 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Remus
Date: 2012-06-16 20:05
My final year of high school will be starting in a few months, so college is weighing heavily on my mind. I know that I want to play clarinet (and probably major in music, whether it's performance or education or otherwise I don't yet know), but lately I've taken an interest in getting a degree in woodwind doubling.
Bret Pimentel's site has been very helpful as far as looking at programs that would help me earn that degree, but most of those schools are rather large, and I've always seen myself attending a small, liberal arts school.
My question is whether I should... attend a small school and concentrate on clarinet, and after I get my Bachelor's degree begin to study in woodwind doubling to gain my Master's degree or; go straight for a Bachelor's in woodwind doubling. I'm very open to anything outside the box because I don't know what I'm doing as far as Planning For The Future goes.
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2012-06-16 20:26
You would do well to read this article by Ed Palanker (frequent poster here and bass clarinetist for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra): http://web.me.com/palanker/Site/Follow_Yr_Dreams.html
As far as choosing a major goes I think you should keep an open mind and decide after you've gotten a few classes under your belt. Typically you don't need to formally declare your major immediately and chances are that many of the courses you will take your freshman year will the the same regardless of major. Use one or more of your elective course slots to explore the different majors you think you might be interested in.
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Author: JHowell
Date: 2012-06-17 04:45
Except that you'll probably want to audition for music scholarships. A major isn't set in stone, except that because the way the courses are laid out it's easier to switch from education to performance than the other way around. I've had several students who were doublers, and I'd say that it's most important to get really, really good at one instrument first. That way you have standards to apply to anything you play. Eddie Daniels, who is a consummate doubler, has good advice that you'll hear if you look him up on YouTube -- I think it's one of the Backun videos.
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Author: bethmhil
Date: 2012-06-17 05:52
JHowell is completely correct. Your studies as an undergrad student require mastery of the skills you already have. Graduate school is where you get to go outside the box, where you can focus on other things besides your instrument (or, focus even more completely on your instrument). I have never heard of undergrad degrees that specialize in "woodwind performance"... On the other hand, I know many people who have done that exact program in their graduate degrees. There may very well be undergraduate programs that do have such degrees, but I can't tell you where to look. Alas, obtaining a degree in woodwind doubling may be something that has to wait until grad school.
JHowell also so rightly mentioned the infamous switch from music performance to education. My advice is to start out in music ed, even if you're not sure if you want to teach. At ISU, students begin music education courses by the first semester of their sophomore year. Unless you make the switch to education within the first year of school, the switch could put you behind at least a year. If you are interested in the performance degree, you could possibly double major or get a performer's certificate, depending on where you go to school.
On the plus side, music education degrees require proficiency in all the instruments-- this includes woodwind instruments. In these courses, you get to not only polish performing on the instruments, but you (hopefully) get to study with the applied faculty of the instruments and learn to teach the instruments. It's certainly not as in depth as what you would do in a woodwind performance program in grad school, but it's something to start with as an undergrad.
BMH
Illinois State University, BME and BM Performance
Post Edited (2012-06-17 05:53)
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Author: JHowell
Date: 2012-06-17 15:04
A few additional thoughts: everybody is different, and there are different ways to succeed. I've seen students get performance degrees at the university where I teach, then later go back, sometimes to less expensive schools, for ed certification. Or vector off into music recording, or technology, or library work. There are degrees in music therapy now, although there's not a lot of clarinet playing involved. I've had a student get an undergrad degree in education, then go to Northwestern for a Masters in performance and straight to a very nice job in a service band. I never actively encourage anyone to pursue a degree in performance, especially if he or she can't afford to think about grad school; as far a job qualification goes it has to be just about the most worthless piece of paper that doesn't come on a roll. But if it's what you must do, do it to the utmost.
Final thought. If you want to get your undergrad degree paid for, double competently on bassoon. It may still be hard to get into Curtis or Manhattan on bassoon, but schools a tier or two down are competing fiercely for bassoonists to play in ensembles.
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Author: William
Date: 2012-06-17 15:56
Also, like bassoonist's, serious 'doubling' on the bass clarinet may open more doors. In this modern music world, versatility is often more important that virtuosity. The more you can do, the greater the opportunity available.
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Author: Remus
Date: 2012-06-17 17:19
Thank you all so much for your help. I can tell you've all put a lot of thought into your advice and I appreciate it. I now have a much clearer idea of what to do with the next few years of my life. Thank you!!
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Author: Blake Arrington
Date: 2012-06-18 19:51
FYI, I believe North Texas has an undergrad Multiple Woodwinds degree. The MM in Multiple Woodwinds is available at a number of schools as well.
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Author: Bret Pimentel
Date: 2012-06-19 19:27
I have a bachelor's degree in one instrument (saxophone) and two graduate degrees in multiple woodwinds, and am now a college music professor.
Remus: you didn't mention whether you already play any additional instruments. If not, a degree program in multiple woodwinds may not be feasible at this point. It certainly would require diving very seriously into at least two other instruments right away, studying with good teachers.
I generally advise against bachelors programs in woodwind doubling except for students who already have a high level of achievement on multiple instruments (usually backed up by state-level soloist awards, appointments to all-state-type bands, etc.) and years of private study on each instrument. For me, and I think for many musicians, the undergraduate years were crucial for developing a technical command of the instrument and for developing solid musicianship skills. The technical demands of multiple instruments can be overwhelming, to the point that musicianship skills take a back seat. My feeling is that the large majority of undergraduate students should focus on one instrument, and run with it as far as possible, then consider a masters program in multiple woodwinds if it is still of interest. (Of course I agree with the previously-expressed opinions that everyone is different.)
Summers are a great time to supplement single-instrument undergraduate study with private lessons on secondary instruments. Medium or large universities may have summer ensembles that will accept less-skilled players. They are a valuable way to log some hours on the instrument, and to get a reality check on your progress.
BP
Post Edited (2012-06-19 19:31)
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Author: Remus
Date: 2012-06-19 19:49
Currently I only play clarinet, and I agree, it definitely makes more sense for me to focus on that before delving into something else. Thanks for the advice, and I love your website!
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2012-06-20 22:04
When I taught at Towson University many sax players requested clarinet lessons with me and flute lessons with the flute teacher. They were either music ed majors wanting to learn to be doubles as well or jazz majors needing to be better doublers. My advice, major on clarinet, music ed if you feel you would be happy teaching in a class room or performance if you really think you're good enough to make it in a field that has almost no jobs to audition for, I'm talking about symphony jobs. Even woodwind doubling jobs are rarer and rarer for anything full time since more and more shows are using less and less live musicians. ESP eddiesclarinet.com
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
Post Edited (2012-06-22 02:57)
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2012-06-21 17:44
"... more shows are using smaller and smaller live musicians."
Oh. boy. I'm in real trouble. I keep getting bigger and bigger. (But at least I'm still "live.") 
Best regards,
jnk
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