• Q&A with Sean Perrin of Clarineat

    If you haven’t heard of Clarineat by now, you’ve probably been locked in a practice room for way too long. For anyone who is unfamiliar with Clarineat, it’s “the podcast and blog for clarinetists. Features interviews with today’s leading artists and manufacturers, videos, news, giveaways, articles, and a store.” Essentially, it’s a mecca for clari-nerds. I first met Sean Perrin, the host and founder of Clarineat, last year at ClarinetFest in Lawrence, Kansas. In addition to the amazing content he produces, he is also a talented clarinetist and all-around interesting person. I invite my readers to get to know the man behind “all that’s new a neat for the clarinet” a little…

  • What To Do When You Have A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Practice Session

    True story: When I was 10, I was reduced to tears during a practice session spent trying to master “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” I am an impatient person and get easily frustrated when things don’t come quickly to me, so I had a complete meltdown when I couldn’t play this song immediately. I’m happy to share that I can now play a mean “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, but this practice meltdown still sticks out clearly in my head. We’ve all been there before. No matter how many times you repeat that one passage, no matter how many different ways you try to phrase that one section, or no…