The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Previous Message | Next Message

Re: Being around a Top Five

Author: shmeon
Date: 2007-07-29 14:03

I have lived 30 minutes from San Francisco my whole life. I too have grown up with a top 5 orchestra in my backyard. What I have enjoyed most about this is seeing and hearing the orchestra grow and change. Getting to know the musicians personally, getting to know how MTT works, and studying with and becoming great friends with the clarinet section. It has all been wonderful. The downside is that I'm not used to other orchestras. When other orchestras come and play in Davies Symphony Hall I'm thrown off center by their sound and the way they carry themselves on stage. I'm uncertain if I like there sound or not. I feel this is because I've been steeped in the SF sound so long. MTT has a way of getting the orchestra to play that is much different from say....Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh came and played and I just wasn't a fan of their performance. My friends in the SFS loved it but I wasn't convinced. I realized that I was stuck in rut; I only enjoyed the San Francisco sound. Since then I've made it a point to stay away from SFS recordings in my casual listening, to attend every guest orchestra's concerts, and just try to get my head out of the sand when it comes to orchesral sound. So, in summary, living around a a great orchestra is great. I often ask my students the following set of questions: "How does a chef learn to cook well?" (They go to many restaurants and eat lots of good food.) "How does a painter learn to paint well?" (They go look at beautiful paintings and stunning environments.) "How should a clarinet player/musician learn to play well?" (Go hear great music in the concert hall!!) So while I feel it is essential to be around a great orchestra I have defintely notcied my sometimes extreme bias when it comes to appreciating other orchestras.

-Dan

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics

Author

Date

Being around a Top Five new

ChrisArcand

2007-07-24 15:15