 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Sara
Date: 2002-12-28 16:46
Hi!
I'm researching graduate schools for clarinet performance. I am looking for personal recommendations or referals to any website or publication that has some type of rankings and/or comprehensive listing specifically for music and clarinet.
My criteria includes an institution with a good teacher, CD recording and/or touring opportunities, good ensembles and an atmosphere that is not too intense (ie not Julliard/Eastman).
I would appreciate any help. Thanks so much!
Sara
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Author: Anonymous
Date: 2002-12-28 16:54
Indiana University-Bloomington
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Author: anon
Date: 2002-12-28 18:46
Rice, Northwestern, CIM, New England Conservatory, Arizona, Michigan, the list goes on. Although I'm sure all these places don't have ALL the criteria you seek, they are all fine institutions. The Performing Arts Major's College Guide cites these schools: Cleveland, DePaul,Eastman (i know you aren't thinking of there), Indiana University-Bloomington, Manhattan School of Music, Michigan State-East Lansing, North Carolina School of the Arts, Northwestern, SUNY-Stony Brook, University of Michigan--Ann Arbor, USC, Yale. Hope this helps
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Author: vin
Date: 2002-12-28 19:05
I would highly recommend USC, Indiana, New England, Rice (orchestra is phenomenal), U of Michigan and Cleveland.
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Author: anon2
Date: 2002-12-29 00:04
Rice's orchestra is quite good. They have an excellent teacher in Larry Rachleff. The also tend have well over a month of rehearsal for each concert. It's not very realistic.
Might I ask why you are looking for cd recording/touring opportunities if you aren't really interested in an intense environment? What kind of quality to you think these opportunities will have if they aren't intense? How can you hope to compete in a very difficult job market if you aren't willing to have the intensity necessary to demand that you play outstandingy EVERY time.
I'm tired of kids thinking that they stand a chance if their eyes are closed to the reality of the situation into which they're walking. Conservatories, for the most part, try to demand that their students play professionally as quickly as possible. Even then, most of them will fail. Why go to grad school...or anywhere, for that matter, unless you're willing to make use of your time?
Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox.
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Author: William
Date: 2002-12-29 16:02
What are you going to do with your life??? If all you want to do is teach, then you will need an advanced degree (DMA) from an acredited college. If you are interested only in performance--CD and touring opportunities and good ensembles, forget grad school--just move to New York City, find a good teacher (there are many) and jump into the (often) turbulant waters of professional performance. Of course, after your doctorate, you can both teach or perform, but if performance is your main goal, why not save the money, go where the action is (New York, Chicago, etc.)and "learn on the job."
Might be good to hear from fome more of the real pros who frequent this forum--John Moses, Hat, Greg......................???????
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Author: R
Date: 2002-12-30 03:34
Do I detect some bitter, jaded people here? Its always the failures that try to make it hard for the young people out there. Sure, the music world is very hard, but man, lets try to be a bit encouraging. After all, our friend Sara could very well be the next principal clarinet of a major orchestra, who knows. I use "could" because she may quit after the remarks you guys post.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-12-30 04:51
R wrote:
>
> Do I detect some bitter, jaded people here?
I don't think so. I think you're seeing some realism.
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Author: anon2
Date: 2002-12-30 06:03
"our friend Sara could very well be the next principal clarinet of a major orchestra, who knows"- 'R'
Not unless she goes looking for the intensity. Not one of the principal clarinet players in any of the major orchestras took the easy way out. If you speak with them, you'll find that all of them took the road less traveled instead. In fact, you needn't harass the principal players. Speak to any of the section players in ANY of the top 5 or 6 and you'll find the same dedication. The sad thing is that there are plenty of people wandering around with that same intensity and without a job. It's a prerequisite.
If she's looking for a different career in clarinetistry, then fine, but if she quits on account of some shmoe like me on an internet bulletin board, she's not got the fortitude for one of the big jobs of which 'R' speaks.
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Author: Larry Liberson
Date: 2002-12-30 11:59
"Not one of the principal clarinet players in any of the major orchestras took the easy way out."
How do you know this? Have you spoken with all of them? What is the "hard way" and the "easy way"??
"In fact, you needn't harass the principal players. Speak to any of the section players in ANY of the top 5 or 6 and you'll find the same dedication."
Just the top 5 or 6?
Gee.....
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Author: Anonymous
Date: 2002-12-30 15:17
Eastman, Juiliard, North Texas, Urbana-Champaign, Ann Arbor, Bloomington, and Bowling Green just to name a few. Do a web search under the sub title: Performance. You'll find music schools that way. The schools that I mentioned are some of the best in the world.
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Author: HAT
Date: 2002-12-30 21:18
I wish I knew what to say.
You can become a professional musician no matter where or with whom you study, provided you work hard, don't get screwed up by a bad teacher and also get very lucky.
The clarinet is a brutally difficult instrument to play well, and has relatively few professional opportunities compared to some other instruments.
There is a tremendous amount of poor or inadequate music performance teaching going on out there, and that is readily apparent to anyone who has sat on an audition committee.
Therefore, it is important to get the best training you can get, and get it as young as possible. Also to work very hard knowing why you are working hard and toward what goals.
It is CERTAINLY true that NYC provides certain opportunities that can be found almost nowhere else. It is even more true that not everyone will thive here, and in some cases it is best to wait until one is older to come here. I never studied here, and I certainly wasn't ready for NY when I was leaving high school in the extramusical sense (I played well enough, but was too immature socially and naive to understand anything here).
Without trying to be negative, let me say that it is possible to love music too much to make it a profession. On the other hand, you almost have to love it too much to make it worth going through what one has to go through to eventually make it. And 'making it' might mean for some people a 2nd clarinet job that pays $19,000 a year with limited benefits and no summer employment.
I believe it is better to study where one is surrounded by players better than oneself. Not all such atmospheres are 'cut throat' but most are to some degree. But the real world is filled with great players. I have always felt that hearing great playing inspires better playing from myself. Playing with great players is even better.
Here in NYC there are probably between 25 and 35 clarinet players who could on 24 hours notice perform the Nielsen Concerto and amaze you with the quality they bring to it (some will be names familiar to us all and some even I haven't met yet). And dozens more who could work it up in a week or two. People like this are the ones you students will some day have to compete with, and conservatories and universities are graduating more every day.
Bottom line for me: if you want to play, you pretty much gotta go at some point where large numbers of professional performers (particularly on your instrument) have gone. You gotta study with someone who knows what great playing is and how it is achieved (best if he/she has done or is doing a great deal of real professional playing).
This includes the MENTAL aspect of great performing, which is really what brings down those who end up not making it.
Enough for now. I won't even get into the political aspects of who you study with and how that can help.
David Hattner, NYC
www.northbranchrecords.com
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Author: William
Date: 2003-01-01 17:38
"I wish I knew what to say."
Thank's Hat, I think you said it "like it is" and very well, I might add.
Now, how about some perspective from other's who have traveled the professional route--John, Larry, Greg, David D.??? Step up to your keyboards and speak!!!
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