 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: oboedavid
Date: 2013-08-24 15:27
The National Band of America in Washington D.C. is a volunteer band composed primarily, but not exclusively, of members of the four military service bands. The band has been in existence since 1973 and rehearses on Monday nights in Alexandria, VA. The band performs several concerts per year in various venues, recently at Mount Vernon.
The band is currently looking for solid, experienced players with their own instruments as follows:
1) Bb clarinets
2) 2 Alto clarinets
2) 2 Bass clarinets
3) 1 Contrabass clarinet
Additionally, the band may also have one bassoon and one contrabassoon vacancy, if anyone in the DC/MD/VA area knows solid experienced players.
The main band contact email is: nationalconcertband@gmail.com
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Author: Wes
Date: 2013-08-26 04:13
Just curious, would the contrabassoon play tuba parts?
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Author: oboedavid
Date: 2013-08-26 04:30
They would play contra parts when they exist, but not sure if they'd be asked to play bassoon parts on bassoon when there is no part, or if a contra part would be written to double tuba. I'd imagine if we had a contra player, the conductors would have them do whichever they preferred. If the choice was mine, which it isn't, I'd ask them to double tuba. The music director as always would be the person who would decide. I personally love a strong full bass sound in a wind ensemble.
Were you just curious, or do you know someone?
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2013-08-26 07:15
Would love to come along but sadly I'm in the UK :-(
Peter Cigleris
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2013-08-26 14:02
It was quite a few years ago, but I sat in with this band on a couple of occasions (in bass clarinet) and the first time I showed up I thought I had accidently gone into the wrong room and joined an AARP meeting. At that time the average age of the group was, shall we say, somewhere north of 60. Is that still the situation? I only mention this because what I heard then was that many of the players (especially the single reeds) had that quavery vibrato and sloppy pitch control that unfortunately comes to many of us as we get older. Just askin'.......
I was in my mid-40s then and other than one 'kid' in his twenties I was by far the youngest player in the group.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-08-26 14:57
The contrabassoon would probably play from string bass parts where there are string bass parts, or from tuba parts were there aren't.
I'd love to do this if it wasn't for the Atlantic ocean being in the way.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2013-08-26 17:09
William, no need to get your knickers in a bunch, it's just a community band, grandiose name notwithstanding.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-08-26 21:13
I'll stick with Southdowns then - they're only 15 minutes up the road from me.
What I would love to hear is a concert band made from the country's top orchestral wind players (and percussion) just to hear what sound we should be aiming for - I reckon they'll add an extra dimension to the marches of Alford (for example) that military bands don't have. Military music doesn't always have to be delivered cold - it can have passion and warmth too.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2013-08-26 21:36
A good US concert band is the Dallas Wind Symphony, and of course there are the old Frederick Fennell recordings with the Eastman Wind Ensemble.
One of my favorite wind band pieces is Hindemith's Symphony in Bb for Concert Band, but the recording I have (from the late 1950s I believe, with the composer conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra) is marred by some of the worst-sounding bass clarinet playing I've ever heard.
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Author: William
Date: 2013-08-27 18:13
David, my knickers are just fine. Just wondering if my old college friend is the conductor of this DC group, that's all..........
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Author: Wes
Date: 2013-08-27 20:56
The Band of America was a fine band with a radio concert every Thursday night in the 1950s as I recall. The performers were the top players, mostly famous names. There were no saxophones in the band and just one oboe, Vincent Schipilletti. Joe Allard was one of the clarinetists. In my files, I have a list of the players.
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Author: Paula S
Date: 2013-08-27 21:03
Me too! Would love to do Bb and alto! The only trouble with the USA is that it is too far away;-)
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