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Questions for Musical Introspection
This blog post originally appeared as a digital clarinet studio lecture for the Iowa State University clarinetists. The last few months have been a whirlwind of emotions for everybody. I’ve been feeling a bit introspective lately (and I’m sure I’m not alone), so I thought I’d share some of the questions I’ve been asking myself and my students. While the world feels like it’s temporarily on pause, now is a great time to take a step back and consider your role as a musician and how you can use your music and your experiences going forward. Here are a few questions I’ve been musing over the last several weeks. Feel free…
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Musical Inspiration from Leonard Bernstein
This blog post originally appeared as a digital clarinet studio lecture for the Iowa State University clarinetists. For this week’s studio class, I would like to share one of my greatest musical inspirations with you all. Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) was a true Renaissance man – conductor, composer, pedagogue, author, and cultural icon. He made classical music accessible to the general public and used it to promote peace and break down barriers around the world. Here are a few of my favorite videos of him discussing teaching, classical music, and many other subjects which are still relevant today. Teachers & Teaching Young People’s Concerts – What Does Music Mean (Part 1…
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The Complete Guide to Clarinet Articulation
There are more than a few…controversial…clarinet topics. Once you learn the basics, you learn that nothing is really as basic as it first appears. One of these hot topics? Articulation and tonguing. This is why I’ve waited so long to publish this complete guide. I’ve done guides on tuning, resonance fingerings, long tones, crossing the break, and other clarinet fundamentals, but discussing articulation to an audience of predominantly clarinetists seemed a bit ambitious, to say the least. Please note: Before we dive into this complete guide, I want to make it very clear that there are many different articulation beliefs, philosophies, fundamentals, and concepts in the clarinet world. Ask a…
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Keeping Time: A Short History of the Metronome
I am a self-proclaimed metronome maniac. You’ll always find a metronome clicking methodically away throughout my practicing routine, used both as a speedometer and as the rhythm police. It helps me keep time and gain speed as I learn new pieces, and I feel strange when I practice without it. Long story short, I love metronomes. Even though I love music history, I’ve never given much thought to the origins of my trusty practice companion. Imagine my surprise when one of my students told me that the “inventor” of the metronome actually stole the design from someone else! Obviously, I had to investigate this sordid history… If we’re being quite…
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The great singers (and how singing can help your clarinet playing)
This blog post originally appeared as a digital clarinet studio lecture for the Iowa State University clarinetists. Singing is one of the most natural forms of music-making (and also one of the oldest). When you sing, you have no instrument, reeds, mouthpieces, ligatures, or any unnecessary equipment to bog you down. Granted, it takes a well-trained set of lungs and other specific vocal skills which can take many years to perfect, so singing is not quite as easy as many people seem to believe. I believe that listening to great singers and incorporating singing into your personal practice is an important part of any instrumental pedagogy. Singing can help you…
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Virtual clarinet scavenger hunt
This blog post originally appeared as a digital clarinet studio lecture for the Iowa State University clarinetists. Now that you’ve explored some diverse repertoire in our last virtual scavenger hunt, it’s time for another challenge. We’re going to broaden our focus to help you discover many things this week in the wonderful, wide world of clarinet. I would like for you to browse the internet to find the following people, places, and things (all new-to-you): clarinetist historical clarinetist chamber ensemble with clarinet clarinet brand and/or model reed brand and/or cut terrible stock photo of a clarinetist clarinet website, blog, forum, or newsletter book about the clarinet clarinet method, étude, scale,…
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Virtual clarinet composition scavenger hunt
This blog post originally appeared as a digital clarinet studio lecture for the Iowa State University clarinetists. Instead of our usual studio class this week, I thought I would present you with a challenge. There are thousands upon thousands of clarinet compositions in our repertory, yet we inevitably gravitate towards many of the same pieces. This week, I challenge you to dig deep in the depths of the internet to find 10 new-to-you pieces which represent a diverse collection. I’ll leave the definition of diverse to you – perhaps they span different eras (Classical, Romantic, Modern), composer nationality, style, clarinet techniques used in the piece, genre (punk rock clarinet?), or…
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33 Fun musical challenges to keep you motivated while you’re at home
For everyone out there who is stuck at home for the unforeseeable future, here are some fun challenges and ideas to keep you occupied and motivated until you can return to your normal schedule: Listen to all Mahler symphonies in a single day Listen/watch Wagner’s entire Ring Cycle (Der Ring des Nibelungen, WWV 86) Have a photo shoot with your instrument (hello, new DIY headshots!) Make a carrot clarinet (or see what other vegetables work well) Write a chronological list of your instrument’s major works (bonus points if you do it from memory) Tour music museums virtually Take advantage of all the free concerts online Make an arrangement of your…
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Top tips to maximize remote clarinet education (for teachers and students)
As music educators around the world make the switch to online lesson and course content, I would like to share several of my top tips for teaching clarinet virtually. Although it can be hard to replace face-to-face lessons, there are several cool features and ideas you can utilize during the next few weeks. I have been teaching Skype clarinet lessons for several years now, and here are my top tips to help your clarinet students with online lessons: Logistics Choose your platform. There are so many different options to choose from for online lessons. I like Skype and Zoom, but you can also try Google Duo, Facebook Messenger, or any…
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Practice with purpose: stop wasting your time!
This blog post was originally presented as a live lecture on March 7, 2020 at Texas Lutheran University during the ClariNETWORKS festival hosted by Paula Corley. If you feel like you are never making any progress no matter how long you practice, here are some tips to help you practice with purpose and stop wasting your time in the practice room: Organize your music space. You can’t have a productive practice session if you’re constantly having to stop and search for music, equipment, and accessories. Have a plan before you open the case. Keep a practice journal with goals, tips, inspiration, and advice to help you stay on track throughout…