Author: brycon
Date: 2020-09-19 21:39
A lot of assumptions in the OP.
Quote:
When I was in tenth grade, I hoped that the master class clarinet teacher who had multiple students make the TMEA All-State band every year would help improve everything about my fundamentals such as embouchure and air support.
I made the TMEA bands and orchestras in high school and taught in Texas for a couple of years in between degrees. So I have a good understanding of how it all works.
1.) Just because a teacher has students make the all-state band doesn't make him or her a good teacher. Moreover, it certainly doesn't necessarily make him or her a good teacher for you.
2.) If you feel your fundamentals are lacking, look at the players who's fundamentals are where you want yours to be. Find out who they study with, what sorts of things they practice, etc.
Quote:
Then I continued taking lessons from him for the rest of junior year hoping that my tone quality and technique would eventually improve. By the end of junior year, I still felt that my tone quality was garbage despite doing his exercises so many times in warmups. It did not make sense to me how I didn’t improve when he was known as a great clarinet teacher in the state perhaps.
3.) Is your tone quality and technique actually garbage or do you just feel that way? Have you played for other qualified people and got their opinions? Perhaps it isn't your tone quality but something else that's holding you back in auditions. In TMEA auditions, the panel is usually made up of a couple former clarinet players and the remainder could be whatever--saxophonists, trombonists, and so on. Realistically, the nuances of clarinet tone aren't going to be what they're primarily listening for. Audition committees--and especially ones that don't play your instrument--are much more concerned with the largely objective things, such as rhythm, intonation, and dynamic contrast.
4.) When the teacher gave you these exercises, did he or she explain the purpose of them? What you should be striving for when you practice them? Or do you just go through the motions of doing the exercises and hope for eventual improvement?
5.) Again, just because a teacher has students make all state does not make him or her a good teacher. Perhaps the students are coming from very strong music programs and would make all state regardless of who their teacher was, perhaps many of the teacher's students reside in a competitively weaker area and therefore have an easier path to all state, perhaps the teacher works with many students across many districts and because of the sheer teaching load has numerous all staters regardless of his or her skills as a teacher. Alternately, perhaps he or she is a great teacher but isn't explaining the concepts in a way that gets through to you.
There are just so many assumptions here. You absolutely need to go play for other teachers (it's easier than ever now with Zoom). Maybe even have a lesson with an indisputably "good" teacher--perhaps someone at a university, conservatory, or symphony orchestra near you with a proven track record of helping students achieve a level with their fundamentals similar to what you want to achieve with your own playing. See if it confirms your previous teacher's diagnosis of your playing or not; see if the concepts, exercises, and practice strategies match your previous teacher's. At the least, it will bring you a little clarity with the situation.
Post Edited (2020-09-19 21:44)
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The Clarinet BBoard
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