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Quick Fix Friday: Prepare Your Page Turns
There is nothing worse than getting to a rehearsal (or heaven forbid, a CONCERT!) and realizing that you forgot about page turns. (Well, ok, maybe there are a few worse things. Like breaking your favorite reed or having to play upbeats for the rest of eternity, but I digress.) It’s all fine and dandy when you’re working on micro-sections in…
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Books Every Musician Should Have on Their Bookshelf
Introducing: your summer reading list, classical musician edition! As a lifelong bookworm, I have never quite outgrown the excitement of creating summer reading lists. I enjoy reading all subjects and genres, but I am especially partial to books about music. One of the great things about being a musician is being an eternal student – there is no definitive end…
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Quick Fix Friday: Open the Case!
I see you over there, pretending like you’ve diligently practiced every day all summer, telling yourself you’ll practice…later…maybe… There will never be a shortage of reasons not to practice, especially in the summer. (It’s too hot! I’m so tired! One more episode! I’ll do it after lunch! I forgot to order new reeds! I haven’t practiced in so long! I’ll…
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The Complete Guide to Clarinet Resonance Fingerings
In my experience, one of the most neglected aspects of clarinet fundamentals among students is resonance fingerings. I get it – resonance fingerings may not seem as important as articulation, scales, posture, altissimo register, or other more obvious clarinet skills – but mastering resonance fingerings will allow you to maintain a mellifluous and symmetrical sound throughout the entire range of…
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Quick Fix Friday: More Air, Less Fingers
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there is no panacea to become a master clarinetist (or any other instrumentalist, for that matter). We all have to follow a healthy musical “diet” of scales, long tones, and repertoire to improve. We’ve all seen the gimmicky tabloid headlines promising instant results with zero time or effort (Lose 20…
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Quick Fix Friday: Don’t “Rest” During Rests
Raise your hand if you’ve ever experienced that awkward moment when you spend so much time practicing and preparing the notes that you forget about the rests….and miss your entrance. I think it’s safe to say that most of us have experienced this at some point during our musical careers. There is a quick and easy two-part solution: Study the score. …
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The Complete Guide to Making All State
All State band is the big leagues for young musicians. It’s an incredible opportunity to meet talented musicians from around the state, work with guest conductors, and perform challenging music. Since musical talent cannot be measured through statistics (as in sports), All State allows young musicians to strive for and achieve tangible goals in an otherwise subjective field. But you probably…
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Quick Fix Friday: Don’t Swell on Long Notes
The title pretty much sums it up today’s quick fix, but let me elaborate. For whatever reason, musicians tend to get lazy with longer or sustained notes. Maybe you’re just glad to be done with the technical passage that came before. Maybe you’re dreaming of splurging on guacamole at Chipotle tonight (no judgement here). Whatever the reason, make sure that…
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A List of Lists Every Musician Should Have
I have a confession to make: I am an obsessive list-maker. I have lists on my phone, lists on my desk, lists on my laptop… I realize that not everyone shares my type A tendencies. Nonetheless, keeping a few lists can be beneficial for musicians. Having a few targeted lists can streamline applications, promote creativity, and keep musicians motivated. Here are…
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Quick Fix Friday: Recovering from Mistakes
My practice sessions are divided into two main parts: practicing to fix and avoid mistakes (woodshedding) and practicing to recover from mistakes (performance practice). I’ve already discussed the minutiae of woodshedding, from improving your rhythm to becoming a better sight-reader. Woodshedding is a crucial part of practice, but today I want to talk about performance practice. One of the simplest…