Clarinet Blogs

Our readers probably recall the clarinet blogs we have written about in the past: David H. Thomas’ The Buzzing Reed, Sherman Friedland’s Clarinet Corner, Marco Mazzini’s ClariPeru.  We’d like to mention a few blogs that have caught our attention recently and made it into posts on our Clarinet Cache blog.  

Back in August, we posted about Marion Harrington’s Clarinet Blog.  Marion Harrington is a clarinetist living in the Spain who began a clarinet performance degree, but before graduating she decided to quit playing and pursue other career options.  After over 20 years in a variety of other fields, Harrington decided to return to the clarinet and dedicate herself to returning to practicing and performing at a professional level.  Her blog therefore has the fresh perspective of someone who has returned to the clarinet "fold" later in life - passionately and systematically.  She posts her thoughts on practicing, interpretation, and clarinet equipment, along with other subjects such as business and marketing, and the future of classical music in general.  

Another new addition to our blogroll is the Musician’s Way Blog.  Designed as a companion site to the 2009 book The Musician's Way by Gerald Klickstein, MusiciansWay.com stands alone as a great resource for musicians. It is organized into five main subject areas (practice, performance, wellness, creativity, and music careers), each containing a wealth of information and links to primary sources such as scholarly articles, YouTube videos of master teachers, photos, and more. Any instrumentalist or vocalist has much to gain by exploring this site - find employment statistics, memorization strategies, scholarly articles on musician injuries, and everything in between. 

Clarinet-Now.com was created by Christopher Jones, a clarinetist in the Greater Hudson Valley area of New York State and student of Kalmen Opperman. The site has many inspirational strategies and tips for sight-reading, scales, crossing the break, and more, with great photos of correct and incorrect embouchure and hand position.  Clarinet-Now also offers a selection of items including a Richard Mühlfeld/Brahms T-shirt and clarinet high-top shoes!  The numerous ads are somewhat distracting, but the content of the site is useful, especially for beginners (and their parents), and teachers looking for a new way to explain specific aspects of clarinet technique. Keep up with the latest on the Clarinet-Now blog.   

Many other clarinetists are blogging about practicing, performing, and their lives as clarinetists, including Anthony McGill, Jean-Francois Charles, Joar Klæboe Henriksen, Margaret Donaghue Flavin, and Bret Pimentel. 

YouTube Clarinet Commercials (Dec 2010 column)

Television plays a major part in the American lifestyle, and before the era of TiVo, audiences had to sit through countless commercials. Now, many of those commercials are posted on YouTube for people to watch voluntarily! We were curious to find out how many of those commercials feature the clarinet. After an exhaustive search, we compiled a list of commercials--some of which you may remember seeing. Ranging from large corporation productions to local advertisements, our list includes new and out-dated commercials, with some that are sure to make you laugh. Our top four favorites begin with a Doritos commercial, mis-appropriately titled “Clarinet Virtuoso.” I guess that goes with the saying that eating and playing don’t mix.



Next on the list is one of the most recognizable videos produced by MasterCard. Their catchy slogan of comparing the costs of objects to what is priceless could not be better portrayed than with a beginner’s first attempt at the clarinet. MasterCard suggests that parents could avoid headaches caused by the inevitable honks and squeaks by purchasing their child a tambourine instead!



A video featuring a local advertisement by Ray’s Midbell Music is funny not only because of the actors (they must have been store employees), but also because of the rap song they sing to encourage kids to play in the band.



Last but not least, Benny Goodman is featured in a Geico commercial. This vintage footage shows the legendary Goodman endorsing the insurance company with clarinet in hand.



Check out our YouTube Clarinet Commercials playlist for more.  The remaining commercials were chosen for their accompanying clarinet music, and the products advertised make us wonder about the associations the general public has with the clarinet. The videos include promotion of cat litter and anti-depressant drugs--as most of us clarinetists know, playing makes us happy and has natural mood-lifting abilities. One related commercial has nothing to do with the clarinet, but fits in the woodwind category. A Super Bowl commercial featuring NFL player Chester Pitts shows that one doesn’t always have to choose between music and athletics. This large linebacker also plays the oboe off the field--even in the locker room.

Martin Fröst Encores

For your listening enjoyment this Thanksgiving week, check out Martin Fröst's incredible encores from a 2007 performance with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra:

Musical Chairs? Ricardo Morales and the New York Philharmonic

Speculation about Ricardo Morales becoming principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic has been in the air at least since he turned down the Chicago Symphony position last year.  Now, he has officially been offered the position (according to this NY Times blog post) and it remains to be seen whether Morales will accept this offer to succeed Stanley Drucker as principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic. 

Philadelphia would certainly be sorry to lose him -- this article from the Philadelphia Inquirer makes that clear, and also raises questions about the orchestral audition process in general.  And as always, the discussion at the Clarinet BBoard is ongoing, including a claim that Morales has already accepted the position, and another that he will actually be joining the Miami Heat instead.  :) 

We'll keep watching the BBoard and the Clarinet Jobs Facebook group for further developments.  In the meantime, check out this interview to learn more about Morales, his family, and the evolution of his musical career.

Rockinet, the Rocket Powered Clarinet

We all have days where we wish we could do this to our clarinets:




(Note: No clarinets were harmed in the making of this video!)

Adam Berkowitz's Clarinet Blog

Our upcoming column in The Clarinet (December 2010) features clarinet blogs, and we are already discovering people we have left out - it seems the quality and number of bloggers is always increasing.  We'd like to preemptively amend our list to include Adam Berkowitz, whose blog is a great read for clarinetists of all ages and abilities.  Berkowitz lives in Hartford, CT, and is an active teacher and performer who focuses on playing new music and klezmer clarinet. 

Berkowitz frequently writes posts about technique that are useful for students as well as teachers, providing interesting pedagogical perspectives.  If you're in a rut with your playing, you might benefit from his ideas about how science fiction and martial arts can be related to clarinet playing!  Berkowitz also writes about extended techniques as they relate to contemporary music as well as clarinet technique in general.  Check it out for yourself; you'll be glad you did!

