of piano duets, I will be playing clarinet duets with one daughter, and both girls will be entertaining us with both piano and clarinet pieces.
On any level,do you fine musicians peform with your kids and spouses.
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Author: J. Butler
Date: 2000-11-23 15:26
I remember growing up in a fairly musical familiy. My grandfather "chorded" on piano and called "square dances". He did not have any formal musical training at all. My father played the "fiddle", not by any means an orchestral performer. My mother did not play a musical instrument but thought my brother and I should play the piano. He did, I quit and started band in the fifth grade. I remember holiday times when the family would come together and we would play. Although both my wife and I play sax and clarinet, we do not play together very often.
John
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Author: Lelia
Date: 2000-11-23 15:44
My very first memory is of music. I watched through wooden bars. My parents were sitting up in bed, singing, "The Eddystone Light" (a slightly ribald sea chanty). As a teenager, when something reminded me of this memory and I mentioned it, my parents looked somewhat startled and asked me to describe the room. I remembered it vividly, complete with redcoats on horses jumping over fences on the faded old white and blue-green wallpaper. My parents (now looking alarmed!) then quizzed me as to what else I might remember (nothing -- I'm not sure they believed me...) -- because we moved out of that flat when I was six months old, and the wooden bars were the bars of my crib.
Music was a monkey-see, monkey-do thing for me, because during my childhood, my mother sang all the time, and played the piano. I guess I thought everybody practiced -- it was what grownups did and I wanted to act like a grownup. My dad sang along with his old jazz records (78s, some of them), so I did, too. In early childhood, I wasn't aware of any formal "piano lessons," just little games with mom at the keyboard. Somewhere along the line, before I started school, I had picked up "Every Good Boy Does Fine," "All Cows Eat Grass" and other bits of elementary theory that came in handy when I did start to take "real" lessons. Mom is a former pro musician, from a family that spawned a number of them, so I'm sorta the cuckoo in the nightingale's nest.
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-11-23 16:02
I grew up in a music studio. My step dad played jazz/swing piano organ and guitar proffessionaly since the twenties and my mom played the trap set. It was unusual for a gal to play drums in those days. Today my wife, daughter and I play in two different community bands and our son is just starting trombone in school. hopefully he will be joining us soon in the big bands.
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Author: Daniel Bouwmeeszer
Date: 2000-11-23 17:52
I was in my mom's stomach while she was playing the clarinet... AT the time she just had finished studying at the royal academy in London with John Davies (Anthony Pay's teacher).... and well....
My sister started playing violin at three and me at two.... I could read music before text... I have then started playing clarinet a couple years later.. taking lessons with my mum.... was not a big success.. But I changed teacher... and I now enjoy playing..
Today I very rarely play with my mum or my sister.... I mean.. not just like that.... if we play together, we try to do it on a special occasion... occasions like graduations, weddings.... etc
Otherwise.. I play with my mum when I take part in contests... I don't trust any other pianist... I mean... we know ourselves so well, that we can really make something excellent together... and it will stay like that forever.... If I become a famous clarinetist one day (which is very unlikely to come), and that I have to perform or record.... I will not ask anyone else than my mum to accompany me..
Yes.. I've been very lucky to have been born in a musicians family... Because you start of music with something more than others... My best friend comes from a musicians family, and actually most of the people I know who are in musicians family are excellent performers..
In my life, every important events have been illustated by music... and often, when I hear a piece we have played together, I remember these moments..
I do think talent and passion is hereditary....
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Author: Yusuf Zaid
Date: 2000-11-23 20:59
From Yusuf
My eldest son(17) plays bass guitar and keyboards and my daughter (14) plays clarinet. And when I get her her new clarinet this weekend I hope we can duet together. My yougest (9) likes keyboards, I'm trying to encourage him more on that.
My wife? She whistles occasionally.
