• Creating and performing the world’s first AI composition for clarinet and piano

    I’ve become increasingly interested in the possibilities of artificial intelligence (AI) and the clarinet during the past few months. (ICYMI, you can read my previous blog posts here and here.) AI has taken the world by storm, and it seems like more fields are exploring the growing possibilities and potential this technology has. Don’t get me wrong – I still think machines will never replace the human thoughts, emotions, and intangible elements which combine to create music. However, when the Listasavn Føroya (National Gallery of the Faroe Islands) launched the first AI art exhibit last fall exploring what famous artists’ paintings would look like if they had visited the Faroe…

  • What do rhythm and baking cookies have in common?

    I’m a stickler for good rhythm (ask any of my students!), which is why I use a lot of teaching analogies to discuss rhythm. One of them is baking. As a self-proclaimed novice baker, I know just how important the measurements are to achieve the perfect consistency of cookie (preferably a bit chewy IMHO), or whatever else you’re trying to create. Rhythm is no different – if you mess up the “measurement” or ratio of each beat/measure, your rhythm is off. Let’s take one of the most commonly mistaken rhythms – the dotted eighth/sixteenth combo, as seen below: If we convert the rhythm to a ratio, the dotted eighth note…

  • Clarinet Duet Tips for Beginners

    It’s Solo & Ensemble season, which means many band students are in the process of preparing and performing their first clarinet duet! Whether these duos are for two clarinets or clarinet and other instruments, here are a few tips to help you achieve a Superior rating! Preparation Rehearsing I hope these tips help your prepare and perform your first clarinet duet! Leave a comment below with any other tips or tricks that helped you with duets.