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Diabolically Difficult Pieces for Clarinet
In honor of Halloween, I wanted to share some pieces that still strike fear in the heart of professional clarinetists. Perform at your own risk! 😈(Just kidding, I love and have performed some of these pieces, and I think I’m a stronger clarinetist for it!) Here are some of the most difficult pieces written for clarinet: Have you performed any of these? Leave a comment with the most diabolically difficult clarinet piece you’ve worked on or performed!
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The Japanese philosophy that can help you in the practice room
This past summer, I visited Asia for the first time. I am still absorbing all of the amazing musical, cultural, and life experiences I had during this tour. During my time in Japan, I learned about the Japanese philosophy called kaizen, which means continuous improvement or small changes for the better. This can be applied to business, society, or individual changes, and kaizen philosophy maintains that nothing should be static. One should always focus on small, consistent steps which can lead to gradual improvement. “The message of the Kaizen strategy is that not a day should go by without some kind of improvement being made somewhere in the company.”— Masaaki…
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Tomplay Review: Why I love this interactive sheet music app!
Note: This blog post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a percentage of any sales made through these links. I only recommend products I personally use and love, and I hope you’ll love Tomplay as much as I do! Tomplay is an interactive sheet music app I’ve been using for several months (as have several of my online students!), and I want to share the reasons I love Tomplay. First and foremost, Tomplay is fun! I want to emphasize the word interactive in the title. Being a musician can sometimes feel isolating or lonely if you don’t have other musicians to play with. Tomplay allows you to perform with interactive…
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Plan better breaths in clarinet music
Breathing – it’s something we do naturally our entire lives…until we pick up a clarinet! Of course, breathing is essential for living (obviously), and it’s also an important tool for musical phrasing and interpretation. That being said, clarinetists and wind players in general sometimes face challenges when deciding the best moments to take a breath. Ideally, a breath shouldn’t interrupt the phrase or ruin a nice musical moment. If you’re not sure where to take a breath, here are my suggestions: Places to avoid taking a breath: As always, these are general guidelines, and you should always rely on your ears to know your best options for breathing. Does it…
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Quick Fix Friday: Bring the clarinet to you
Happy Friday! Today’s Quick Fix will help you play with better posture, which means you’ll be able to play with better air support. The secret to sounding great on clarinet is in the air ;) The quick fix? Prepare your playing position. Whether you’re seated or standing, don’t slump your shoulders. Keep the bottom of your chin parallel to the floor (don’t drop your chin to your chest, which restricts air flow). Once you’re in proper playing position, bring the clarinet to you! Many people will bring their body to the clarinet, which can lead to unnatural posture (and restricted air flow). Prepare your posture, then simply bring the clarinet…
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Clarinet Creative Reset
If you’re feeling uninspired (or possibly even burnt out), it’s important to take time to reset so you can re-emerge with a healthier mindset. This is especially true this time of year, when many students, teachers, and professionals are reaching the end of an academic year. After final concerts and projects, the built-up stress can easily lead to burnout or a creative slump. Whenever I’m in need of a clarinet creative reset, here is what I do to regain inspiration and clarity: I hope this helps you find a newfound sense of creative energy and inspiration!
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Advice for soon-to-be clarinet majors
Congratulations on your recent graduation from high school (or your country’s equivalent)! If you are planning to pursue a university or conservatory program in clarinet performance, here are my recommendations for things to do this summer before the semester starts to get the most out of your studies: My biggest piece of advice is to spend time reflecting so you get to know yourself better and what your goals are. These will probably change over time, but it’s a good idea to have a baseline so you can adjust as needed as you continue along your clarinet journey! Beginning university or conservatory clarinet studies is an exciting time, and I…
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19 Solos for A Clarinet Perfect for Your Next Recital
There’s something so warm and inviting about the rich tone of the A clarinet, which is why I love performing pieces for this beautiful instrument. Here are 19 of my favorite solos written for A clarinet, which are perfect for your next recital (arranged alphabetically by composer’s last name): Leave a comment with your favorite works for clarinet in A!
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How to choose the best clarinet fingerings
Over the last several months, I’ve enjoyed sharing Clarinet Cheat Code Fingerings on my Instagram page. This series has given me a new appreciation for the art of selecting the “best” clarinet fingerings in any musical passage, and I wanted to share my top tips to help you choose options that work for you. Here are my top tips to help you choose the best clarinet fingerings: I hope these tips help you to choose the best clarinet fingerings in the next tricky passage you encounter!
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Quick Fix Friday: Altissimo Ear Training Tip
Happy Friday! Have you ever played a high note on the clarinet…but weren’t sure which one it was? Due to the clarinet’s overtone series, it can be easy to overshoot (or even sometimes undershoot) high notes on the clarinet. If you’re practicing to hit a specific note and can’t tell if it’s correct, here’s the quick fix: Play the same note down an octave. This will help you ears recenter themselves so you can tell if the high note you’re playing is the one you intended to. This is also an excellent ear training hack, as higher pitches can be more difficult to hear as accurately as lower pitches. Happy…