Yusuf
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Author: Nate Zeien
Date: 2000-11-23 21:46
Well, I'm afraid that my family differs from the above scenarios. For the most part, I am the only one in my family who is interested in music. Going back through the generations, the only one who ever played an instrument was my great-grandfather. When he was younger, he desperately wanted to play violin. For one Christmas, his parents had bought him a good used violin. He took it up with great enthusiasm, and did quite well at it. The next fall, during harvest season, his father had fallen, and was injured. Due to the amount of work that needed to be done, he gave up playing violin for a while. The only problem is, he never got around to playing it much again. Then, it moved from closet to closet over the next eighty years. When my grandparents' house burnt down, the violin was one of the few things that survived the fire. Anyhow, as I was the only one in the family with much of any musical interest, my great-grandparents decided to give me the violin. After not having been played for eighty years, it was in need of a bit of costly repair. I brought it in to have it fixed, and later brought it to my now 98 year old grandfather and played a couple of tunes on it. His eyes lit up when he saw it come out of the case fully repaired. I even got a chance to get a picture of him holding it as if he was playing it. Outside that, my great-uncle on my father's side of the family, John Zeien, is rumoured to have at one time (Likely in between the 20's and 50's thereabouts) been a traveling musician, and even have played on the Lawrence Welk Show. The only problem is, there is absolutely no proof of this. Nobody could even say what instrument he might have played. Perhaps someone here on the board could give me some clues as to where abouts I would go to research this. Aside from that, I have three younger cousins who play clarinet. Two have just started, and the other has played for three or four years. No, it is not really any mistake that clarinet is the common (only) instrument here. I have encouraged them along, given a few lessons now and then, and even lent out instruments for a while. My cousin who had been playing clarinet for about four years gave it up because she didn't like the high school director, and as she would be starting high school, decided to drop band. Since the clarinet was no longer used, her younger brother, started an interest in it. He shows excellent signs of being gifted in music. Aside from that, within a less than a week, and a couple brief lessons, he was able to play "Happy Birthday" from memory, with fairly decent tone, and no sqeaks. The relatives were surprised he had only been playing about 6 days. His sister became jealous, and took the instrument away from him, and is going to start band again just so he can't play the instrument. No matter, as it gets her playing again, and I've got an instrument I am in the process of overhauling for him. As far as my parents go, my father will is near tonedeaf, could care less about music, and my mother hasn't much interest either. When my mother was younger, she had wanted to play clarinet. I'm not going to give up trying to convince her to give it a try, although I have yet to succeed. You may wonder how I chose clarinet. Well, I had always wanted to play flute, believe it or not. The only problem is that I was horrible at flute (Still am not too great). My director had recommend for me trombone and clarinet, emphasizing trombone. Well, I of course chose clarinet, because it was closer to flute. If only I knew then how important such a "little" choice would later become. I have always thought that I have made the right one, though. As far as my family goes, if I continue encouragement as I have done, maybe someday I'll have enough relatives who play clarinet to put together a clarinet choir! :-) -- Nate Zeien
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Author: S.Koumas
Date: 2000-11-23 22:22
Hi!
Musical Families u say?!? No not me. My mum is tone death, my dad is tone death and guess what so is my brother! My family only know music as Garage or Trance stuff, they wouldn't know good music if it bit them on the nose!
I started off playing the Classical guitar as my grandad brought one for me when i was 7, but i soon got bored as there as i didn't enjoy music at that age. I then found the Keyboard and piano and started to play them. I actually discovered that i would only play them when i was annoyed or upset, so in a sense i released my anger and/or frustration on them. Might sound harsh, but it helped my improve my skills and made me happy. After discovering this i decided i wanted a bit more of a challenge and moved onto the Steel Drums (Do people know them?) i found these excellent and have been playing them for almost 8 years! Then one day almost a year from today, my teacher said she had a spare Clarinet and if anyone wanted to try it, i said yeah i would and then after playing it once i just wanted to keep which i kinda did!!! OOPS! and since then i have brought a Bass Clarinet and a Tenor Sax!
So to sum it up it is only me in my family who even knows what music is! STRESS!
S.Koumas!
