clarinet and clarinet

Vandoren has just recently released their anticipated Masters Mouthpieces. They feature a very different design in that the mouthpiece itself is a conical shape. This allows for more freedom in the bore design, making this bore much different from others offered by Vandoren. The shape of these mouthpieces requires you to use either the Vandoren Optimum or the Vandoren Masters ligature as no normal shaped ligature will fit. It comes in two facings, the CL4, for harder reeds, and CL5, for softer ones. Pricing starts at $140 at the DANSR website, and this includes a pewter ligature. You can opt for black, silver, or 24K Gold as well, but it will cost you $31, $42, or $73 dollars respectively. We haven't had any personal experience with this mouthpiece yet, but we are looking forward to trying it in the future.

Prodigies have probably fascinated every musician at least once. There is something so bizarre and amazing about watching a child play with the skill and ability of someone much older. Below are some videos of clarinet prodigies. Of course we have included Julian Bliss and Han Kim, but we have also included Andrew Moses, who seems to be the newest clarinet prodigy around.




Andrew Moses, age 11




Julian Bliss - age 12




Han Kim - age 13

To continue on my current McGill obsession, here is a great interview with him. It covers his history, how he came to get his job at the Cincinnati Symphony, and how he deals with stress and the like. Really fun to read.

Searching around iTunes today I found several wonderful recordings of Mr. McGill. Besides his new self-titled album, I found many live performances of him. My purchases today include the Bartók Contras, the Schumann Phantasiestücke, the Quartet for the End of Time, and the Weber Quintet. All are incredible recordings and they are even more impressive because they are live performances. Anthony McGill is such an incredible player. Just listening to him is an inspiration for musicians everywhere. I really recommend adding these recordings to your collection! Click below to go to the iTunes store.

Quartet for the End of Time

Phantasiestücke

Weber Quintet

Bartók Contrasts 

I recently found a video of a masterclass Mr. McGill did at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. This masterclass took place on January 14 and works with the Adagio of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto.



and part 2

The Interlochen Arts Academy, located in the beautiful forests of Interlochen Michigan, is one of the finest arts schools in the world.  Interlochen has produced many notable alumi including Anothony McGill, Samuel Caviezel, David Shifrin, Luis Baez, Franklin Cohen, Larry Combs, and Sean Osborne. With its fantastic combination of rigorous artistic training, excellent faculty, beautiful surroundings, and top-notch facilities, you can not go wrong.

Interlochen's current clarinet teacher is the renowned Deborah Chodacki. Ms. Chodacki was a student of Stanley Hasty at Eastman and of Robert Marcellus at Northwestern University. She is well known as a soloist, teacher, and ensemble musician. Her students have gone off to win positions with the Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, "President's Own" Marine Band, and more.

Having worked with Ms. Chodacki personally, I can attest to the fact that she is an incredible teacher. She has a deep knowledge of the clarinet and music and is able to convey it to the student in a very natural, fluid way. Her ability to help the student discover new things helps them to grow very rapidly as a player. She is also one of the most compassionate and outstanding people I have ever met. She loves all of her students dearly and does all that she can for them.

The school employs an incredible staff as well. The teachers, academic and artistic alike, are top-notch. They are knowledgeable, caring, and willing to help the students accomplish their goals. The academic teachers work hard to incorporate the arts into their curriculum, making it more interesting and relevant to their students. They are also very understanding of artistic commitments, making a point to work around performances and lessons.

The campus is simply beautiful. It is nestled between two lakes and in the middle of the woods. Walking to class is always gorgeous, no matter the season. I remember many times doing homework by the lake. Theory doesn't get much better than that.

The buildings are also very nice. Corson Auditorium is a beautiful performance area and frequently has big events come in, such as the Vienna Boys Choir, the Russian Circus, and more. Dendrinos Chapel is also a nice, intimate space for solo or chamber recitals. There is also the massive outdoor Kresge Auditorium which housed a Jason Mraz concert this year.