Jazz Clarinet on the Web

Websites and Interviews

Chock full of information on the latest news in the jazz community, Allaboutjazz.com is a great resource for music reviews, interviews, free MP3 downloads, and articles.  A quick search of "clarinet" on the site produces pages of entries on various subjects and performers.  The entries include Bob Bernotas's recommendations of recordings for starting a jazz collection in "Building a Jazz Library," a lexicon of jazz slang for those having trouble understanding the ever-changing lingo, and information and articles on world-renowned artists as well as new talent emerging on the jazz scene.  Featured in two separate interviews found on the site, German bass clarinetist and sax doubler Gebhard Ullmann discusses his latest album and how life in both Berlin and Brooklyn influenced its conception.  Visit his personal website and you can get a taste of his modern free jazz playing in any of the numerous MP3s listed, including the option to download PDF files of his jazz compositions to play along with his recordings.  

Jazz.com has an archive of feature articles and interviews dating back to 2007, including a three-part article about the rise and fall of the clarinet in jazz, and interviews with Buddy DeFranco and Anat Cohen.  The active Jazz.com blog is interesting reading material for any jazz player, and nice search features allow for investigation of specific performers or subjects.  The Sax on the Web community has active message boards about doubling on clarinet, with many discussions about equipment for various jazz and doubling situations.  Some threads also address clarinet music and technique.  Jazz-Clarinet.com is a blog by musician Eric Dannewitz which is not updated very frequently but does feature discussions of clarinet equipment and technique, as well as some free sheet music.  The highlight is 284 pages of Aebersold ii-V-I patterns transcribed for clarinet by Dannewitz.  Some transcriptions of Eddie Daniels solos have been uploaded by another contributor.

There are many interviews (audio and written formats) on the web, and the sites we found are just the tip of the iceberg.  In an interview with Buddy DeFranco for the National Arts Endowment website, Molly Murphy asks him about why he chose to play the clarinet, playing in Tommy Dorsey's band, and his favorite clarinetist (Artie Shaw).  In a two-part segment on New Orleans clarinetist Evan Christopher in the Independent Ear blog, author Pamela Espeland interviews Christopher on his approach to jazz and breathing new life into the New Orleans style of playing, along with how his early musical experiences influenced his style and sound.  Interested in hearing some of his Creole clarinet playing? Check out NPR's website where you can listen to him perform live with the Danza Quartet in the French Quarter.  NPR is an invaluable source for not only current events and news, but also for podcasts of radio-show interviews.  In a 1985 broadcast of radio-show "Fresh Air", host Terry Gross goes in-depth with Artie Shaw on his success in the music business and why he eventually chose to leave it.  More coverage of the band leader can also be found in an hour-long production of "Jazz Profiles" back in 2008.  For complete access to NPR's coverage of Shaw over the years and to hear audio files of him playing, click here.  

The use of Albert-system clarinet in the jazz community is prevalent and the website "Albert System: The Jazz Clarinet" run by Oscar Font (clarinetist and trombonist), pays tribute to players whose use it.  The site is filled with photos of players from the turn of the twentieth century, and shows the instruments jazz legends were playing on in their heyday.  Font also provides biographical details and audio clips of Jimmie Noone, Johnny Dodds, George Lewis, and Edmond Hall.  Photos of a collection of Albert-system clarinets by Eberhard Kraut are featured, along with a photograph of the models of clarinets that George Lewis played on.  Actor/director Woody Allen is also a clarinetist, and Font has authored two books highlighting his life as a musician, which can be obtained by emailing Font directly.

You Tube videos

We have compiled a playlist of over thirty of the best and most popular jazz clarinet videos we could find on YouTube. With videos ranging from historical recordings to recent performances by jazz greats, these videos represent nearly a century of jazz clarinet playing at its best.







One of the earliest jazz clarinetists, Johnny Dodds, is well-represented on YouTube, with one video of recordings from 1923-29, and video footage of "Johnny Dodds and his Dixieland Jug Blowers" from 1926.  Our list also includes a recording of "Blue Horizon" from 1944 with Sidney Bechet on clarinet.

Many clips from old films have been uploaded to YouTube.  One of the most popular jazz clarinet videos is a clip from the film Second Chorus (1940) of Artie Shaw performing what has become known as his "clarinet concerto."  To date, it has received over 100,000 views.  



Benny Goodman is featured in several clips from the film The Powers Girl (1943), and "Sing, Sing Sing" from Hollywood Hotel (1937), which has received an astounding 1 million views and may well be the most-viewed clarinet video on YouTube.  Our list also features a montage of Goodman photos set to his "Stompin' at the Savoy," and a fun animated short set to Goodman's "All the Cats Join In."


 
Online video has made it possible for everyone to hear the original versions of old recordings uploaded by collectors and fans, such as Woody Herman's "Woodchopper's Ball" played from an old 78 rpm record.  Another treat is an old black-and-white video of Herman playing "After You've Gone" with his big band.

The videos also include incredible jazz bass clarinet playing by Bobby Mintzer and Eric Dolphy, a Woody Allen Dixieland performance in New York, and televised Pete Fountain performances of "Jazz Me Blues" and "A Closer Walk With Thee."  Other current performers such as Paquito D'Rivera, Don Byron, and Eddie Daniels can also be found on our playlist--don't miss the incredible video of Bernard Berkhout and Eddie Daniels performing "Avalon."



Listed here is just a sampling of the online jazz clarinet resources and videos we have come across. Please help us expand the list by sending in your favorite jazz videos and websites to us at clarinetcache@gmail.com.

Necktie Swabs

Neckties are a typical Father's Day gift, but they have another use clarinetists can benefit from.  Check out ClarinetCat.com and you'll see how silk neckties can be transformed into swabs for alto sax, bass and B-flat clarinets, bassoon, and oboe.  With a selection of patterns more diverse than your local thrift-store's tie collection, clarinetists are sure to find a unique and personable swab. Whether you prefer retro stripes, whimsical flying cows in a "Wizard of Oz" tie, or paisley prints, this site definitely caters to players searching for a one-of-a-kind swab.

Marion Harrington's Clarinet Blog

We at Clarinet Cache have finally recovered from the Austin ClarinetFest, and hope to be posting more frequently now!  Today, we'd like to bring your attention to the blog of Marion Harrington.

Marion Harrington is a clarinetist living in the Spain who has had an interesting relationship with the clarinet.  Originally from the UK, she was in training for a promising future as a professional clarinetist, studying clarinet with Colin Bradbury in London at the Royal College of Music, but before graduating she decided to quit playing and pursue other career options.