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Author: Meri
Date: 2000-11-23 23:36
Like Nate and S. Koumas, I do not come from a musical family either; I am the only one in my family with a deep interest in music. I have a very distant relative who plays clarinet (and the last time I saw him was about 7 years ago) , and a second cousin (10 years old) who is learning the instrument. My dad tried to even discourage me away from it, thinking I would quit after high school (he was completely wrong there)--he didn't even support (emotionally or financially) my request for private lessons when I was , even though it was almost literally staring in his face that I was talented (according to my high school music teachers and one of the most respected clarinet instructors where I live), clearly wanted them, and knowing it was necessary for entering a music faculty. (this was in grade 11) Mom more or less ignored my deep interest in music. My parents listen mostly to traditional Macedonian music, although my mom's taste expands a bit to country and pop music. Neither of my parents even care about classical music, the only other person in my immediately who listens to it is my favorite first cousin. (although I am working on getting my 10-year-old cousin mentioned above also addicted to it). My parents don't pay a cent for my clarinet hobby, including my instrument and lessons.
Meri
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Author: Kontragirl
Date: 2000-11-24 01:07
My family isn't musical either. My dad played trombone in high school, but then he quit. My mom didn't really have interest, still doesn't, and she wishs I'd stop bringing home weird instruments. My dad on the other hand thinks they're neat. My brother plays trumpet, but not with the same dedication that I play clarinet with. My cousin, who is now 7, wants to be in band. She wants to play clarinet. No one on my family tree has ever taken music further than high school. I'm proud that I get to be the first.
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Author: Pam
Date: 2000-11-24 02:13
Wow! Awesome stories all! My family is only semi-musical. I know that my mom played clarinet while she was in school because I started off on her old horn. I still have it, but only as a backup and for sentimental reasons. My brother tried trumpet for a short while but must not have been very interested, because he quit after a year or less. I do, however, have a younger cousin who studied music and voice in college and I believe he makes a living with his music now.
Aside from my cousin, I am probably one of the most musical people in my family. After starting clarinet (5th grade), I gradually added trombone (7th grade), bass clarinet (9th grade). I pretty much dropped away from playing the instruments after high school but have sung in choirs and smaller ensembles through the years and about a year ago decided it was time to play the clarinet again. I think it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The old addiction is coming back in full force and who knows where it may lead. I currently play in our church orchestra with the Bb clarinet and take lessons again and learning more music theory as well. I hope to start on piano soon as well.
As for my dad, he makes a good audience! My husband has played the organ in the past and may take some piano lessons as well.
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-11-24 02:27
Score an old trombone and surprise your dad. Get him back into it.
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Author: Jim
Date: 2000-11-24 05:05
My son Andrew (17) and I recently played a duet in public (a "talent" night) sponsored by the community chorus my wife and I belong to. We did an arrangement of the Henry Mancini "Baby Elephant Walk" - his choice. I played clarinet, he played bass clarinet. We also play side by side in a community band and have for the past 3 years.
My wife (a pianist) has accompanied both Andrew and I (separately) in the past. Additionally, all three of us sing together in church choir.
My wife sang a concert 48 hours before Andrew was born. We often wonder if that led to his interest in music, but more likely we influenced him by dragging him to concerts and rehearsals while he was very young. He was extremely well behaved.
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Author: bob gardner
Date: 2000-11-25 00:45
I go with Nate. my wife doesn't even play the radio. A couple of my sons have tried one thing or another and now one plays the flute. won't read music does it by ear.
so I guess i will continue to play solo (or a least low enough) so my wife doesn't hear it. I hid her hearing aid and now I'm ok. (only kidding)
peace
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Author: Jill E.
Date: 2000-11-27 01:40
My parents met in a college band--both played French horn. My mother accompanied my clarinet solos, and my father was my band director. My two sisters played, also (flute and French horn).
My husband and I met in band, too! I've often accompanied him; we sometimes play duets together (he plays soprano sax with me).
Today, I acccompanied my daughter as she played a clarinet solo in church (bless her heart, she had to play in F-sharp minor). She, my husband, and I have played clarinet trios also.
I have accompanied my other daughter, who is a percussionist, when she plays xyolphone solos.
Somebody's always practicing something!
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