 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-08-20 12:37
Hi,
I was just thinking - we talk a lot about equipment, but very little about who we actually play for, and whose lives we change when we play.
I wondered if I might ask who your audiences are, or were in pre-covid times?
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-08-20 12:44
I'm an adult learner, and so my clarinet playing affects those around me in much the same way as if I had a large, endearing, pet dog.
I have taken the clarinet to the street party, or to a scientific conference, and a few other places. When I do that, people come and sit next to me, even if I'm not playing. I think it's just because they enjoy being near to the instrument and seeing it close up.
Playing complicated stressful pieces buys nothing for my audience, but if I have a nice tone when I play few notes along with my neighbours, then I think people feel the magic, and remember it.
I would be really interested to hear who other people play for, and what it is that makes the difference to their audience.
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2021-08-20 20:12
right now? my cats and they dont appreciate it one bit. esp the eb black wand of satan
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-08-20 20:59
Hi super20dan,
I love it! That is a hilarious mental image. Do you have a bass clarinet for when your cats need soothing?
My family are actually my main audience, but I probably ought not to talk about them online. :-)
Jen
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2021-08-20 21:39
I was very active playing in the NY area since age 19 when I joined AF of M (quit
after 35 years in 2008, but that's another thread).
Aside from the usual college playing, I played in many groups, such as the Yonkers Philharmonic, Westchester Pops Band, White Plains Pops, and maybe a dozen more orchestras or bands over the years. Since moving to Canada, my playing was mostly back in NY each summer when school was out (though I did briefly join the NB Local and play in the Saint John & Area Orch. in Canada). There we played winter and school concerts.
The bands mostly disappeared due to the lack of MPTF money, leaving me as being Princ. Clar. with the Westchester Band each summer. So, as usual since 1977, my audience has been summer night concert-goers--"concerts in the park". I have been fortunate to have soloed many times for them and even once was guest conductor. Don't know how long at age 67 now that I'll continue to do the 7 weeks in NY. OR, how long it will be before the U.S. opens their land border to VACCINATED Canadians, though we opened up to them Aug.9. I may be past my playing days when that happens....
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
Post Edited (2021-08-20 21:41)
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-08-20 22:26
Tom - That's amazing to have done so much playing. It sounds really nice to be able to just get on and play in so many orchestras like that.
It's funny, but hearing that it is so easy for you makes me feel as though it might be possible for me.
That must be what people mean when they say that people can only do things that they have seen other people do.
Thanks for explaining about it all.
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2021-08-20 23:04
Thanks, but I've done a miniscual amount of playing compared to people who carve out a living doing it. My "day job" like many was school Band Director.
I have gotten to know a few people very well in our audience for the Westchester Band. Hopefully I'l get to see them in June 2022.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-08-20 23:10
It's nice to know that you were a school band director. We need more of those in the world.
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Author: davyd
Date: 2021-08-20 23:17
What is "MPTF money" in this context?
In the Before times, I was playing in various community orchestras and bands; I used to play in the pit with community theatre troupes. Hopefully all those groups will be able to resume playing, and their audiences will return.
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2021-08-20 23:27
My audience is anyone who is unlucky enough to be in listening range :-)
I’ve been lucky enough to perform for audiences around the world as an orchestral player and soloist. My recent audiences have been in the UK including a BBC R3 recital broadcast in May. Looking forward to playing for everyone in Gyor Hungary next week for the European Clarinet Festival.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2021-08-21 00:20
yes sunnydaze i do have a bass but dont leave it out much as my home is small. the cats run now if i bring an horn out of my storage closet . the larger the case the sooner they run! i have played since i was a young teen and am 65 now and played in all kinds of groups and venues but covid is extremly bad here in florida so i had to stop going to community band. makes me very sad at this.
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Author: BethGraham
Date: 2021-08-21 00:55
During Pandemic Times, my audiences are myself (aka The Harshest Critic), my teacher, and my ensemble class/audience at next week's recital.
In the After Times, my audiences will be those the Waterloo Concert Band and the Grand River New Horizons Band play for. I am hopeful that in a few years I'll be good enough for the community orchestra -- I prefer classical music to traditional band music (medleys, marches, and the like).
My goal has always been to play as a member of a group and, coming from my alto choral singing days, I am happiest playing harmony.
Thanks for starting this thread.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2021-08-21 01:01
davyd wrote:
> What is "MPTF money" in this context?
>
Music Performance Trust Fund - a fund maintained by the American Federation of Musicians (AKA Musicians' Union) to pay musicians to play for public, generally free-admission music events. It started foundering and running out of money long before the current COVID shut downs.
Karl
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2021-08-21 01:41
Yes, the MPFT originally was some agreement decades ago (1950s?) with recording companies in that a small % of each record (later cassette, VHS tapes, discs, etc.) sale goes into the fund to pay musicians for these free public concerts. In the late '90s with downloading (legal & illegal) of music instead of buying a tape/disc, etc. meant for the most part the fund dried up. I believe in recent years the AF of M got a new deal where something goes into the fund from digital sales. We have not seen any of this money in Westchester, NY.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-08-21 09:38
Thanks so much for talking about your different audiences.
It's amazing to realise that there is such a range - between the whole audience of public radio and some of us just alone at home with pets.
It great that everyone has such committment to playing irrespective of how big their audience is.
For those who are stuck at home - I'd love to see videos of you play if you would enjoy loading something up to youtube. We could have our own in-house tv station!
I'm also stuck at home just now so I totally understand how limiting it is.