After over 20 years in a variety of other fields, Harrington decided to return to the clarinet and dedicate herself to returning to practicing and performing at a professional level.  Her blog therefore has the fresh perspective of someone who has returned to the clarinet "fold" later in life - passionately and systematically.  She posts her thoughts on practicing, interpretation, and clarinet equipment, along with other subjects such as business and marketing, and the future of classical music in general. 

Marion Harringon's blog has a lot to offer for amateur and professional clarinetist alike.  Enjoy, and don't miss the recent series of guest posts on breathing and Alexander Technique by David H. Thomas of The Buzzing Reed!

ClarinetFest: Day 5

Sunday was Clarinet Choir Day at ClarinetFest.  Although weary from a long week of clarinet events, we made it back to Bates Recital Hall on Sunday to catch the clarinet choirs of the Dallas Wind Symphony and the Lone Star Wind Orchestra.  Our favorite piece (although we may be biased!) was the Enesco Romanian Rhapsody, arranged by Dennis Fisher (director of the UNT Symphonic Band) for the Dallas Wind Symphony clarinets with UNT professors James Gillespie and John Scott as soloists.  This work began slowly but gradually worked into a frenzy, with lots of great Romanian themes and an exciting finish.   The Lone Star Wind Orchestra then took the stage beginning their program with a world premiere performance of Christopher Tucker's Chester Fanfare,   followed by Jukka Linkola's Chalumeaux Suite, featuring exposed solo passages played by David Gonzalez on b-flat clarinet. Once again, time constraints did not allow the group to perform all the scheduled pieces; however, the last piece of the program showcased each instrument of the clarinet family, giving each section a chance to show off the multitude of talent within the group.

It was a hectic week and we didn't attend even half of what we would have liked to, but the Austin ClarinetFest was a well-attended, busy festival with quality programming.  Congratulations to Richard MacDowell and Nathan Williams for an incredible ClarinetFest 2010!

ClarinetFest Day 4

Arriving late to the 8:30am Festival Features #3 program due to a misunderstanding of the shuttle pick-up location, the first half of the program was unfortunately missed.  I (Kellie) finally got there in time to hear Jesse Krebs play Muczynski's Fantasy Trio.  Kreb's sonorous tone blended perfectly with the cellist, and great musicianship was demonstrated across the trio.  The rest of the morning program was nicely filled with various ensembles, with the program order changed to accommodate additional performers.  Next was the D2 Clarinet Duo, two Colombian clarinetists Mauricio Murcia and Jorge Andres Velez Ospina performing original compositions by Murcia himself.  The lively and energetic performance showcased traditional Colombian folk dances and added an authentic Latin flavor to the program. Added on to the program was a piece with unusual instrumentation for clarinet and hand-held drum. Although I couldn't hear the announcement of the performers' names or the piece, it was an interesting contemporary, yet melodically oriented work that is worthy of more performances.

Jesse Krebs, Kazuo Murakami, Mira Frisch

Clarinet and Hand Drum Duo

Mid-morning on Saturday at ClarinetFest was filled with performances of newer works, leaving many of us with difficult decisions to make!  Robert Spring and Jana Starling played at 10:30, and Richard Faria was to debut the winning piece of the ICA Composition Competition at 11, while Scott McAllister's lecture-recital "McAllister on McAllister" was scheduled from 10:30 to noon. He started a half-hour later to allow people to hear Robert Spring's performance, so I (Rachel) was able to catch Glen Hackbarth's Flux, Whitney Prince's Spin, and William O. Smith's Four Duets for Four Demi-Clarinets.  The Smith work was a world premiere written specifically for Spring and Starling, and featured each player performing on two halves of the clarinet at once.  Everyone was fascinated with the unique sound of the demi-clarinets, and the two players joked around on stage quite a bit.  The combination of their individual virtuosity and their dynamism as a pair makes their performances a complete joy to hear. 

Next, people filled a classroom to hear Scott McAllister's presentation about his life and work.  He shared the story of his promising career as a clarinetist which was cut short by a car accident that damaged his right hand.  McAllister said that after the accident, he began to focus on composition, and talked about the inspiration for such pieces as X, Black Dog, and Bling Bling.  He played X in its entirety as well as part of Bling Bling, and impressed everyone with his abilities as a clarinetist despite his injury.  He also offered some tips for clarinets working on his music, emphasizing that in his music, style and energy is more important than notes.

Scott McAllister

A highlight from the afternoon was Eric Mandat's premiere of his Three Studies, composed specifically for the celebration of Stanley Hasty's life and teaching.  This work featured an all-star clarinet ensemble of Hasty students with Eric Mandat conducting, and was based on etudes that Hasty used in his teaching.  The work was a great end to the afternoon-long celebration of clarinet legend Stanley Hasty.

The Saturday evening concert at Bass Concert Hall was a concerto concert, featuring soloists with the ClarinetFest Orchestra.  First was Alan Kay with an exciting performance of the lesser-known Busoni Concertino.  Then Philippe Cuper dazzled the audience with his rendition of Spohr's Concerto No. 2.  Probably one of the most difficult clarinet concertos, the piece frequently ascends to double high C, and demands great technical virtuosity from the soloist -- which Cuper certainly delivered.

The second half of the concert began with Sergoi Bosi playing two shorter Italian works for clarinet and orchestra.  He engaged the audience (and orchestra) with his confidence and expressive physical presence onstage.

The Copland Concerto is probably the most well-loved clarinet concerto of the twentieth century, and José Franch-Ballester's commanding performance was outstanding even at a ClarinetFest filled with great performances.  The appreciative audience was instantly on their feet to give him the old "Texas Stand-up"!

ClarinetFest Day 3

With all of the great programs scheduled during the festival, it's hard to choose which ones to attend and there is never enough time to take everything in. Taking the morning off from concerts to spending time to peruse the exhibit booths was a nice break.  With so many vendors to visit, it was easy to feel like a kid in a candy shop. All of the accessories, instruments, and music booths were divided amongst the three separate rooms, all of which were busy, sometimes filled with people elbow to elbow.  The cacophony of clarinet sounds coming from some of the rooms was deafening and it was necessary to step out into the hall to get a breather; however, the excitement was contagious and seeing so many familiar faces was more than welcoming.  Coming to festivals like this is a reminder of how friendly and personable the clarinet community is.

