Virtual clarinet composition scavenger hunt
This blog post originally appeared as a digital clarinet studio lecture for the Iowa State University clarinetists.
Instead of our usual studio class this week, I thought I would present you with a challenge. There are thousands upon thousands of clarinet compositions in our repertory, yet we inevitably gravitate towards many of the same pieces.
This week, I challenge you to dig deep in the depths of the internet to find 10 new-to-you pieces which represent a diverse collection. I’ll leave the definition of diverse to you – perhaps they span different eras (Classical, Romantic, Modern), composer nationality, style, clarinet techniques used in the piece, genre (punk rock clarinet?), or anything that makes these pieces diverse to you. Enjoy the internet scavenger hunt, and make sure you take notes for yourself of any pieces you discovered which you liked and might want to work on or perform in the future.
Once you’ve found these 10 pieces, leave a comment with the composer, title of the composition, and recording links (if you were able to find any).
Happy hunting!