You probably know by now that October is my favourite month. I love feeling the brisk chill in the air, indulging in sugary seasonal coffee drinks, and enjoying the magnificent foliage around me. But what I[…]
Category: Articles
The Beginner’s Guide to Orchestral Excerpts
If you’re a musician, you’ve probably crossed paths with a few orchestral excerpts throughout the years. For such short snippets of symphonic literature, you’d think excerpts would be more manageable and less stressful…but unfortunately, that’s[…]
Happy 100th birthday Leonard Bernstein!
Long-time Jenny Clarinet readers know that Leonard Bernstein is my musical role model and one of my greatest sources of inspiration (even before it became in vogue to share the Lenny love for his[…]
So You Want to Play an Auxiliary Clarinet?
One of the great things about the clarinet is that it has quite the extended family. From the mighty contra-bass clarinet to the wailing E-flat clarinet, there is a veritable orchestra of clarinets at our[…]
The Clarinetist’s College Packing List
It’s that time of year again – school bells are ringing, stores are advertising discounted school supplies, and college-bound musicians are preparing for their impending move. I’m preparing for my own upcoming move to Montreal,[…]
30 Day Long Tone Challenge
So now that you know all about long tones, it’s time to hit the practice room! The concept is simple: challenge yourself to play long tones every day for 30 days. First, choose which long[…]
Brymer Burns 🔥
Celebrated English clarinetist Jack Brymer was not one to mince his words. While reading his book Clarinet, I’ve noted some of my favorite subtle critiques he offers, which I’ve dubbed “Brymer Burns.” Repertoire On the[…]
The ABC’s of Famous Clarinetists
The other night, I was having some trouble falling asleep. I tossed and turned, thoughts racing through my head. Most normal people (aka non-musicians) might count sheep or count backwards from 300 in increments of[…]
The Musician’s Guide to Overcoming Burnout and Amotivation
Being a musician is pretty awesome most of the time. You get to work with talented colleagues, play amazing repertoire, and share your art with audiences. But then there are those times when being a[…]
The Complete Guide to the Clarinet Altissimo Register
The clarinet is blessed with the largest range of the entire woodwind family. But Voltaire (and Peter Parker) were right when they warned us, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Our responsibility? To perfect the[…]