ClarinetFest 2010 Exhibit Hall

After spending more than nine years as a resident of Texas, I (Kellie) made it a point to see the Texas Artists-Teachers concert in the Bates Recital Hall.  A majority of the program consisted of chamber works starting with a light-hearted clarinet, flute, piano trio by Donald Draganski.  The next work was Rebecca Clarke's Prelude, Allegro, and Pastorale for clarinet and viola with David Shea's dark and warm timbre blending nicely with violist Renee Skerik.

David Shea and Renee Skerik

The third piece, Ben Stonaker's Lachrymose (2010) for Clarinet (B-flat and Bass), Violin, and Viola, added a nice contemporary edge to the program.  The descriptive movement titles alone suggest the overall mood of the piece: "dust in a sunlit stairwell," "tiny fragments of things that were no longer there," "floating aimlessly," and "sinking slowly."  Multiphonics and other contemporary techniques were employed throughout the piece, adding to the overall effect of subtle texture and timbre changes.  At one point in the music Mary Alice Druhan removed her bass clarinet mouthpiece and blew into the neck, creating an eerie sound as she voiced notes with only her air stream.  

Mary Alice Druhan, Ute Miller, and Mark Miller

The next piece featuring clarinetist Richard Shanley lightened up the mood of the program. His trio played Libby Larsen's Barn Dances for flute, clarinet, and piano, which is a four-movement work inspired by cowboy dance steps, with the second movement being an homage to Gene Autry.  Always a standard piece at clarinet festivals, the Poulenc Sonata was then played by UT alumna Mary McKinney Schani.  The following Trio in B Minor by Edouard Destenay for clarinet, oboe, and piano showcased clarinetist Christopher Ayer's polished technique and lyricism alongside the spectacular piano playing by his wife Kae Hosoda-Ayer.

Christopher Ayer, Kae Hosoda-Ayer, John Goodall

Closing the concert, the Texas Clarinet Consort's jazzy tunes proved to be a great way to wrap up the program.  The second piece, "When I Fall in Love" was dedicated to the late David Etheridge, who passed away shortly after ClarinetFest began and will be greatly missed in the clarinet community.  Both the performers on stage and the audience could feel the sadness and loss through the group's tender rendition of the tune.  Following up with an upbeat Texas Clarinet Consort favorite, "A Toot in Ninesia," many giggles could be heard throughout the audience as the players themselves let loose and enjoyed the piece as much as the audience.

Texas Clarinet Consort: Robert Walzel, Raphael Sanders, Doug Storey, Gary Whitman, James Gillespie, John Scott

Meanwhile, the "Bass Clarinet Blow-Out" was happening in McCullough Theater.  Sponsored by Rico, the concert opened and closed with bass clarinet ensemble pieces, with solos and duos in between.  The first piece was an arrangement of Paquito D'Rivera's "Afro" from Aires Tropicales for five bass clarinets: Lawrie Bloom (USA), André Moisan (Canada), Rocco Parisi (Italy), Alcides Rodriguez (USA), and Pedro Rubio (Spain).  It was a nice arrangement, and though rhythmically challenging, the group performed it well.  Other highlights of the concert were André Moisan's performance of his own piece Quantum Leap for solo bass, and Lee Hyla's We Speak Etruscan for bass clarinet and bari sax, performed by Alcides Rodriguez and Nathan Nabb.  The concert concluded with a giant bass clarinet ensemble playing Michael Smetanin's exciting Ladder of Escape.  For all the bass clarinet enthusiasts in the audience, it was spectacular to hear these bass clarinetists all together on one concert.

Bass Concert Hall

The Friday evening concert at Bass Concert Hall featured the three famous clarinet quintets by Mozart, Weber, and Brahms, performed by the Grammy-winning Enso Quartet with three stellar clarinetists.  First was Franklin Cohen's rendition of the Mozart, then Greg Raden with the Weber, and Richie Hawley performing the Brahms.  Unfortunately, we were late getting to the hall in time to hear the first piece, but while waiting in the lobby to enter the concert hall, we could see and hear Franklin Cohen performing the Mozart Quintet with the Grammy nominated Enso String Quartet on a large-screen television.  Also piped into the bathrooms, it was clear even through the speaker system how beautiful Cohen's tone was.

After the exquisite melodies of the Mozart, Greg Raden took the stage to perform the Weber Quintet.  One would never guess that Raden and the quartet had only two rehearsals prior to the performance. The overall ensemble effect was impeccable as melodies were seamlessly passed between players.  To everyone's amazement the tempo of the last movement was quite swift, yet as usual, Raden's beautiful resonant tone and facile technique never faltered.

A change of program order placed the Brahms Quintet last and once again the Enso Quartet returned to the stage to play with Richie Hawley.  In this group, the seating arrangement was altered so that the clarinetist was on the outside right corner instead of the middle, and this created a noticeable difference in the balance of the group from where we were sitting.  Although Hawley was positioned away from us, it did not prevent his expressiveness and excellent musicianship from shining through.  The Enso Quartet exhibited an expressiveness and sensitivity rarely heard in live performance.  The level of musicianship of the players was enthralling, and audience turnout was probably the highest of any of the evening concerts.  This concert was a clear highlight of the entire conference.  

Greg Raden and the Enso Quartet

ClarinetFest Day 2

In the first of three master classes scheduled in the Recital Studio, Dan Gilbert's central concept for the students focused on phrasing and how to approach it via tension and release.  The first two players performed orchestral excerpts in which Gilbert's coaching produced immediate improvements and offered the students a different method for understanding harmonic implications within the melodic lines.  He had the students play diatonic motives with emphasis and releases on specific notes, creating a more interesting and expressive musical line. Gilbert's approach and demeanor made the students very comfortable while on stage, and the entire master class felt like watching Gilbert teach a private lesson.

Dan Gilbert Master Class

The following master class by Donald Montanaro began with an explanation of Leopold Stokowski's new direction of the sound within the Philadelphia Orchestra's woodwind section.  His aim was to attain a blend of both French and German schools of playing by appointing Daniel Bonade (clarinet) and Marcel Tabuteau (oboe) as principle players combined with the German bassoon sound.  Monatanaro then further explained Tabuteau's method of assigning numbers to correspond with levels of dynamics and applying them within the phrases.  He also talked about tongue position and breathe attacks, demonstrating how the air stream should not be forced by the action of tongue. Keeping the audience engaged for over 45 minutes with interesting anecdotes and ideas, I (Kellie) had to leave before the students had a chance to perform.  Nonetheless, the master classes was great and offered many insights into approaches on phrasing and articulations.

