Author: Lori M
Date: 2002-03-18 17:53
Hello,
I am brand new to sneezy and hope this is the right forum to ask these questions. I've been searching thru the entries here, but haven't found the answers I'm seeking. Please forgive me in advance if there is a better place for me to raise these questions.
My 10 year old daughter has just started to play the clarinet, which delights me since I was once a fairly serious student myself. I would like to be able to provide some one on one instruction to her personally, but after a 25 year hiatus, I am little more than a student myself.
Some background... Long ago, I played solo chair throughout jr & sr high school, and was routinely in the first section of the all-county and all-state bands with the benefit of private instruction for almost 10 years. I would tinker on my sisters flute and played sax in the jazz band. I played in the pit orchestra for the hs musicals and the regular orchestra as well. Once in college, I abandoned the clarinet - I didn't want to teach and knew I wasn't good enough to play professionally. In college, I took 2 years of piano and oboe, and some theory classes as well, but majored in computer science. Seems odd, in retrospect - everyone else was a music major - I just loved the music. Once I finished school, my music career was also finished. Here we are, many years later, and with some very minimal encouragement from my daughter's band teacher, I dragged my cherished Buffet out of mothballs. He suggested that my 30 year old Portnoy mouthpiece might have warped and recommended buying a Vandoren B45. She's playing on my first Normandy 7 with a new Selmer mouthpiece, but will need to replace that clarinet - time hasn't been kind to it. Once she demonstrates that she's ready to make a commitment, I'll get her a better instrument. Seems I'm not quite ready to hand over my Buffet.
I'd like to know where I can find some information on helping her progress. So far, I simply play with her, help her work out rhythms and learn and practice new notes. If nothing else, it gets her to practice and she enjoys the special time together. She's been playing 3 or 4 months now and has been accepted into the band - other kids have been studying over a year and didn't make it yet. Since I'm not a teacher, I don't know when to introduce some supplemental studies. When I first took lessons, I remember working with the Rubank books. However, I don't have any idea what milestones she should hit before we tackle them (or something else?) I don't want to overwhelm or frustrate only encourage and nurture. Music was a huge part of my youth and I'd love to foster that love in her. Also, now my son who is 12 and in 7th grade wants to learn clarinet. When he was in elementary school, there was no band program (we've since moved), so I encouraged voice (he's not too good). Could he ever catch up enough to join the band program when the other kids have been studying 3 or 4 years? He was exposed to a summer of keyboard lessons and showed an affinity for playing.
Next part of this question is how to go about resurrecting my own clarinet studies. Since I started playing a little bit with my daughter, I have discovered this fervent desire to pick up where I left off. I dug out my old books - an Albert scale book, 416 Progressive studies by Kroepsh, 32 Rose etudes, 30 Cavallini Caprices, the Mozart Concerto, many duet books, etc. I've been playing about a month and am frankly astounded by how much came back, relatively quickly. It's been like watching someone learn in fast forward. At first, my embouchure and breath support were weak, I had late fingers and thick tonguing and kind of a ponderous style. But most of that has cleared up on its own (although I continue to find myself winded). I practice for hours, frustrated that I'm not at 100% yet, annoyed that my middle-aged body just can't keep up. I had to stop for about a week, so the swelling in my thumb could subside (that's when I turned to the internet and found sneezy). I started with Vandoren #2 1/2 reeds and recently bought a box of #3's because the notes in the altissimo range just weren't there (a former specialty of mine). Now I have a swollen lip. The beginning of a practice is much better for the high range - then my mouth gets tired. Other than that, the tone is quite pleasing, especially with the harder reeds. (Surely, the neighbors must be delighted.) I start with the Albert and Kroepsh books and then I usually linger in the Rose book. I've been working on the even numbered etudes, because they seem easier. I'm currently unemployed - (caught in the WTC aftermath) so I'm anxious to take advantage of the extra time available to do some serious catching-up. Once I'm working full-time again (I'm in HR / Staffing) I'll be limited to weekend practice. I'm sure I can stay ahead of my daughter for the forseeable future, but this has become more of a personal challenge at this point. I'm doing it for me now, which makes it very different from competing for NYSSMA, or first chair or preparing for next weeks lesson.
The last question is once I'm back up to speed, then what? What outlets are there for an adult amateur, or whatever I am? I'd love to play in a band again, but I'm not sure what level of playing I need to regain (attain?) before attempting that. I live in a suburb of NYC (North Shore of Long Island) - a mixed blessing. The local performing organizations around here are comprised of professionals and educators - even if I were to get back to where I left off, I have no where near their experience or level of expertise. As a single parent, time and money are in short supply - but I'd love to incorporate the clarinet back into my life on a long term basis. Ideally, I'd like to find a teacher for myself and my daughter, but financially (for the moment) that's just not an option. So many unfocused questions - I would really appreciate some direction.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Lori M
|
|
The Clarinet BBoard
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
