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13 Productive musical activities for summer vacation (that aren’t practicing)
Even though summer just officially began, it might feel like it’s been forever since your last semester ended. If you want to maximize your time you have until school begins again, here are a few ideas to get you motivated: Update your CV. Take a walk down memory lane and record all of the cool concerts, events, outreach, teaching, and other activities you’ve done this past year (or since you last updated your CV). Make a repertoire list. Repertoire lists are important documents to have for applications and auditions, so it’s important to create or update your list while you have some extra time. Make a musical bucket list. This…
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21 Clarinet Compositions from the 21st Century
The clarinet has quite an extensive list of amazing repertoire spanning across a multitude of styles and genres. We have our beloved masterpieces by Mozart, Weber, Brahms, and many more, but what about some more recent repertoire? Over the last few years, I’ve become more and more interested in modern clarinet compositions. Here are a few of my favourites from the 21st century. (By no means is this list meant to be comprehensive, so I suggest doing some research of your own to discover more of these wonderful pieces!) *pieces listed alphabetically by composer’s last name* Samuel Adler – Beyond the Pale (2002) Ofer-Ben Amots – Klezmer Concerto (2006) Nicolas…
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How to assemble a clarinet
The clarinet certainly does have its fair share of pieces, equipment, and accessories. Here’s everything you need to know to properly assemble your clarinet: Parts of a clarinet from top to bottom Mouthpiece (with ligature and reed) Barrel Upper joint Lower joint Bell Steps to assembling a clarinet Lay the case on a stable, flat surface and ensure that the case is not upside down before opening Attach the bell to the lower joint, being careful not to press any keys (silver parts) Attach the upper joint to the lower joint, being careful to not press any keys with excess pressure Make sure the bridge key is aligned (this connects…
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What does voicing mean to clarinetists?
“Voicing” is one of those words that clarinetists seem to enjoy using, and we often blame this as a culprit for poor response, intonation, or tone on the instrument. This is an important concept for clarinetists to understand, but it can be difficult since there can be some ambiguity surrounding this term. Part of the difficulty in defining this is that it holds different meanings for different musicians. Even though I think we all share a vague generalized definition, the details are in the nuances. This is why it’s important to clarify your definition when you are teaching students or discussing it with other clarinetists. Here is how I define…
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The Contemporary Clarinetist: A Resource List to Develop and Improve Extended Techniques
Even though the clarinet has only been in existence for just over 300 years, it has certainly come a long way in this time. It has captured audience’s imaginations through its cantabile vocal qualities and virtuosic capabilities, and more recently, its slowly increasing lyrical and technical possibilities. During the last century, performers and composers have expanded the sound spectrums the clarinet can create by using extended techniques. Extended techniques are simply skills used outside of the traditional repertoire. Here are a few of the most commonly used clarinet extended techniques: Multiphonics Microtonality Circular breathing Double tonguing Slap tonguing Flutter tonguing Pitch bending and glissandi singing while playing key clicks If…
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Join my book club!
During a recent episode of my weekly Clarinet Chats Instagram live, I was discussing a shared love of books with my friend Chase Miller when we decided to create a book club. This book club is open to anyone who wants to participate, and we would like to invite you to join! Our first book is Doug Borwick’s Building Communities, Not Audiences: The Future of the Arts in the United States. We think this book is especially relevant during these uncertain times, and we hope it will inspire important discussions in our group. Right now, we are planning to meet every other week via Zoom, and our first meeting will be on Wednesday, July 15, 2020…
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Positive affirmations for clarinetists
I’ve had this blog idea for a while, and while I originally meant it to be light-hearted and humourous, there is a great deal of truth in these affirmations. So, I hope these short affirmations help you continue along your clarinet journey. ||: Repeat as often as necessary : || I am more than my reed. Squeaks do not define me. My musical worth is not tied to what chair I am. There is no shame in slow (practicing). I am the composer of my musical journey. I create my own musical voice – not my equipment. I can’t control the outcome, but I can control my resilience and determination.…
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7 Ways to Step Up Your Practice Game
I know that practicing consistently these last few months is no small feat. Whether you’ve maintained your motivation or you’re just now getting back in the swing of things, here are a few ways you can step up your practice game to optimize improvement: Set your intentions. Not to sound all clickbait-y, but you can step up your entire practice routine with just one simple word – intentionality. Make sure you set definitive goals (aka intentions) for what you hope to accomplish and how you plan to achieve these intentions. Simply practicing with intentionality will make a huge difference in your focus and long-term improvements. Slow down your long tones.…
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How to break in a new clarinet
If you are the proud owner of a new clarinet, congratulations! I wish you and your new clarinet a happy future filled with many wonderful musical memories. To increase the longevity and quality of your clarinet, here are a few tips to help you properly break in your new clarinet: Is it a plastic clarinet? If so, you don’t have to follow any formal break-in process. Break in processes are only necessary for wooden instruments to help the material adjust to its new environment. Is your wooden clarinet used? Hopefully, its previous owner already broke in the clarinet, but it never hurts to break it in if you aren’t sure…
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Home recording and livestream tips for musicians
As livestream concerts and at-home recording sessions become more and more common, I thought I would share a few tips I’ve been using to improve the quality of content I’ve created at home. During the last several months, I’ve performed livestream concerts, recorded YouTube videos, and hosted live sessions on social media. If you’re looking to do the same, here’s some advice: Invest in good equipment to improve audio and video quality. To create the highest quality content, it’s important to use great equipment. Smartphones are a great place to start, but investing in external mics, cameras, and lighting will take any at-home production to the next level. If purchasing…