Introducing my new blog series – Around the World in Eighty Pieces

I’m so excited to introduce a new series here on Jenny Clarinet – Around the World in Eighty Pieces!

It’s no secret that I love to travel. When I moved to Paris back in 2015, I took advantage of budget airlines (shoutout to RyanAir and Transavia!) to explore all over Europe. This ignited my passion for travelling, and along the way, I began informally studying clarinet cultures around the world.

What is clarinet culture? To me, this is the history, people, performers, teachers, repertoire, pedagogy, and other intangible aspects of learning, teaching, and performing the clarinet in each country, region, or municipality. I’m fascinated by learning the clarinet’s similarities and differences in every place I go. In a way, this project has been in the works for nearly ten years, and I’m thrilled to finally start sharing some of it with you.

I’ve met many clarinetists from around the world who have been kind enough to share information on popular repertoire, conservatories, pedagogical practices, history, and more from the area. (It should go without saying that music is a multi-faceted field with great variety, so a lot of this information is purely perspective, opinion, and individual ideas.)

My favorite part of travelling is learning about clarinet repertoire from each country I visit, which is why I decided to create this series. As I explore the world, I would like to share some of the amazing compositions I’ve discovered from each country. These are not meant to be comprehensive lists, but rather an amuse-bouche to ignite your own curiosity to explore other clarinet cultures around the world.

So, pack your virtual suitcase and get ready to explore the world with me, one piece at a time!