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Couch to Cavallini Practice Plan
Has it been a while since you’ve played clarinet? Perhaps you decided to take an extended break. Or your job/family/kids took precedence over your clarinet. Maybe you haven’t played clarinet since the last century – no judgement here! Whatever the reason, life got in the way of you and your clarinet, which is currently collecting dust in a closet somewhere. If you’re reading this post, you’ve probably already taken the first step, which is deciding that you want to play again – congratulations! Before we get to the Couch to Cavallini practice plan, here are a few things to keep in mind: This practice plan is for anyone who used…
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2018 Jenny Clarinet Boot Camp
The 2018 Jenny Clarinet Boot Camp is a downloadable practice plan and guide created to improve clarinet fundamentals. Each month contains a different method book or solo work, which I have organized into daily assignments. Each day features specific exercises to be incorporated into your practice routine. Make 2018 the year of building technique and improving fundamentals! Here is the schedule: January – Vade-Mecum de Clarinettiste February – Klosé Scales and Exercises March – Rose 32 Etudes April – Kell 17 Staccato Studies May – Kroepsch 416 Progressive Daily Studies, Vols. 1 & 2 June – Mozart Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622 July – Stiévenard Practical Study of the Scales August…
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The Final Resting Places of Famous Clarinetists
Happy Friday the 13th! To get into the Halloween spirit, I’ve been visiting cemeteries and researching the gravesites of famous clarinetists. This morbid fascination has led me to visit many of these graves during my travels. Visiting these musicians’ graves allows me to pay my respects to the people who have influenced so much of the clarinet’s history. History books only tell us so much, and it’s an amazing experience to visit the final resting places of people who had previously existed only on paper or in music. Here are some of the cemeteries in which famous clarinetists are buried. This will be an ongoing project which I will update…
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13 Recordings Every Clarinetist Should Hear
There are thousands of amazing recordings by talented clarinetists from around the world, and I’ve chosen some of my favorites for the following list. I’ve chosen these recordings based on their historical significance and prominence among the clarinet community. This list just contains classical recordings, and I know that there are countless jazz recordings just waiting to get their own list. My list includes only solo and chamber music repertoire, so stay tuned for more lists with orchestral repertoire. By no means is this list meant to be comprehensive, and I would enjoy hearing about which pieces you would put on your own list. So, without further ado, here are…
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Baermann Boot Camp
I love practicing scales, but I have a confession… I’ve never made it through the entire Baermann scale book (Division 3, Op. 63). I’ll pick bits and pieces to practice occasionally, but I have never developed a regimen to complete the entire book in a structured routine. Don’t get me wrong: I practice scales every day, but I like variety. I’ll use the Baermann for a few days, then switch to Klosé or Stievenard, then practice without any book at all. I like to keep things interesting. I’ve used many scale books throughout the years, but my favorite will always be the Baermann. Which is why I decided to create the…
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50 More Pieces Every Clarinetist Should Know
In creating my 50 Pieces Every Clarinetist Should Know, I had the tough task of cultivating a list of just 50 landmark works for clarinet. I had to leave many worthy and deserving pieces off the list, which is why I decided to create a Part 2 with 50 more pieces every clarinetist should know. Clarinetists are lucky to have a repertoire so diverse, and it is impossible to list every milestone work for the instrument. Here are my suggestions of important clarinet pieces, which I have chosen based upon their historical significance and prominence. By no means is this list intended to be comprehensive or universal, so as always,…
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50 Pieces Every Clarinetist Should Know
One of the best parts about playing the clarinet is the wonderful repertoire written for the instrument. From classical to jazz (and every genre in between), there will never be a shortage of great clarinet music. The plethora of clarinet repertoire can be overwhelming, so I’ve compiled a list of 50 pieces that every serious clarinetist should know. Hopefully, you will have the opportunity to perform many of these pieces during your clarinet careers. In the meantime, it’s important to recognize these pieces and to know about their history and significance within the clarinet repertoire. Most of these scores can be accessed via the IMSLP (International Music Score Library Project)…
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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 the clarinet. Your clarinet sound is your musical voice, so it’s important to develop all fundamentals necessary to produce a beautiful sound. Let’s start from the beginning. What are resonance fingerings? Resonance fingerings (which I have also heard called covered fingerings, shading, right hand down/RHD, and other names given by…
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Quick Fix Friday: Ligature Before Reed
If you’re a clarinet player, I’m sure you know the agonizing pain of breaking a reed (especially a good one!). RIP to the hundreds of reeds I’ve unintentionally killed. May you all join the ranks of loyal and noble reeds from yesteryear who have met an untimely demise. One easy way to prevent premature reed deaths? When you’re assembling your clarinet, always put your ligature on before the reed. This avoids the risk of chipping or breaking your reed with the edge of your ligature. Simply loosen the ligature so that you can maneuver the reed to the position you want, then tighten the ligature and voilà – no chipped reed!
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Q&A with Sean Perrin of Clarineat
If you haven’t heard of Clarineat by now, you’ve probably been locked in a practice room for way too long. For anyone who is unfamiliar with Clarineat, it’s “the podcast and blog for clarinetists. Features interviews with today’s leading artists and manufacturers, videos, news, giveaways, articles, and a store.” Essentially, it’s a mecca for clari-nerds. I first met Sean Perrin, the host and founder of Clarineat, last year at ClarinetFest in Lawrence, Kansas. In addition to the amazing content he produces, he is also a talented clarinetist and all-around interesting person. I invite my readers to get to know the man behind “all that’s new a neat for the clarinet” a little…
