 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Nick Conner
Date: 2001-12-20 23:45
Hello everybody,
To help you understand my situation, I need to clarify a few unique happenings in my area. After Thanksgiving, construction people at my school tore out some trees in one of our courtyards. Well, these trees harbored spores for the fungus that causes histoplasmosis, which affects the lungs and possibly other parts of the body. These spores were sucked into the school's ventilation system, which contaminated a great portion of the school, leaving over 30% of the school absent the first week of it's presence (which was four weeks ago). This week, the fungus was discovered in the school, and the board of health shut down the school, cancelling finals until after Christmas and leaving a large portion of the school infected, including me, with histoplasmosis of various degrees of severity. While this may just be an infection requiring proper medicine and a couple weeks rest to cure, I have college auditions for Indiana University in less than a month. Currently, I have been ordered to practice clarinet no more than a few minutes a day if I absolutely MUST (I should not be practicing at all, for fear of scar tissue developing in my lungs, a side effect of the pneumonia accompanying the histoplasmosis). In my histoplasmoid condition, I've taken up only fingering through my audition material. This is the only way I can practice for an extended period of time, but I'm worried that this form of practice will mess up the timing between my tongue and fingers. Does anybody know if this is a risk I must guard against or if there are any other, safer, methods of practicing that don't involve using excessive lung force? I would like to be as close as possible to playing at my best in my January audition. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Nick Conner
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2001-12-21 00:18
Nick,
I feel very bad for you, but if there's any chance of scarring, <b>don't even think about blowing into that clarinet!</b> Don't press your luck a all!
If indeed you can't audition, think about spending one semester taking all the required other courses, and audition the second semester. I'd be contacting the music department right now to explain the situation.
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Author: Gretchen
Date: 2001-12-21 02:10
First of all, i'm SOO sorry that this happened to you, and in such bad timing!
I agree with Mark. If you're not ready in time, since you may be out of shape, call them and let them know what has happened. I'm sure they'd let you set up a special audition date some time later when you're better. As withthe tounge and breathing, can you try saying "dee dee" when you finger your clarinet to get the timing of the tounge and fingers together? Mental practicing also works really well if you can't play.
Good luck with everything! Take care.
Gretchen
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Author: William Hughes
Date: 2001-12-21 04:25
Nick:
I've been hearing about the problems at your school (I'm up in Muncie) and I am quite sure the good folks at the IU School of Music have too. I would trust them to make reasonable allowances. Perhaps your teacher should make the contact with them to be sure they are aware of your situation. Follow all of your doctor's orders. You will not lose your skills with a few weeks of rest; after all, some athletes deliberately "taper off" in their training before a big meet or game. Best of luck.
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Author: Kim
Date: 2001-12-21 04:26
Take heart. I've actually heard of players making great progress using the method that Gretchen described, articulating, and sending air through the instrument (not enough to make a clarinet sound...just barely more than you'd normally exhale with). If you keep your embochure formed during this type of silent practice, you might find that you can stay in some type of shape. Mental practice does wonders, and you may find it very helpful to continue it once you've recovered. This could also be a good opportunity to listen to lots of recordings of pieces on your audition.
I'm really sorry that this happened to you. I agree with the others that you should explain the situation to the school. I'm sure that they'll try to accomodate you however they can.
Good luck with everything!
Kim
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-12-21 12:15
Sometimes it actually helps to practice the fingers separately. You get all the proper motions and sequences down and you don't have to worry about them. Then you can focus on tonguing and coordination without worrying about the notes themselves.
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2001-12-22 02:31
Also, sometimes it is mentioned that taking some small break from practicing for about a week or so can actually help more than the practice itself, giving you and your clarinet both time to rejuvenate (especially you, now that you're so ill-fortuned with pneumonia or whatever you might have now.) I don't know how effective that would be. Maybe you should just let yourself rest for a day, and then work with fingerings mentally for a while. Gradually build your way to full potential again...
Just my two bits.
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Author: willie
Date: 2001-12-22 04:56
Go with your Doctors instructions! After I had my by-pass surgery, I tried t play my clarinet too soon and damned near did my self in. Because of this I was out of action for and additional 6 months. Heal first then go for the gold.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-12-26 21:30
Nick -
Go with your doctor's advice. Your lungs are the engine for playing. You can't afford to have serious damage. (However, it could be useful to get a second opinion from a lung specialist who has worked with wind players.)
When you explain what happened, the schools will almost certainly let you take a late audition. And if the worst happens, and you can't make the auditions, that would be dreadful, but not the end of the world, no matter how it may seem when you're in the middle.
For example, you can apply as a non-conservatory music major to a university that also has a conservatory, such as Indiana or Michigan, or to the University of Rochester, where Eastman is. I went to Oberlin (which has a conservatory) in the college, and there were plenty of college students in the orchestra and wind ensemble.
Then you could transfer to the conservatory after a year. As long as you take private lessons and work hard on your playing, you won't lose ground.
Courage. Keep doing your best, and you'll be great. Keep us posted on what happens.
Ken Shaw
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