Back by popular demand – the 12 Days of Clarinet Christmas, repertoire edition! My original 12 Days of Clarinet Christmas (which you can read here) is a countdown of scale, etude, and other exercises to improve clarinet fundamentals.[…]
Category: Articles
The Clarinet Curse: Composers Who Died After Writing for the Clarinet
If you’re thinking about composing a piece for clarinet, you might want to consider choosing another instrument. Here are some famous composers whose final pieces or last substantial works were written for clarinet. Don’t say[…]
All About the A-Flat Clarinet
Most clarinetists are familiar with the core members of the clarinet family, from the unwieldy contrabass clarinet to the tiny E-flat clarinet, but there is one “black sheep” of the clarinet family – the A-flat[…]
My Current Warm Up Routine
One of the most often-asked questions for musicians is “How do you warm up?” (followed closely by “What’s your setup?” – but that’s an article for another day). A lot of people have recently been[…]
Items to Have in Your Emergency Clarinet Kit
In addition to the daily necessities, I also carry an “emergency” clarinet kit in my bag. Not only is this a great excuse to shop for cute makeup/toiletry bags and small clutches (which work[…]
So You Want to Study Music Abroad
Throughout this past year, I’ve received many questions about my experience studying clarinet in France. I believe studying abroad (whether it’s music or any other discipline) is a great opportunity to learn about other cultures[…]
Planning Your Junior or Senior Recital: A Timeline and Checklist
Planning a recital takes a lot of work, both inside and outside the practice room. Expectation and stress levels are high, especially if this is your first recital. Here is my timeline and checklist for[…]
Buying Your Child’s First Clarinet: A Guide for New Band Parents
Congratulations! Your son or daughter has decided to join a school or community band program and has chosen to play the clarinet! Clarinets are obviously the best instrument (although I am a little biased), but[…]
I Got (Better) Rhythm
Let me begin this post with a potentially controversial statement: rhythm is the most important element of your musical foundation. Hear me out – other musical concepts such as tone, interpretation, and repertoire selection are[…]
The Complete Guide to Clarinet Tuning
As if playing clarinet wasn’t already difficult enough (reeds, breathing, coordinating both hands) we also have to worry about tuning. Tuning (also known as intonation) is more than just aiming for the green light on[…]