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Baermann Boot Camp
I love practicing scales, but I have a confession… I’ve never made it through the entire Baermann scale book (Division 3, Op. 63). I’ll pick bits and pieces to practice occasionally, but I have never developed a regimen to complete the entire book in a structured routine. Don’t get me wrong: I practice scales every day, but I like variety. I’ll use the Baermann for a few days, then switch to Klosé or Stievenard, then practice without any book at all. I like to keep things interesting. I’ve used many scale books throughout the years, but my favorite will always be the Baermann. Which is why I decided to create the…
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100 Life Lessons I Learned From Music
In honor of my 100th blog post, I thought it would be nice to share with you 100 life lessons that I have learned from music. My decision to begin playing the clarinet at age 10 was innocuous enough – band sounded much more fun than gym, and most of my friends were joining band. I had no idea that music would become my chosen profession. Music has taken me around the world, and along the way, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to meet new people and experience other cultures. My clarinet has allowed me to live in Paris – the city of my dreams – for the past two…
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50 More Pieces Every Clarinetist Should Know
In creating my 50 Pieces Every Clarinetist Should Know, I had the tough task of cultivating a list of just 50 landmark works for clarinet. I had to leave many worthy and deserving pieces off the list, which is why I decided to create a Part 2 with 50 more pieces every clarinetist should know. Clarinetists are lucky to have a repertoire so diverse, and it is impossible to list every milestone work for the instrument. Here are my suggestions of important clarinet pieces, which I have chosen based upon their historical significance and prominence. By no means is this list intended to be comprehensive or universal, so as always,…
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50 Pieces Every Clarinetist Should Know
One of the best parts about playing the clarinet is the wonderful repertoire written for the instrument. From classical to jazz (and every genre in between), there will never be a shortage of great clarinet music. The plethora of clarinet repertoire can be overwhelming, so I’ve compiled a list of 50 pieces that every serious clarinetist should know. Hopefully, you will have the opportunity to perform many of these pieces during your clarinet careers. In the meantime, it’s important to recognize these pieces and to know about their history and significance within the clarinet repertoire. Most of these scores can be accessed via the IMSLP (International Music Score Library Project)…