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Quick Fix Friday: Give Good Cues
You practice your part diligently. You study the score and mark in all the other instrumental cues. You listen to several recordings. Yet your chamber music still feels…off. Simple fix? Maintain good eye contact and give good cues. This is an often-overlooked aspect of performing with other musicians. Many musicians are so used to performing under conductors that they are unfamiliar or uncomfortable leading others in smaller conductor-less ensembles. Accompanists and chamber musicians are not mind-readers (although wouldn’t that be amazing if they were?), so it is important to let others know your musical intentions. Practice giving good cues and nonverbal gestures to let your fellow musicians know where you want…
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48 Hours in Amsterdam
Ever since I moved to Paris, I’ve developed a severe case of wanderlust. The geographical proximity to so many amazing places combined with insanely cheap budget airlines have turned me into a travel addict, and I’m always thinking of the next place to visit. It’s common for me to peruse Google Flights (or SNCF Voyages if I’m looking into travel within France) while I have my morning coffee, and my friends here are used to my random outbursts (“I can fly to Stockholm for €45!) I went to Amsterdam for the first time last week, where I spent a jam-packed 48 hours exploring this beautiful city. Since my trip was so short, I made…
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All About the A-Flat Clarinet
Most clarinetists are familiar with the core members of the clarinet family, from the unwieldy contrabass clarinet to the tiny E-flat clarinet, but there is one “black sheep” of the clarinet family – the A-flat clarinet. If you think the E-flat is small and shrill, you’re in for a rude awakening when you hear the A-flat clarinet. Not only have I have performed and recorded on the A-flat clarinet with a clarinet choir, but I have lived to tell the tale! Many people share my fascination and curiosity of this unusual instrument, so I’d like to share some information and my personal experience with this beast. Let’s start with the…
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My Current Warm Up Routine
One of the most often-asked questions for musicians is “How do you warm up?” (followed closely by “What’s your setup?” – but that’s an article for another day). A lot of people have recently been asking about my warm up, so I thought I’d share my current routine. I think warmups and breakfast have a lot in common. The old adage of the most important meal of the day rings true for warmups, which I consider the most important part of your practice routine. Also, there are varying degrees of warmups, from short and efficient (the breakfast equivalent of grabbing a granola bar as you run out the door), average…
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Items to Have in Your Emergency Clarinet Kit
In addition to the daily necessities, I also carry an “emergency” clarinet kit in my bag. Not only is this a great excuse to shop for cute makeup/toiletry bags and small clutches (which work very well to corral clarinet accessories!), this is also practical for long practice sessions, back-to-back performances, or worst case scenarios (broken mouthpieces, ligatures with stripped screws, etc.). Here are some items I have in my clarinet emergency kit: Clarinet accessories & repair Jeweler’s screwdriver set Backup mouthpiece and ligature (make sure to store in protective cushions or cases) EZO, floral tape, or other cushion for your teeth and lips Cigarette paper Q-tips, paintbrushes, makeup brushes,…
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19 Things You Didn’t Know About Jenny Clarinet
Since most of my posts are centered around the clarinet and music, along with the fact that I am a naturally quiet person, I decided to share a few random facts about myself so readers can get to know me a bit better. I always enjoy reading about other people (especially the old-school tagged Facebook notes and Myspace surveys), so I hope you enjoy these bits of Jenny Clarinet trivia! How I got the name Jenny Clarinet: When I first created a Facebook account in 2007, I used the name Jenny Clarinet so only my friends would be able to find me. As I got more friends on Facebook, people…
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So You Want to Study Music Abroad
Throughout this past year, I’ve received many questions about my experience studying clarinet in France. I believe studying abroad (whether it’s music or any other discipline) is a great opportunity to learn about other cultures while creating lifelong friends and memories. I encourage anyone interested in studying abroad to make it happen, and I hope this article helps if you’re considering studying abroad. Below are some of the most common questions I get asked, along with some questions from my Facebook page. Disclaimer: These responses are based on my own experiences and won’t necessarily apply to all study abroad situations. Before moving abroad, do as much research as possible for…
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Quick Fix Friday: Swab Your Instrument
This week’s Quick Fix Friday is a public service announcement reminding you to swab your instrument regularly! I’m sure that by now, many of you have seen the report circulating on social media of the man who died from “bagpipe lung.” If you haven’t, you can read the story here. Basically, doctors were unable to determine why an otherwise healthy man was plagued by breathing and lung problems. After his death, they discovered that the bagpipe he played as a hobby contained fungus and bacteria. This isn’t an isolated case – another man with “saxophone lung” didn’t clean his clarinet for over 30 years. Luckily, doctors were able to isolate…
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Planning Your Junior or Senior Recital: A Timeline and Checklist
Planning a recital takes a lot of work, both inside and outside the practice room. Expectation and stress levels are high, especially if this is your first recital. Here is my timeline and checklist for planning your recital. You’ll notice that I’ve left out one obvious part – practicing. Practice and prepare as much as possible throughout your recital preparation period. The more prepared you are, the less nervous you will feel on your big day. Keep in mind that these timelines may change depending on your skill level and/or time demands, and some of these suggestions may be optional: 6 months until recital Pick a date. Confirm…
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Quick Fix Friday: Clarinet Finger Placement and Position
I’m a firm believer that most problems on the clarinet are caused by improper use of air. That being said, I believe that the 2nd leading cause of problems on clarinet are due to bad finger placement and positioning. Finger placement is important for all instruments, but especially clarinet because of its open tone holes. The slightest finger movement can cause air leaks, creating the dreaded squeak. Besides squeaking, improper finger position can cause notes to not speak properly and impede technical development. Let’s start with the basics – the six fingers that cover the tone holes on front of the clarinet should begin in “home” position. This is similar to proper typing…