 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Eb
Date: 2002-02-08 14:03
Ok,
We have a big problem on our hands. My daughter who is a sophomore in HS is having seat auditions in her Symphonic Band on Monday. The problem: She's sick with a bad cold, hasn't been to school since Tuesday, and can't practice, because when she tries to play, she starts coughing really bad.. Any suggestions on how she might be able to practice without actually playing? Other than just looking over her music and fingerings? Thanks
Eb
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Author: John
Date: 2002-02-08 14:20
I sometimes practice silently in situations like that. With the mouthpiece off, I rest the top of the barrel on my chin and finger through the music on the clarinet. This is actually helpful to isolate fingering and rhythm problems you did not know you had.
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Author: William
Date: 2002-02-08 14:38
I'm sorry, but the only way to parctice swimming is to actually get wet. Same for musical instruments. It would be helpful to study the music--rhythmic problems, phrasings, fingerings, etc--but nothing substitues for actual practice. Another way of preparing would be to listen to recordings of clarinetists to form a mental concept of what she wants to attain in her personal performance--tone quality, articulation, intonation, etc. Has she tried some over-the-counter symptom reducing medications?? If taken a couple of hours before practice, perhaps it would make some meaningful playing activity possible. They have worked for me many times, relieving the symptoms to be able to play the performance or practice a bit. Strangly, some of my best playing has been done while "under the weather" of a bad cold. It is no fun, playing when you are ill, but it depends partly on how bad you really want to. Sometimes, for adult musicians, it is simple greed--"they won't pay ($$) if you don"t play"--that drives us to perform "no matter what!" On the brighter side, "this to, shall pass" and she should be feeling well soon--but maybe not in time to prepare for her auditions (unless, she has the desire and is willing to "step up to the plate" and practice a little, "no matter what.") Check with your family physician and try some symptom relieving medications, and Good Clarineting!!!!
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-02-08 16:19
Playing any instrument involves manual dexterity as well as mental so I do think there is value to practicing the finger movements without making sound. One can even mentally do this without an instrument. I believe I read somewhere that one of the great pianists or violinists used to do this while traveling and his instrument was not available. Hope she gets better soon.
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Author: LynnB
Date: 2002-02-08 16:46
There are many examples in Sports Psychology where mental practice (visualization) plays an important part of performing or learning. I actually think it should be right up there with long tones. So if she can't physically practice as much as she would normally, it would benefit her to add visualization as well as, the fingering practice suggested by John. Hope she gets better soon.
LynnB
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2002-02-08 16:57
Have you contacted the school and see if there will be a make-up date for auditions. (What are they going to do about kids who are sick on Monday?) Perhaps she might be able to take hers then. Some band directors will be sympathetic. Others will not. You probably won't know about hers until you ask.
IMHO, if "full contact" practicing makes her ill, "shadow practicing" like John suggests is better than nothing in the short run. And there are many worse things in life than playing second or third clarinet for awhile. (These sections benefit from strong players, too.)
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Sandra F. H.
Date: 2002-02-09 00:06
I vouch for talking with the band director. It's not a festival audition; it's an audition with her home school. She should be able to make it up in a reasonable time frame. She may be seated later, perhaps, after all the other auditions.
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Author: werner
Date: 2002-02-09 00:45
perhaps I should stay out of this, but..
she should sleep and rest. Perhaps you will be surprised how
good she will play after 2 or 3 days doing NOTHING with her clarinet.
regards.
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Author: Kirk
Date: 2002-02-09 12:40
All very good advice !! (IMHO) Above all, your daughter shoud rest and get over the cold. The first few days she feels better, do a silent concert. When I did this, I didn't put the reed on, just going thru the motions. It will take her a bit to get her airstream back up to par without coughing a lot. And then, see about getting her an audition and seating. Nothing good can be gained by her forcing herself to practice while coughing and sneezing alot and getting frustrated by a poor performance.
Last year, when I had bronchitis it took the "wind out of my sails" for a week or two. I couldn't play worth two cents. My frustration was awful as I said to my wife,"this is such an easy piece, why can't I do it ?" . Bad colds and bronchitis take their tolls on our breath support, but it soon returns with our good health.
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Author: Ken
Date: 2002-02-09 17:02
Under the circumstances and as stated, I'd phone the band director and respectfully request a postponement if for nothing else than in the interest of fair play. In my view it's just as comparable to a make-up test in any other subject. If I was the band director and the chair auditions were being held all on one day I wouldn't see a problem with pushing back the date for the entire section until everyone's healthy and all conditions are as equal as possible. Additionally, she should be awarded every sick day off the horn too. This might be upsetting to a few clarinet players as they might be working themselves up to a fever pitch for the big day but that's tough cookies. It should always be about the kids FIRST. In a HS environment competition should never be that fierce or inhumane, I don't care how many plaques the band has got hanging on the walls or how great the band director thinks he or his band is. As it's also a social atmosphere being short-changed by an untimely illness could spark bad blood among the section down the line and unnecessary feelings of inadequacy for your daughter. Re-scheduling could also afford all the players more prep time too, although in the end the rest will still get more practice time then your daughter.
An individual/supplemental audition could easily be arranged. If the band director's on his toes he would need to delay announcing the results until the whole section has played. If he agrees but requires a doctor's note for justification (so there's no hint of favoritism) fine, get one ... I'd be certain to ask the doctor or school nurse to specifically document "no clarinet playing" on the excuse with dates "before, on, and after" the scheduled audition date so everything's air tight.
Just sitting in a comfortable position with the horn resting on a knee and fingering notes can be very beneficial and challenging especially at faster tempos. It helps solidify physical execution/technique, serves as nominal ear training and promotes a lighter touch. It also forces the player to hear the music in their head. Salvaging while fingering the part(s) can aid in playing more lyrically too and in reproducing voice extension.
Best of luck! <:-))
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Author: Mark M
Date: 2002-02-10 05:41
For the chops.... I sometimes just take a junker mouthpiece with a junker reed and just play it by itself. If I know I'm going to lay off for awhile, ie. business trip, I do this even while driving down the freeway about every other day.
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