 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: locke9342
Date: 2016-08-12 07:47
I get to run the section this year, after literally 3/5 players left (seniors) wooh... We have 7 or 8 players now, but most are relatively new and honestly that kinda scares me. Because I want this section to be amazing.
What are some good activities and exercises to do together? Before we used to run through some robert spring long tones, do scales and work on music together. We also played through a really cool hydn quartet. I want to do some sort of group playing (outside of band), but the problem is the huge difference in everyone's ability, some players have been literally playing for a year. So any literature recommendations would be great (also links to listen to).
Another reason we can't really play some of the music I want to is we also don't have a great bass clarinet.
Any suggestions about anything above would be welcome.
Thanks in advance.
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2016-08-12 15:18
This could be a very nice opportunity for your section. There are two things I would do to get started:
1. Check out ensemble music at http://www.clarinetinstitute.com/ It is free and there are all sorts of combinations that you can establish. There are also various levels of difficulty so that even newer players can have success (this is that you want, to have everyone "all in" in some way).
2. Have one of the better players double on bass clarinet. I assume the school has the instrument so that's a major hurdle overcome. You may find that a player with some intermediate skills can become a real asset to the band.
HRL
Post Edited (2016-08-12 17:08)
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2016-08-12 17:13
When do you and the rest of the section do all of this? Is it during scheduled rehearsal time or on your own?
At the risk of throwing a wet blanket over the whole discussion, you are skating on the edge of your biggest problem in the topic heading you've chosen. As a member of the section and a peer of the other members, you can't "run" the group in any hierarchical sense. You cite lack of a bass clarinetist as a "reason we can't really play some of the music *I want*" (emphasis is mine). But you need to be careful that you aren't imposing your ideas on a section that has other needs and isn't motivated to do what you think would be useful, helpful or fun.
What does your band director (who is, after all the paid staff member charged with instructing all the students in his program) expect you to do? What has he specifically tasked you with doing? It isn't enough to say he isn't a clarinetist and can't teach the details of clarinet technique. He's being paid to structure the learning experience to be effective for every student. Please be careful that you don't inadvertently end up trying to be the teacher in his place. If your approach tends in the authoritarian kind of direction your topic title and the words "I want" (used twice in your post) imply, you'll be inviting resentment among the other section members and your next topic will be "Why won't they listen to me?"
With respect but counseling caution,
Karl
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2016-08-12 19:21
Get a bass mouthpiece from Walter Grabner or Clark Fobes. It will make any instrument sound good.
Ken Shaw
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Author: pewd
Date: 2016-08-12 19:45
I'm presuming this is a high school, since you referenced seniors.
The band directors, clinicians, private teachers on your schools staff, etc should be determining which exercises you work on - this is what they are trained to do. If a student needs to be switched over to bass clarinet, this is also a decision for the band directors.
Does your band provide leadership training classes / seminars for section leaders and drum majors? This is common in my part of the country - student leader candidates start leadership training in the spring, when they are trying out for leadership positions for the next fall. Those selected continue with leadership training seminars and classes during the summer.
You should sit down with your band director and ask these questions. And ask if there is a leadership seminar they can provide for you and the other student leaders, to help you learn to be effective section leaders. What is your director's expectations for student leaders? What does he or she think you should do about the bass clarinet limitation?
What clarinet specific exercises does the director recommend for your section?
We run a week long master class for each section a few weeks before school starts - the teachers running each class (mostly private teachers, band directors from other schools, or local professionals) provide exercises for strengthening the section's fundamentals, based on the ability level and issues we observe in each section. Can your band director bring in a private teacher or outside clinician to give your section specific help and recommendations? E.G., provide a few master classes for your section?
Good luck.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: locke9342
Date: 2016-08-13 02:35
Yes, this is high school and I have a pretty cool band director who trusts me. She trusts me to run the section well and help these beginning players because great.
@kdk I'm quite aware of the troubles of being a leader and I am going to be very cautious. As for what my director wants, as I said above she trusts me. She would without a doubt help me find some exercises, but I was hoping to find some clarinet specifics first.
@pewd There are no leadership classes that we provide nothing like drum major stuff, as we don't have a marching band (various reasons). We may bring in a private teacher eventually, but I don't think it is necessary now (Do you?). This would be a very rare occurrence. My director would most likely recommend generic band warmups, not really the clarinet specifics I'm looking for.
There may not be any clarinet specific things, but before I figured it was worth the risk to ask.
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Author: locke9342
Date: 2016-08-13 02:40
Also thanks to Hank, that website has some really cool music. I was thinking about maybe having a few running quartets or quintets and having everyone switch parts.
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The Clarinet Pages
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