Montanaro Master Class

One of the most exciting and energetic concerts of the day was the clarinet and guitar duo, Gabriele Mirabassi (clarinet) and Peo Alfonsi (guitar), performing works composed by Mirabassi himself.  The program consisted of several improvisatory Latin-American pieces with the clarinetist hogging the spotlight with his glissandos and smears, along with his physical movements. Mirabassi's body language was definitely a good reflection of his playing style--free and flexible, yet arousing and demanding.  There were moments when the bell of his clarinet was inches away from the floor as he danced around the stage.  Not contrived or forced in the least bit, his movement was actually refreshing and his energy was highly contagious.  I left the concert feeling lighter on my feet, motivated to be more physically expressive with my own playing.

Gabriele Mirabassi and Peo Alfonsi

The evening concert was a three-part program with Victoria Luperi starting the night off with a wonderful performance of the Verdi/Lovreglio La Traviata: Fantasia da Concerto, followed by the Brahms Trio.  Both were charming performances, full of expression but with great integrity of tone. 

Victoria Luperi

Next came Ilya Shterenberg (principal clarinet of the San Antonio Symphony) with solid performances of the Schumann Fantasy Pieces, Scriabin Seven Preludes and Debussy Rhapsodie.  The Scriabin pieces were very short preludes arranged by Willard Elliot, and made good companion pieces to the Schumann Fantasy Pieces.  Shterenberg played with a beautiful full sound and great musicianship -- but a special mention must go to his stellar pianist Anne Epperson!

Ilya Shterenberg

Finally, the Chicago Clarinet Trio came on with a Divertimento on themes from Mozart's Don Giovanni followed by Defaye's delightful Six Pièces D'Audtion. 

Chicago Clarinet Trio

We were unable to stay for Michèle Gingras and the Cincinnati Klezmer Trio, but if you did please comment and let us know how it was.  We are trying to attend as many events as we can, but you can only handle so much clarinet in one day!

ClarinetFest: Day 2 (Clarinet + Electronics)

For me (Rachel), Thursday of ClarinetFest was a day of clarinet and electronics.  I performed on the Electronics Potpourri concert at 1 PM, so my morning was consumed with warming up and rehearsing the piece.  The dress rehearsal was fairly hectic, since everyone needed time in the hall, but each performer had different tech needs.  Some players used video, some performed with CD accompaniment, and others (like me) were doing interactive works with computer.  I think in the future it may be better to have everyone rehearse in order due to the complex tech changes between pieces, but it ended up working out fine.

During the concert, I had fun hanging out backstage with the other performers: Leslie Moreau, Michael Dean, Mauricio Salguero, Karen Dannessa, and Elizabeth Gunlogson.  My performance got off to a rocky start - I spent a couple of awkward minutes onstage while the sound engineer fixed a technical issue.  But these things are normal when performing interactive music, and after we got the piece running I think it was a successful performance!  One standout piece from the afternoon that clarinetists and composers seemed to really like was Samuel J. Hamm's piece fixion for clarinet and computer, played by Leslie Moreau.  Overall, it was great to experience ClarinetFest from a performer's perspective, and kudos to all the great volunteers coordinating the stage management!

After my concert I was able to stay to hear electronic gurus Gerry Errante and D. Gause perform works by Andrew May, Russell Pinkston, and Christopher Hopkins.  The afternoon of electronics continued with performances by Michael Lowenstern and  Laura Carmichael.  As a player with interest in the field, I thank Nathan Williams for coordinating this afternoon of music for clarinet and electronics, as it is a small but growing genre that is becoming more approachable as our computers become faster and more powerful. 
-Rachel

ClarinetFest Day 1: Evening Concert

Kicking off the first evening concert of the festival, Mark Nuccio played a varied program of standard, jazzy, and lesser-performed works by composers of several different nationalities.  Beginning with the Poulenc Sonata, it was clear how deftly Nuccio could portray the changing moods of the piece, and his impressive control of pianissimo phrases floated to the back of the recital hall with a wave of silence across the audience.  The power and gravity displayed in the next piece, Jacques Hetu's Nocturne (Lento), lent a nice contrast to the French opener.  Prokofiev's Sonata was played with a rhythmic propulsion that sustained the piece's characteristic Russian sounds, and with each subsequent movement, the work gained further momentum to end with a stately and striking last movement.

After intermission, the program traveled to the Spanish sounds of Miguel Yuste.  Nuccio's playful rendition of Ingenuidad, Op. 8 was delightful and commenced the second half of the program very nicely.  Moving on to the Germanic roots of Berg's Four Pieces, Nuccio had numerous opportunities to shine with his flawless altissimo pianissimo entrances.  Wrapping up the concert was the Three Preludes by Gershwin.  Always a crowd-pleaser, it was very appropriate to end this global musical tour with these classic American tunes.  Once the audience's giggling subsided at at end of the first movement, the schmaltzy opening of the next movement proved that Nuccio was just a comfortable with playing jazz as he was classical.  Taking his bows to a standing ovation, Nuccio returned to the stage to play an encore of Scriabin's Op.11 with a smooth and flowing manner.  This short, but sweet piece left the audience headed toward the exit doors with smiles.

ClarinetFest 2010: Day 1

Greetings to everyone in Austin, and following along at home!  The ClarinetFest has gotten off to a great start today, with clarinetists of all ages and nationalities descending upon the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas.  I (Rachel) arrived yesterday for a dress rehearsal of the piece for clarinet and computer I will be performing tomorrow, and was greeted by volunteers, technical assistants, and Nathan Williams himself who was making sure everything was running smoothly.  Things seem very organized so far, with great-looking program books and lots of volunteers helping out.

