 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Brian Morton
Date: 2002-01-01 19:53
Hello,
I just graduated with an education degree at George Mason University. I am really interested in going on to Graduate School for performance. I want a great program with alot of playing oppurtunities but I am just as interested in a great teacher. I don't want to be a number in a factory school like Indiana, but I also don't want to be a big fish in a little sea. If you have any advice, I would be grateful.
Thankyou
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-01-01 20:46
Brian Morton wrote:
>
> I don't want to be a number in a factory school like
> Indiana
Bada-bing! How to win friends and influence people ... you're talking grad school, not a general BA degree! And just how many clarinet performance grad students do you think are at Indiana (or any other fine music school) ? Grad performance is if anything <b>more</b> competitive than undergrad performance!
That being said - you need to start interviewing with teachers who can give you what you want, whatever that is. Look at their student placement, take a few lessons, and make a decision based on that.
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Author: kgl
Date: 2002-01-01 21:02
Try Dr. Richard Shillea at the Hartt School---University of Hartford, Hartford CT.
He's also on the faculty at The Juilliard School. Incredible performance teacher.
Best of Luck!
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Author: Dan Oberlin
Date: 2002-01-02 11:58
Perhaps you should check out the School
of Music at Florida State. The "Clarinet
Department" consists of Frank Kowalsky and
Deborah Bish, both great teachers, excellent
clarinetists, and exceptionally nice people.
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Author: Kristen D.
Date: 2002-01-02 15:58
Mark is right on the money. Get on the web and browse through the sites of
all of the schools you are interested in. E-mail the clarinet professors so that
they know you are interested. Follow up with a resume in the mail or recording
of a recent recital. Communication is the key and the squeaky wheel usually gets
the oil. This is partly how I landed my grad assitantship at UNL (Nebraska-Lincoln)
with Dr. Diane Cawein. (She studied with Kowalsky and Marcellus). You might
check out our website.
Important questions to ask the clarinet instructor: Are all lessons taught by you?
Will I have a lesson every week? Are you planning to take a semester off or
planning a performance tour that would cause you to be gone for several weeks
or months?
Luckily I have not run across this problem because I asked these questions
prior to my auditions. I know a lot of people who have run into problems with the
above questions. It never hurts to ask. You only study with this person for
2 years. A semester of them gone can make a huge difference in your final
decision.
There are lots of great schools out there. People always have their opinions on what
is the best school, but you really should research them yourself and come up with
your own conclusions.
Best of luck!
Kristen Denny
GTA: Clarinet, UNL
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-01-02 18:01
Brian -
Listen to a teacher's students. With the best teachers, all the students sound good, but no two sound the same.
If you want to make yourliving as a performer, you need to go to someone who will know when a job is about to come open and can propose you for it. That means a well-known teacher or performer.
However, you need to come to such a person as a finished player. At that level, tone, technique and even musicianship aren't discussed much. A friend who studied with Drucker said most of his lessons were devoted to things like "at such and such a measure in the finale of the Brahms 2nd Symphony, you're in unison with the flute on a note that's sharp on most flutes" or "you need to play louder to balance with the horns" -- practical stuff that you can otherwise get only through experience.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Suzanne
Date: 2002-01-02 22:41
Do you need a big-name school? Where do you live? Are you willing to move? There are lots of schools with great teachers, but varying levels of how much you will get to perform--what is most important to you? Whose playing do you like? How do you define a "factory school?" That kind of labeling might eliminate good schools like Michigan, Northwestern, I dunno, but these are supposed to be good for clarinet, in addition to Univ. of Southern California, Manhattan, etc.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-01-02 23:51
Just as a point of reference, my son, a junior in a conservatory, is looking <b>now</b> for places where he might spend some post-grad time (right now Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music studying with Yuji Murai is high on the list ... low tuition, good financial aid for foreign students, fantastic teacher, and one of if not the most prestigious music school in the Far East. Keep your options open and think global! Tatsuzo Akasaka look out ;^ )
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Author: HAT
Date: 2002-01-03 00:08
Look at the track record. Right now, it seems the best bets if you want to play in an orchestra are:
DePaul
MSM/Juilliard with Morales
NEC with Tom Martin
USC with Yehuda Gilad
Cats from these schools are getting jobs on a regular basis. That's good enough for me.
If you want to teach, it seems your best bets are:
Michigan State
Florida State
Arizona State
University of Michigan
This is based on my knowledge of the teachers and their reputations and the students of theirs I have heard and heard of. Obviously there are other legitimate choices. If you work hard enough and expose yourself to the right things you can make it from just about anywhere.
I am sure I forgot to mention some names and places. These are just off the top of my head.
David Hattner, NYC
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Author: clarinet713
Date: 2002-01-03 03:47
What about Eastman for graduate studies? I'm curious
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Author: ur
Date: 2002-01-03 22:54
Hmmm george mason university? Does John Casagrande still conduct there? I was in his high school band, he was probably the most clueless conductor I have ever seen.
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