As for academic buildings, the Frohlich building is a new building which houses the theory and composition department. The other academic classes are held in the three rotundas on campus. It is a unique and interesting setup.

The dorms are pretty nice. The rooms are small, but if you are practicing like you should, you won't be spending much time in them anyway! Each room as its own bathroom with a shower. Most are two people to a bathroom, but some are set up suite style with four to a bathroom. It works out well and makes things simple. Most of the dorms are not air conditioned, but you will only feel it for maybe ten days out of the year.

Each of the floors in the dorms has a counselor, which is a person to run the floor, hold events, and be there for the students. All the counselors I knew were fun, friendly, and loving people who cared about all of their students. It is a really good system.

All in all, this school is in incredible choice for anyone wanting to go into music. It is especially suited for the clarinet as Ms. Chodacki is one of the finest teachers alive. Attending Interlochen will give you a huge advantage when it comes time to apply for college and conservatory. Though it does all come down to your playing, if you work hard, you will leave this school infinitely better than when you came.

The New York Philharmonic offered Mr. Morales the position of principal clarinet back in October, when it was unsure as to what he would do. Today, though,  a spokesperson said that Mr. Morales has signed a contract to start in New York in September 2012. He will finish his obligations with the Philadelphia Orchestra before moving over.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/new-york-philharmonic-hires-ricardo-morales/?src=twrhp

We received the news yesterday in an email sent out by Philadelphia Orchestra chairman Richard B. Worley and President and CEO Allison Vulgamore.

The Philadelphia Orchestra is officially filing for chapter 11 protection.

"Our financial situation is serious and the simple facts are these:

• Our operating funds are rapidly dwindling and will be exhausted by June 2011.
• While the Orchestra does not have any debt, we are operating at a significant loss with a structural deficit of $14.5 million."

Christopher Hill is an artist in high demand. Not only does he play full time as principal clarinetist of the South Dakota Symphony, but he also teaches, conducts, and finds time to run his mouthpiece business. Despite all this, Mr. Hill was gracious enough to grant us an interview.

Kenneth Krause has won the position of principal clarinet with the Dallas Opera. Congratulations!

Bio
(taken from the Breckenridge Music Festival website)
Kenneth Krause is Principal Clarinet of the Dallas Opera Orchestra.  He is also Principal of the Richardson Symphony Orchestra, the Lewisville Lake Symphony, the Wichita Falls Symphony, and has performed with the Dallas and Fort Worth Symphony Orchestras.  He has recorded with Anshel Brusilow as a member of the Richardson Symphony, and with Howard Dunn and Frederick Fennel while Principal of the Dallas Wind Symphony.  Krause holds degrees from Northwestern University and North Texas State University.  He returns for his twelfth season with the Breckenridge Music Festival.

Yes, it's Martin again, but this time playing some Klezmer! Klezmer is one of the greatest genres of music around. It also doesn't hurt that it often features the clarinet so predominantly.

Giora Feidman is one of the greatest Klezmer players of all time. Check out his recordings for some great fun. Klezmer is so unique in that in emulates singing so well. It really is fascinating and has to bring a smile to your face.

For those of you curious about how to get into Klezmer, check out this article by talented clarinetist and professor at Miami University (Ohio). It is all about how the origin of Klezmer and how to get started playing it. Enjoy!

The musicians of the Detroit Symphony ended their 26 week strike signing a new three-year contract.

Read more here.

Figured that title would get people's attention (and get their ire up).As a whole, I think this is true. I'm sure there are now about 2,000 people out there who are going to write me and disagree. I'll spare you the trouble: I'm sure your 1950's bass clarinet sounds great. I'm sure you can manage its intonation issues. I'm sure it's incredibly free-blowing. I'm sure the wood is incredible. But, for my money, I prefer having the technological and acoustical advances that have been made over the past 60 years part of my bass clarinet's DNA. I like that the ergonomics of the instrument have improved. I like having a single register key. I like being able to not twist myself into knots to get the thing to play in tune.Sometimes older is not better. Let the flame war commence.