This afternoon, I was able to catch the Host Recital as well as Richard Nunemaker's performance.   The Host Recital began with Nathan Williams performing a new piece for clarinet and piano by Karim Al-Zand (Rice University), commissioned by a collective of clarinetists.  Titled Cabinet of Curiosities, the work at times took inspiration from dance rhythms (waltz, sarabande) but with unique twists and compelling sonorities.  Next was Richard MacDowell with Francaix's Theme and Variations, performed with great character and brave tempos!  Williams then played another new work, Cookbook by Kenji Bunch, a virtuosic set of movements about food.  The piece took a surprising turn at the end when the pianist AND the page turner began clapping and tapping rhythmically along with the clarinet!  Two standard works rounded out the program, Bartók's Contrasts (MacDowell) and Mendelssohn's Concert Piece No. 2 (MacDowell and Williams).  Overall, the new works were very well-received, and the crowd (which nearly filled Bates Recital Hall) was very appreciative of the hosts of ClarinetFest 2010. 

Next, I heard Richard Nunemaker's performance of Richard Lavenda's (Rice University) Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet.  This substantial work evoked Bartók in its motivic vitality and dissonant, angular sonorities.  Particularly nice was the second movement, which featured clarinet multiphonics in combination with string harmonics. 

There is so much going on here at ClarinetFest that Kellie and I can't possibly see and hear everything.  If you would like to share your ClarinetFest experience, please comment below or send us an e-mail!  Enjoy the festival!
-Rachel

Blogging Live from ClarinetFest 2010

Clarinet Cache will be live blogging throughout the ClarinetFest 2010, July 21st-25th in Austin, Tx.  For those attending under the blazing-hot Texas sun, and for those who cannot make it, we will be reporting on concerts, presentations, master classes, and other scheduled events.  Since it is not possible to attend every event, we invite you to submit your own thoughts, experiences, and pictures of the festival.  With our live coverage we hope to share the exciting and memorable moments of ClarinetFest with everyone. Hope to see you there! 

Kalmen Opperman

Kalmen Opperman, one of the great American clarinetists and teachers, passed away on June 18th 2010.  He is well-known for his career performing for Broadway musicals, dedication to teaching, and publications such as the Handbook for Making and Adjusting Single Reeds, Modern Daily Studies, and Velocity Studies.  Opperman's teachers included Simeon Bellison and Ralph McLane, and his students carry on his legacy in playing and teaching positions around the world.

New York Times has a wonderful write-up by Charles Strum about Opperman's life and teaching.

A thread on the Clarinet BBoard is dedicated to Opperman and includes remembrances from his acquaintances, students, and friends.

Opperman's website features remembrances by family and friends, biography, and audio.  Particularly moving is a recording of Opperman's piece En Seul as performed by Richard Stoltzman, perhaps his most famous student.

To Oil or Not to Oil?

The age-old question of whether or not to oil the bore of your clarinet is still debated today. Every clarinetist seems to have formulated their own opinion based on their personal experiences, but many aren't familiar with the scientific details as to how oil affects wooden instruments. Although his website is centered around his commercial instrument repair services, Larry Naylor proves to be an expert on the subject, and on his site you can find a handful of articles dedicated to the explanation of how the grenadilla wood is cut and cured, how and why wood changes and cracks, and tips on protecting your clarinet against cracking. His articles include solutions for "blown-out" instruments, effects of organic oil on the bore, and he also presents a blind survey on preferences for oil-soaked clarinets versus non-oiled clarinets. The results from his experiment are interesting, and may change your mind about whether or not to oil your instrument.

MusiciansWay.com

Designed as a companion site to the 2009 book The Musician's Way by Gerald Klickstein, MusiciansWay.com stands alone as a great resource for musicians. It is organized into five main subject areas (practice, performance, wellness, creativity, and music careers), each containing a wealth of information and links to primary sources such as scholarly articles, YouTube videos of master teachers, photos, and more. Any instrumentalist or vocalist has much to gain by exploring this site - find employment statistics, memorization strategies, scholarly articles on musician injuries, and everything in between. Resources for specific instruments include a List of clarinet links. Also, the Musicians Way blog offers weekly posts on classical music and a variety of aspects of performance. Check it out!

Clarinet YouTube Channels

It has only been five years since the creation of YouTube in 2005, but in this short time the site has become the primary way to share and watch videos online. YouTube is now an incredible resource for musicians; many clarinetists now turn to YouTube to hear a recording of a piece they are unfamiliar with, find teaching tips, or watch videos of a particular performer.

The explosion of popularity of YouTube has caused a new problem: how do you sift through all the videos to find those of particular interest and good quality? A YouTube search for a particular piece might turn up a live performance by a top-quality professional player right next to a video of a high-school student learning a piece for the first time in their bedroom. Since many of our readers may use YouTube for reference purposes (or have students who do), we wanted to take a look at some of the best YouTube video streams about clarinet.

Currently, one of the exciting innovations in online media is the ability for an individual to "subscribe" to content of particular interest, such as creating a queue of movies in Netflix or using Google Reader to follow the RSS feeds of selected blogs. Similarly, users can personalize their YouTube experience by subscribing to YouTube "channels." Each username on YouTube has a "channel," and any registered user can subscribe to receive notification when the user posts new videos. Essentially, you can create a personalized stream of content of the quality you desire, and on the subjects in which you are most interested.

The following are a few YouTube users we have noticed as posting good-quality videos of interest to clarinetists. Perusing these videos is a great way to discover new clarinet works, hear performances by a variety of jazz and classical clarinetists, and get ideas for teaching.

"DavidGarnet" is the username of David H. Thomas, principal clarinetist of the Columbus Symphony and author of The Buzzing Reed blog. He has posted many videos of live performances, practice sessions, rehearsals, and lessons. Thomas has recorded and posted many of the Jeanjean etudes, as well as the Muczynski Time Pieces and movements from Mozart's "Kegelstatt" Trio and Quintet K. 581. He refers to the videos in some of his blog posts, so it may be interesting to view the videos in context on his blog.

A young Russian clarinetist named Grigory Wewer, "klarnetchik", has posted his excellent performances of Weber's Concerto No. 1 and the Rossini Theme and Variations, among others. All performances feature Wewer with the Omsk Symphony Orchestra.

Jazz clarinetist Jim Valentine, posting as "JimV33", has uploaded many jazz videos of Pete Fountain. Some of the videos feature Valentine and Fountain playing together, while others are just Fountain performing with his ensemble.

"clarinetmusicvideos" has posted several videos of Julian Bliss playing clarinet in his very young years (ages 4-10). It is quite entertaining to see the evolution of the playing of this budding young virtuoso.