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Author: Hugues Fardao
Date: 2021-08-21 11:17
I play in streets, a lot of people see me playing but for a very short time :D . Sometimes jamming sessions, or in a small café.
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-08-21 13:00
Hi Hugues,
I really like your facebook page. Do you have and A and Bb pair of Selmer clarinets, with Selmer reeds? I've never seen that combination before. I think it's really interesting that you find sax legere reeds so good on your clarinets too.
It's lovely to know that you are posting from France and playing as a street musician. I lived in France as a child and I loved seeing people play music on the trains. That's not a thing that happens in the UK, but it's so great when it happens in France.
Thanks for posting! I will follow your facebook page.
Jen
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-08-21 13:07
Hi Hugues - when you say "becs" in your French writing, do you mean the whole clarinet, and is "Bec" then French word for the beak of a bird?
Thanks!
Jen
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Author: ACCA
Date: 2021-08-21 13:33
Pre Covid- mainly playing in choral works sung in my church and serenading at functions. Now- not so much....
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-08-21 13:36
ACCA - That's great that you had that before. I suppose the world must be very quiet at the moment with us all not playing outside of home.
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Author: Hugues Fardao
Date: 2021-08-21 14:10
@SunnyDaze : Thank you for your comment.
"Bec" is the french word for "mouthpiece".
I don't have the need of a A clarinet for the moment but i'm intersted, I once tried a 10S in A and the sound was mind blowing.
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-08-21 14:56
Hi Hugues Fardao,
Thanks, that's really good to know what Bec is, so I can follow your facebook posts. I didn't know much about Selmer clarinets before so it's great to see yours.
I will look forward to hearing the A clarinet if you do buy one. I'm really tempted too, but I'm a long way from that.
I really like your improvisation on Autumn Leaves.
Jen
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Author: kilo
Date: 2021-08-21 17:16
Concert bands in Maine usually have a short season of outdoor playing. We missed the whole season last year, of course, and we only did two this year, plus an indoor performance comprised of smaller groups, a brass quintet, a flute duo, and a clarinet trio. While we may be able to do our usual indoor holiday concert, depending on the course of the pandemic, last night was our final outdoor performance of the year.
As with many small New England towns there is a town green with a monument commemorating the Civil War and a flagpole. A gently sloping hill forms a natural amphitheater of sorts; the band sets up at the base and the audience brings blankets and chairs and sits on the hillside. There's a very Norman Rockwell vibe to the whole thing. Most of the audience is in the "older demographic" but there's a scattering of younger people with their kids. Which is nice to see – with any luck a few of them might even decide they'd like to learn how to play a musical instrument. (I sure hope so because our band membership is decidedly in the "older demographic"!) We got a great response from the audience. A few people approached me afterward because they were so intrigued with the bass clarinet. One woman who was sitting nearby actually complimented me on my playing — "You and the tuba really kept everyone in line."
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-08-21 19:25
Hi Kilo,
That's brilliant that you have been managing to keep playing outside like that, and I love the tuba compliment.
I used to travel to Bar Harbor a lot for work, and I can completely imagine the scene that you describe, and how enjoyable it must have been. I hope you get lots of budding young musicians coming your way.
Jen
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Author: ahebert
Date: 2021-08-22 21:51
Church.... and my symphony, where I'm the "extra hand" when a fourth is needed, or saxophone.
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Author: simon.obrien
Date: 2021-08-23 11:33
My dog in the garage. I only started playing again in May after a short 21 year break Was previously grade 7 ABRSM (UK) when I put the horn down age 19 but have fallen in love again with playing.
I'm not quite confident enough yet to expose my family to my playing as I want them to be impressed rather than in pain lol hence the garage. Hopefully in the future I can share my progress with my family and a would love to join some groups in the future.
Simon
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Author: Maruja
Date: 2021-08-23 13:53
Yes, this is a lovely thread! What a plethora of public! My audience is my poor husband (thank you for never complaining through the wall... I think he is now totally impervious to whether I am playing or not) and last week my small band played out for the first time on a field in a nearby village. it was for an afternoon club of the elderly. They had a picnic and lots of the band had brought their families, so it was a really nice occasion. They have asked us back! We are trying to think of suitable repertoire for their age group....
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-08-23 19:59
Hi Simon,
That sounds brilliant. I'm sure your family will be bowled over when you finally let them see what you can do. I had no idea that so many pets were encouraging music along like this. That's great. :-)
Hi Maruja - I'm glad you like the thread. I'm really enjoying hearing about what people do. Your group sounds great. Are you in the UK?
Jen
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Author: Maruja
Date: 2021-08-24 18:34
I am. I live in Buckingham (which I love, there's lots going on), but our immediate family are in the East - Cambridge, Manningtree and Norwich - so we do a lot of driving back and forth, helping with grandchildren and elderly relatives and so on. But plenty of time left for (very) amateur music making. What I like about our U3A ensemble is that everyone is welcome. We have some very good players and some much less experienced - and a very eclectic range of instruments, ranging from flute to euphonium. Our music is relatively straightforward notes-wise, but our leader/conductor is a stickler for absolute correct rhythm, dynamics and articulation. I like the fact that I don't need to worry about notes, so have plenty of brain capacity left to concentrate on other things - like listening to what the rest of the band is doing instead of worrying about whether I remember the fingering in a particular bar. So it is more challenging than you think at first sight and with lots of sub-skills to master. But lots of fun too!
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-08-24 19:20
Hi Maruja,
That sounds great. I used to be in an orchestra like that. It was very good. The conductor was fantastically skilled at writing music to the level of the regular players. He seemed to be able to do it very quickly, so that the music changed from week to week.
Jen
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