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post John Davies effects !

Author: Daniel Bouwmeester
Date: 2001-03-28 21:49

Hello everyone.

I have been very pleased when I saw all the replies to my post while I was London.

I thought you might want to hear about how this teacher has affected me.

I am back in Switzerland, and have been thinking about my little musical trip to London.

Basically, coming back here, my fingers didn't go faster, my tonghing was not better, my sound neither. BUT, my ideas have changed. They have changed enourmously.

Many things I have learnt.

1) The best you can be, there is always better.

2) A good musician is made using 5 % of talent and 95 % percent of work.

3) To be able to sing on a clarinet, one must have 100 % control over it.

4) Working does not mean practicing 8 hours a day, but means solving problems by thinking about "how to", then do by taking the necessary time for it (but 6 hours a day is a good average).

5) When studying a piece one must learn more about it than just the music to be able to understand what the composer wanted to say.

6) Equipment will not replace hours of practice

7) The more different teachers you work with the more you will learn.

When I will understand all this, I will be able to use my potential and become a fine clarinetist. (but there's a long way to go)

Anyway... even though this has been hard for me, meeting this guy has probably been the best thing I did for my music carreer. I will return 100 %. But I know now who I will be confronted with.

But then, apart from that, this guy is so facinating. Having 60 years of experience in teaching and performing... Gosh, ! he's a real living museum.. (as well as his house actually... He owns an original portrait of Karl Maria Von Weber, painted the last week of his life. Check out Karl Leister's Album of Weber's concertos. Picture is on the back with Karl).

And then, just talking about his old students. People like Anthony Pay, Richard Addisson, and most of all the imporant british players. It gets born down to : "Richard Addisson (teacher at royal acaedmy london), I had to call his mum to tell him to stop practicing. Because he spent 12 hours a day practicing and comming to the lesson too tired to play.."

Or Talking of some of his good friends such as Malcolm Arnold "Malcolm used to one of these guyz that had only insipration when he was under big influences of drugs and alcohol... he ended up in a hosipital for mad people"... Talking about his old times such as having a dixieland band with Jack Brymer. Jack Brymer ?? jazz ??? who would think that.... but yes... they even were so popular that they were skipping classes to do concerts for money.

But anyway.. Since I'm back I've been practicing like a workoholic... a good six hours a day... Trying to organize time between giggs (am playing beethoven's 2nd symphony Friday), (and Poulenc (les animaux mod�les), Chabrier Joyeuse marche, Ravel Bolero, Don Quichotte, Pavanne for a dead princess, Duparc, L'invitation au voyage, La vague et la cloche, La vie Ant�rieure) for a concert with Geneva symph. in Victoria hall in June), plus revision for admission for engineering school in Holland, and national music competition.

AAARGHHHH.. God help me to find time for all this.

But I know now that Davies is probably one of the best clarinet teachers in the world, and that I I have to do the best I can to stay with him.
.
Oh well. I am allready having ideas of who my next teacher could be....... Karl Leister ? (he's one of Davies's best friends)... THe suite in the next episode....

If those of you want to go into professional music are wondering how ? I know the answers. Go to a great professor.

Best Wishes to everyone and thanx for support

Daniel Bouwmeester

p.s.

Those who thought John Davies was brutal... NOT TRUE... He was actually really patient... Why I got demoralized, was because I realized that I was playing badly compared to his standards, and I was dissapointed with myself. We actually spent lot's of time chatting and having lunch together. And enjoyed ourselves. But.. yes... being sent home to practice after 30 minutes is not always appreciated when you come especially from Switzerland to work with him.

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