 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: JenniferMendez
Date: 2011-02-06 02:31
Hi,
I am wondering if anyone has any info. about any type of program or school that educates clarinet students before 12 years old (especially if in a country other than America)?
I am not even sure how to narrow that search on a search engine.
Thanks!
Jen in Texas
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Author: USFBassClarinet
Date: 2011-02-06 13:36
Here in Florida some schools start band in 6th grade, which would be 11 year olds. A particular school in Tampa actually starts them on Trumpet, Clarinet, and Flute in the 2nd half of 5th grade so when they get to 6th grade 'band' they have already played some.
Other than that, I don't really know of any except students who go through private lessons. An often I see them with student C clarinets, and the littler ones with Eb clarinets. But I can count on 1 hand the amount of kids that young starting clarinet. It is more often violin.
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Author: SHMbass
Date: 2011-02-06 14:29
Pennsylvania music programs typically begin in the fourth grade, with the students starting on the instrument of their choosing. Colleges might have preparatory programs where students can start taking lessons as early as the child can (least at the college where I attend and teach lessons). Students can take private lessons once they begin in fourth grade, which usually helps keep the interest in the instrument when the band director is not completely familiar with the instrument. Outside of that there are institutes such as PAM (PA. Academy of Music), and Curtis Institute of Music that educate younger students. Searching academy or institutes of music might assist in finding what you are looking for.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2011-02-06 15:28
We start them at age 11 in McKinney (6th grade)
Some of the local private schools start at age 10 (5th grade)
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2011-02-06 15:43
Where I live now, we begin instruction in 5th grade. When I was in Elementary school in Cincinnati in the late 1960s, band programs began in 4th grade, and some string players began on Suzuki method in 3rd. We had a number of ver talented musicians come up from that program.... many are professionals today.
Sorry, but I don't know where to find specific pedagogical references.
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2011-02-06 16:13
Here in Switzerland they start clarinet at age 9 (or rather: not earlier than 9). There's a 2 year mandatory part in elementary school ("early music education") with basics like rhythm, melody and the like, and from then on it's each on his or her own, although the youth music programmes are subsidised.
--
Ben
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Author: clariniano
Date: 2011-02-07 00:25
Here in Toronto, if not Ontario, it seems to be up to the individual school. I myself began in 7th grade, though I really wanted to start in 5th grade. Private schools here generally seem to start by 5th grade, and many start at 4th grade. The public schools, most start in 6th or 7th grade, though there are some that start in 5th grade. Personally I think 6th grade is best, almost all kids by that age have the physical capacity to play an instrument.
Most of the students who stick with it over the long term seem to be those who start in 6th grade. But the ones who really make progress usually start around 5th grade, one of my very first students over 10 years ago, started private lessons in 5th grade, even though band at school did not start until 7th grade. By the time he got to Grade 7, he was playing in the 9th grade band on clarinet and 7th grade band on saxophone; he was helping out some of the 9th graders who were struggling. Another student I taught (he has been with one of my musical colleagues for a couple years now; another student I taught last year currently in university for music is also studying with him--we refer each other students) for a few years began clarinet in 4th grade, currently in 9th grade, at last report I heard he completed his Grade 9 Royal Conservatory of Music exam with First Class Honours! A third student I taught before they became too far for me to travel to their home (they live near my parent's home, which is about an hour by transit from my home; from where I am now, their old home would be about 10 min) started at 9 1/2 and by the time she was 11 was playing solid RCM level 4. Again this was before band started at school.
Meri
Please check out my website at: http://donmillsmusicstudio.weebly.com and my blog at: http://clariniano.wordpress.com
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2011-02-07 00:42
When I started Clarinet students, I would start them the 2nd half of the school year of third grade.
Often the string programs are at fault for delaying the band students from starting. Nobody would play the strings if they didn't have a head start......
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: Claire Annette
Date: 2011-02-09 17:37
A little off topic:
The youngest student I've ever taught was a physically-small 10-year old homeschooled boy. His hands were so small that it was difficult for him to initially reach some of the keys on his Bb clarinet.
Maturity levels vary in 10 year old children but this little guy was fun...even if he DID decide to see what it would be like to grease the pads on his horn in the beginning.
As for me: I started clarinet in public school as a 6th-grader--light years ago.
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2011-02-14 16:14
I was an 8 year-old 4th grader when I started and I haven't stopped since.
Rachel
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2011-02-14 17:54
Jen, are you looking for a school to send your kids to, or are you a parent or a teacher trying to convince a school board to lower the starting age for kids in your district?
Why are you interested "especially if in a country other than America?" A great many schools in the U.S. start their instrumental music students anywhere from grade 3 (about 9 years old) to grade 6 (about 12 y.o.), so finding such a school district in the U.S. shouldn't be hard even without Google. If you're trying to accomplish something in particular, can you describe the situation?
Karl
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Author: Loliver
Date: 2011-02-14 20:16
At my primary school, everyone played recorder in years 3 and 4 (8 and 9). At the end, the music teacher noted down the ten or so pupils who had the most musical ability, and they were recommended to move on to another instrument, namely clarinet or flute. Naturally, all boys chose clarinet, all girls chose flute.
I think that this is quite typical in UK from where i'm from, but dont know about rest of country.
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Author: JenniferMendez
Date: 2011-02-15 13:52
Hi,
I'm a music educator looking to get started in research about the age we start American students (particularly in Texas) on clarinet and the curriculum/American Band movement system we currently use.
I grew up in that system, but am wondering what other states and countries do that could be more advantageous than the way we do things now.
Thanks,
Jen
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2011-02-15 15:35
Well, in that case, good luck with your research.
In my area - southeastern Pennsylvania - most public systems start lessons on band instruments in 4th grade. Those schools that have string programs often start those earlier both to give the string program a little bit of a head start and because small-sized string instruments are available that the younger children can play. My district starts strings in 3rd grade and band instruments a year later. Some of the schools in this area have put off starting instrumental lessons until 5th grade. Of course, every year many school boards talk about moving lessons out of the elementary schools entirely, starting lessons in 6th or 7th grade (depending on whether the district's structure is K-5-3-4 or K-6-3-3).
Unfortunately, the decisions about such things these days are rarely made to provide the most musically or educationally "advantageous" way. They're made to save as much money as possible without taking the public step of eliminating the programs entirely, which may actually begin to happen sooner than later if the problem of school funding isn't solved soon.
Karl
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Author: BassClarinetBaby
Date: 2011-02-16 11:55
Here in Queensland, Australia you can learn a woodwind/brass/percussion instrument from the age of 10 years old in schools. Instruction in stringed instruments begins at 8 years old.
The way the system works is the child will have one half hour lesson per week (in addition to normal class) with a small group of other kids. Usually the child is allowed to borrow an instrument for the first year, giving them the option to change their mind before the parents fork out hundreds of dollars. Typically after a year of playing, the student is asked to join the school band, which practises once a week.
These music lesson are extra to the rest of the child's workload and are available all through high school. High schools typically offer a lot more musical opportunities for children. Many kids also take private lessons in addition to their lessons at school.
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Author: Sandra E. F.
Date: 2011-02-18 14:04
Most U.S. school start at age 9 or 10 because of curriculum tradition. However, to start earlier is rare because of children's physical sizes and tooth changes (baby teeth loss and erupting adult teeth). Julian Bliss was a clarinet prodigy who studied at age 8 at Indiana University and prior to that with Paul Harris. You can check that in Julian's biography. There are teachers for the gifted clarinetist over the world, and you can research that online or in the older posts here.
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