Italian clarinetist Sergio Bosi ("clarinoprimo") has uploaded many videos of his playing. Some are live performances (including solo works with clarinet and orchestra or piano), and others are recordings set to collages of photographs. Bosi is a proponent of lesser-known Italian clarinet works, and listening to these recordings is a great way to get to know some of that literature. His live performances include the Busoni Elegie, the Castelnuovo-Tedesco Sonata, and the Debussy Rhapsodie.

Another Italian player, Corrado Giuffredi ("ulukay1981") has posted some fun videos of works by Piazzolla and others. Most of the videos are live performances of chamber works, including several for the unusual instrumentation of saxophone quartet and clarinet.

Belgian clarinetist Bob Van de Velde ("bobvandevelde") posts videos of his live performances, such as the Baermann Adagio with clarinet choir and Backofen's Thema con Variazioni for basset horn and string quartet. One highlight is his performance of the Mendelssohn Konzertstück No. 2 with a clarinet choir conducted by Eddy Vanoosthuyse.

Also based in Belgium, the Gent Clarinet Quartet ("rokquartet") has used YouTube for an interesting project called "TRY THIS AT HOME." Marco Mazzini, bass clarinetist for the group and founder of the Clariperu blog, has created several clarinet quartet arrangements of works like Rossini's Barber of Seville and Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5. The quartet posts videos of their street performances of these arrangements, along with the sheet music for the arrangement; they encourage viewers to download the music, create a video of their own performance, and upload it as a "video response" on YouTube.

We have written about Mazzini's blog Clariperu in a previous column, but we should mention the YouTube channel under the user name "clariperu." It features over 30 videos of various performers and is definitely worth subscribing to.

"SUclarinets" features videos by the Shenandoah Conservatory Clarinet Choir and their conductor/professor Garrick Zoeter. Also included are videos of works for clarinet quartet, and Zoeter performing Takemitsu's Waves for solo clarinet, two trombones, horn, and bass drum. This channel is a great example of how teachers can use YouTube to feature the activities of their studio.

American clarinetist Jonathan Cohler ("cohler59") has posted some videos of his performances of works for clarinet and piano, including works by Brahms, Bernstein, Bliss, and D'Rivera.

Always entertaining, Tom Ridenour's videos (under the username "billyboy647") cover topics as diverse as repair and maintenance, long tones, barrel dimensions, and double-lip embouchure. He has uploaded about 70 videos containing a wealth of information about the clarinet and ideas for teaching, along with a large dose of Ridenour's unique sense of humor.


Visit the clarinetcache YouTube page to view all of our subscriptions. While we did quite a bit of searching, we have probably missed some great clarinet YouTube channels. If you have ideas for additions to the list, e-mail us or comment below!

Clarinet-Now.com

Have you ever looked in your closet and thought, if only I had more clarinet-related apparel? If so, Clarinet-Now.com is here to help, with a selection of items including a Richard Mühlfeld/Brahms T-shirt and clarinet high-top shoes available through the Clarinet-Now Zazzle Store. For even more clarinet-related gifts, check out this page. Normally we try to keep commercialism to a minimum here on Clarinet Cache, but we couldn't help but tell you about this site, because it offers much more than just these products.

Clarinet-Now.com was created by Christopher Jones, a clarinetist in the Greater Hudson Valley area of New York State and student of Kalmen Opperman. The site has many inspirational strategies and tips for sight-reading, scales, crossing the break, and more, with great photos of correct and incorrect embouchure and hand position. The numerous ads are somewhat distracting, but the content of the site is useful, especially for beginners (and their parents), and teachers looking for a new way to explain specific aspects of clarinet technique. Keep up with the latest on the Clarinet-Now blog.

Sibley Music Library

Adding to our list of websites for free sheet music, the Sibley Music Library of the Eastman School of Music has amassed an extensive collection of digitized works, many by composers from the 19th to the early 20th century. With over 183 PDF files of chamber music and solo repertoire for clarinet, this collection of works covers lesser-known compositions as well as a handful of pieces by mainstream composers (Weber, Mozart, Brahms). A number of pages containing exercises and duets from Lazarus's New and Modern Method Book, along with several dissertations and theses from the 1940's-1970's are worth taking a look at. All of the music listed on the website is in the public domain and a user account is not necessary to download the music--you many need to stock up on printer ink though.

Sidney Forrest interview

Over at The Buzzing Reed, David H. Thomas has published a podcast of an interview with clarinetist Sidney Forrest. Thomas was a student of Forrest at Interlochen and Peabody, and now performs as principal clarinetist of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. The interview, which is about 30 minutes long, features Thomas speaking with the now 91-year-old Forrest about a variety of topics including his study with Simeon Bellison, his own pedagogical techniques, and why he chose the clarinet ("I liked the name"). This an interesting listen and a great way to document a part of clarinet history!

Interview with Anthony McGill

Anthony McGill is well-known in the United States for his work as principal clarinetist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and as an accomplished chamber musician. He captured the attention of many around the world with his performance with Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, and Gabriela Montero at the inauguration of President Barack Obama in January 2009. On faculty at the Peabody Institute and the Mannes College of Music, McGill recently developed an educational iPhone application for clarinet. He blogs, tweets, and posts YouTube videos, and we at Clarinet Cache spoke with Anthony McGill about how he uses new technologies to educate and communicate.



Clarinet Cache: Your newest project, the "Clarinet in Reach" application for the iPhone, was recently released by the company Music In Reach. How did you become involved with the application and what was the collaborative process like?

Anthony McGill: I was approached by John Ferland and his brother Dan sometime this past year and they told me what the project was all about. I thought this was an amazing concept and soon after agreed to work as a consultant on the project. The collaboration was great. They would provide an outline and I would fill in the blanks. It was very straight forward. I would provide all the musical data and they would work out the tech side.


CC: The iPhone app currently has fingerings only up to altissimo G, and the instructional videos from your YouTube channel are for beginners. Do you have plans to add fingerings and other content to make the app more useful for professionals, or is it aimed at a younger student audience?

AM: Yes. We have decided to make it very usable for beginners and intermediate students alike. Since this is the first version we didn't feel the need to add super high notes for the segment that may use it right now. In the future we may have all kinds of advanced content.

