 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2012-07-25 15:37
I think the experience of playing the Concertina, whether or not it's a piece that could win the competition, far outweighs any other consideration. It would be excellent preparation for next year's event.
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Author: Nessie1
Date: 2012-07-25 16:06
Obviously I don't know who you'd be up against or what your own playing is like but in any competition (come to that more or less any performance) it is always better to play a slightly easier piece really well than play a slightly harder piece really badly.
Besides which, is there any rule which says you can't enter the competition both years?
Good luck
Vanessa.
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2012-07-25 20:19
If I understand you correctly, you're going to be up against violin and piano players, and there will be one winner. Is that right? At the auditions, is each player being asked to play an entire concerto, or just one movement?
If you're only going to be up against other woodwinds in a woodwind-only category, I think the Concertino is a nice choice. In some ways it's "easy," but in my opinion (I'm speaking from experience), it isn't as easy as it looks.
If you'll be up against violin and piano players (only one winner), and if you only have to play one movement, I'd consider the first movement of the first Weber concerto instead. In my opinion (and I'm not sure others will agree), the Concertino is a nice piece, but the first concerto is better. I'm honestly not sure how the Concertino will stack up against some of the great classics that the violinists and pianists will be performing. A judge (especially one who doesn't play a woodwind instrument) might think, "Yes, that Concertino sounds very nice, but it really doesn't compare to the Mendelssohn violin concerto that other student is performing." If you play the first concerto, you can show off your artistry with the beautiful singing melodic lines, and you can demonstrate your technique, especially if you add the Baermann cadenza.
Another possibility, especially if you're up against violinists and pianists, is the Mozart concerto. It may well be the concerto that's best known among non-clarinet players, although it will take a lot of work to really play it well.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2012-07-26 00:59
The Concertino is not easy. The problem is that every John, Dick and Harry, also Sally, plays it but they don't play it correctly. If you play this piece, which is a mini concerto after all, in the proper tempos and articulations and play it musically, it is not an easy piece for a high school student. As I said, the problem is that so many students play it to0 slow, too sloopy, to dull and no sense of the phrase. Play it well and go for it, it's a great piece, if played well.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2012-07-26 03:30
Concertino is a great piece, and it can beat String players (flutes too).
Student of mine a while back in 8th grade competed with it at Interlochen's Concerto Competition, and not only won his Jr Division, but they advanced him to the finals of the Sr. Competition - 1st time in 10 years that it had been done.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: Mike Clarinet
Date: 2012-07-26 07:42
Wow Ken.
Followed the link and read your notes. As an amateur, I've been struggling with the concertino on and off for years. I don't have the time to devote hours a day to practice (much as I would like to), and get quite depressed when the concertino falls apart on me. I tell myself "Its only scales and arpeggios. I can whizz around those with no problem" and then do so to prove the point to myself. (Yes, I know there's more to it than that.) So why can't I play this £^%@~$* piece? Your notes have given me a new inspiration. I think I'll print them off and keep them with my copy of the concertino.
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Author: Nessie1
Date: 2012-07-26 16:54
Wow - what fabulous post by Ken. Excellent ideas on both technique and interpretation.
Vanessa.
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