 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Chris
Date: 1999-02-06 23:23
I have a 7th Grader who goes to Camp for six weeks each summer. The Camp is up in the mountains, they live in cabins, swim, hike, lots of bugs and dirt, you know camp stuff. Is there any harm in letting her just forget about playing Clarinet for the six weeks? She is one of a handful of 7th graders selected for her schools' Symphonic Band and has her own Wooden Clarinet (R-13). I just can't see her taking such a nice instrument to Camp. At the same time, she has made great progress this year and I would hate for her to regress. Any advice would be appreciated.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-02-07 00:05
Chris wrote:
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I have a 7th Grader who goes to Camp for six weeks each summer. The Camp is up in the mountains, they live in cabins, swim, hike, lots of bugs and dirt, you know camp stuff. Is there any harm in letting her just forget about playing Clarinet for the six weeks?
Six weeks is a long time, and it'll take her a bit to get back into shape after that. A few things I'd consider:
1) Would she mind taking the clarinet with her?
2) Would she practice at all during the camp?
3) If 1 & 2 were answered "yes" (and answered honestly, not just because she wants to please <I>you</I>), then I'd think about investing in an inexpensive plastic clarinet and good but inexpensive mouthpiece for it.
Two of my sons have gone to music camp out in the woods (Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp near Muskegon, MI - a fun camp with an emphasis on music - and a very good jazz program). Both brought their "beater" instruments (one a plastic clarinet, one a $50.00 trumpet) for everyday use. Neither were any worse for wear when they brought them back.
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Author: Kevin Bowman
Date: 1999-02-07 00:06
If she really enjoys playing (and practicing) clarinet, she probably wouldn't want to go six weeks without playing. Going for six weeks without playing at all would definitely halt any progress she is making and would probably set her back a bit. However, I would NOT send her R-13 to camp with her - it's too nice of an instrument to subject to the roughness of six weeks in the wilderness. I would suggest finding an inexpensive plastic clarinet for her to take to camp - she'll need one for marching band eventually, anyway (I wouldn't march with an R-13 either). I still have the cheap plasic Conn I started on when I was young which I still use in situations that might damage my good R-13.
So, get a cheap clarinet to tote to camp and hope she'll pull it out at least once a week to practice. Even if she doesn't really practice, playing every once in awhile will at least keep some of her technique in place (embouchure, fingers, etc.). Perhaps she could put on a weekly "concert" for her friends
Kevin Bowman
Clarinet and Saxophone Instructor,
Rochester Conservatory of Music, Rochester, MI
and
Saxophones, Clarinet, and Keys,
B-Side Blues Project
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Author: Contragirl
Date: 1999-02-07 01:11
There won't be anytime for her to practice if camp is how I remember it. Who would want to anyways?
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Author: Ginny
Date: 1999-02-07 19:06
Gee, that's a month and a half of camp. Six weeks without a clarinet at age 11 is nothing, without home, family and love is important. You seem to have really strange values.
Ginny
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Author: Chris
Date: 1999-02-08 03:43
Ginny,
Six Weeks may seem long, but my daughter(she's 13)loves camp. It is all girls and she is the fourth generation in my family to attend the same camp, a traditional girls camp in the Shenendoah Mountains of Virginia that has been in continous operation since the 1930s. I attended camp just down the road for many years and will never forget the great times I had. We and other members of the family, visit her every other weekend. My "strange values" are shared by many generations of campers throughout the U.S. Suggest you give it a try before you criticize.
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Author: Terry
Date: 1999-03-04 05:21
Chris,
I wish I could go...they probably wouldn't appreciate a middle aged man attending this camp! Why not go to a music store and rent a cheap plastic Bundy? Summer is their off season, I bet it would be really cheap!
Wow, a R-13 at age 11? I just bought my first r-13 (a vintaage 1951 I think) this week...been playing a very nice Evette for 35 years. Camp for 6 weeks? Could you adopt me...plelase?
Terry
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