CC: Many artists use blogging as a promotional tool, but you recently started a blog that seems to be more about your personal insights and experiences as a professional classical clarinetist. What inspired you to create the blog and what kind of audiences do you hope to reach?

AM: The website anthonymcgill.com was the first step and I thought it would be nice to have a place to connect with people directly. The content that I have on it came from just sitting down and writing about whatever I felt like. I could go from announcing the new iPhone project to writing about how a rehearsal inspired me. I am letting it take me wherever it wants. 


CC: As social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter grow in popularity, do you think that the Internet has changed what it means to be a classical musician in the twenty-first century?

AM: I believe so. I feel that any chance I have as an artist to be a communication entrepreneur is great. And with so many avenues out there to do that, sites such as Facebook and Twitter have made it very easy for all of us to increase our connection and presence in the world. As musicians the more ways we can communicate, the better.


CC: Do you find that there are benefits (or drawbacks) from being able to communicate directly with your friends and fans?

AM: I think there are great benefits and I haven't noticed any drawbacks at all. Because in years past there was no communication whatsoever, I feel that being able to get emails or questions from young students about their playing, what repertoire they should be working on, all of these things without knowing them at all is awesome.


CC: At 30 years old, you are probably younger than many of your colleagues in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Do you think your age contributes to your openness towards blogging and other new forms of communication?

AM: I think that it does. I still feel like I don't know what I'm doing every day, but it has become something that I think is really interesting and new. I think that we are at the beginning of a new way of communicating and connecting. I jumped on the train and I want to be on it as an artist of the future.


CC: In December of 2006 the Met began releasing live performances in movie theaters and recently began the Live in HD program which offers transmission of live operas to select public schools at no charge. As a performer and teacher, do you think this approach to gaining wider audiences will affect the future generation's involvement in the performing arts?

AM: I hope these productions are reaching a younger audience. But I think the most important thing is for it to reach a larger audience. Old, young, or in between, I think it is awesome. If we could get them in more schools and then inspire the cities to invest more in music and not cut these programs, I think that would be the best thing. Connect the success of the program with the success of students in school.


CC: Many symphony orchestras and chamber groups seem to think that adding visual elements to performances, promoting concerts on Facebook, and "tweeting" during concerts will attract younger audiences. In your view, does this use of technology enrich the classical music experience, or cheapen it?

AM: I think that it depends. If the technology enhances the art form I'm all for it. If it detracts and takes focus off of the music then it is detrimental. This is my opinion, but fortunately it is debatable. Debate and differences of opinion are actually extremely helpful to keeping the art form viable. Without trying new things the creativity dies. So I think some use of this is good. Tweeting while playing may be a bit counterproductive though!

CC: Finally, many of us are curious about your experience performing at President Obama's inauguration. Can you tell us more about it and how you felt about participating in such a historical event?

AM: It was an absolutely amazing experience. I was asked by Yo-Yo Ma to play after having played the Quartet for the End of Time with him in Japan back in 2001. It was the biggest surprise of my life to get this call. Being able to play with those amazing musicians and be a part of such a pivotal moment in history was something I'll never forget. I would play in the cold over and over again, crack many clarinets, recorded or not for the rest of my life to get back to that stage again! I will never forget it.

Zara Lawler's Practice Notebook

We normally only post clarinet-related things here on Clarinet Cache, but in the case of Zara Lawler's Practice Notebook, we will overlook the fact that she is a flutist! Lawler's blog about practicing is of interest to any musician who practices, whether it's an hour here and there or six hours a day. The blog covers efficient practicing, physical warm-ups, memorization, and more, with lots of specific ideas and techniques to try. Lawler's writing is clear, concise, and often funny, as in her latest post about guerrilla practicing in airports. Check out the Practice Notebook - it may help you to take a fresh look at your old practice routine.

Clarinet at the Grammys: Paquito D'Rivera and Derek Bermel

The 52nd annual Grammy Awards are tomorrow, and we thought we'd take a look at the clarinet-related nominations.

Clarinetist and composer Paquito D'Rivera has been nominated in two categories: "Best Classical Crossover Album" for his new album JaZZ-ClaZZ, and "Best Instrumental Composition" for the track "Borat in Syracuse" on the same album. JaZZ-ClaZZ is the result of a collaboration between D'Rivera and Sabine Meyer's Trio di Clarone. Listeners familiar with D'Rivera's composition Aires Tropicales for woodwind quintet will recognize several of the movements (including "Dizzyness" and "Vals Venezolano") arranged here for clarinets.

The January 27, 2010 edition of PRI's "The World" included a nice feature on Paquito D'Rivera including an interview and audio clips from the album. Listen to streaming audio or download the podcast here.

Syracuse University has posted an article about the commissioning and premiere of "Borat in Syracuse" by D'Rivera and SU’s Morton B. Schiff Ensemble.

Another Grammy nomination goes to Gil Rose, Derek Bermel and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project in the category "Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (With Orchestra)" for Bermel's performance of his own Voices, for Solo Clarinet and Orchestra.

Here's the full list of nominees from the Grammy Awards website. Best of luck to our clarinet friends tomorrow!

ClarinetFest 2009 Videos

If you were like us and didn't make it to ClarinetFest 2009 in Porto, Portugal this past summer, you are probably pretty curious as to what you missed out on. Fortunately, a few individuals and one of the participating bands (ARMAB-Apresentacao da Banda e da Vila da Branca) have uploaded several videos on YouTube, giving us a peek into some of the performances held at the eye-catching modern concert hall, Casa da Música. For a full listing of programs, events, and to get a glimpse of the concert venue, check out the official ClarinetFest 2009 site here. Some of the featured soloists with the ARMAB band include:

Bass clarinetist Sauro Berti performing three movements of Jan Hadermann's "Spotlights on Bass Clarinet."

Steve Cohen performing "Brooklyn Bridge" by Michael Daugherty.

The band arrangement of Amilcare Ponchielli's crowd-pleasing "Il Convegno" features soloists Horácio Ferreira and Joao Pedro Santos.

Other videos from the festival include a performance of Debussy's "Premiere Rhapsody" by the High School Competition winner, Carlos Ferreira.

Last, but not least, this next video shows a unique ensemble consisting of a singer, guitarist, and clarinet quartet. Despite the shaky filming, the video manages to capture the excitement and merriment of both performers and audience.