No, a carbon fiber clarinet is not going to fix your terrible fundamentals

Carbon fiber clarinets, cryogenically treated ligatures, reeds formed by space-age polymers, an endless selection of exotic woods to customize your clarinet sound to your liking: we live in an age of unprecedented innovation and experimentation when it comes to the equipment we use to produce our art. While this is exciting and fascinating in many ways, it is also a terrifying phenomenon. I say this because all of this wondrous technology and development has created a situation in which work on solid fundamentals (air, technique, tuning, etc.) is being ignored and replaced with a desperate search to get the "best" equipment, as if a fancy mouthpiece or a special ligature will magically give ring and focus to an undeveloped sound.

My current set-up, which I adore,
is entirely composed of these
new technologies

The victim of this "equipment culture" is the student, specifically the advanced student studying music at the university level. I have seen countless students that are unhappy with their articulation, so they look for a new barrel, dissatisfied with their tone so they seek out a new mouthpiece, struggle with intonation so they drop thousands of dollars on this week's flagship model clarinet, when all of these issues, at their core, can be fixed through fundamental work. As a teacher, I have to work hard to stress the importance of fundamentals to my students. It is especially difficult because my set-up is comprised of many of these new technologies. I remember taking a lesson as a high school student with my local university teacher and hearing him play. I loved his tone and for some reason assumed that the reason I didn't sound like him was because I didn't have as fancy a ligature as he did. I truly thought if I shelled out the $80 I would instantly sound like him. I was too young to realize that long tones are worth more than a solid gold ligature, Kell more than any barrel made of rare woods, Baermann more than any ergonomic keywork, and time with my tuner more than any boutique-style clarinet setup.

 These technologies and innovations are exciting and I have adopted many of them. I think they offer an incredible opportunity to experiment with sound and can aid us in finding the elusive qualities that many of us search for our entire lives. At the same time, however, I think extreme caution should be used when introducing these products to students, especially younger ones, as they can often get in the way of the development of the basic tenants of clarinet playing, especially when touted as a quick fix for things that can only be improved by hours upon hours of deep, quality practice.

Chamber Music Michigan: The Midwest's Newest Chamber Music Organization

Based in Ann Arbor, Chamber Music Michigan is an organization that is committed to presenting high-quality chamber music performances. Beyond that, CMM strives to be an organization that is actively involved in the community through educational and other outreach opportunities.

The organization's inaugural performance is coming up on March 26th at 7:30PM in the parlor room of the beautiful Earhart Manor, located at Concordia University, Ann Arbor. Admission is free (suggested donation $10) and includes works by Beethoven and Mozart. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to the Facebook event below, as space is limited. RSVP HERE

Check out their website below!
CHAMBER MUSIC MICHIGAN

CMM: Chamber Music Michigan, Music at the Manor

Anthony McGill and the Pacifica String Quartet (samples)

Anthony McGill and the Pacifica String Quartet have recorded the Brahms and Mozart Clarinet Quintets on a CD that comes out on Tuesday, May 6th. You can preorder the album on iTunes today.

Check out these samples!

Cantata Profana - Chamber Music of a Grander Scale

Cantata Profana, founded in 2013 by students from the Yale School of Music and the Institute of Sacred Music, is a unique ensemble as it is committed to performing works written for larger-sized vocal and instrumental ensembles. According to manager and founder, Jacob Ashworth, "There are earlier precedents, but Arnold Schönberg’s Pierrot Lunaire kind of split the roof open for this sort of group. So many composers followed suit and started writing for eclectic combinations of instruments with voice... It’s hard to find the group that wants to devote themselves to making the organizational effort and spending the rehearsal time on a Webern piece with eight instruments and singer, if it is only going to yield two minutes of music on a program. But that’s us. We’re that group."

The group has already given two very successful concerts on the Yale campus and will be taking their hit show, Eight Songs for a Mad King, to Brooklyn's Roulette Theater on May 22 at 8:00pm. Tickets available HERE. 

This is a group made up of stunning musicians dedicated to presenting chamber works that are rarely performed. If you have the opportunity, be sure to check them out on May 22nd. Audio clips at top. 

Tickets for the May 22nd Show at Roulette, Brooklyn HERE

Cantata Profana Website HERE

Interview with Jacob Ashworth, the ensemble's manager and founder, HERE

Joel Puckett's Concert Duo - Listen tomorrow at 11:35am CST

Tomorrow at 11:35 AM CST Troy University Public Radio will be playing a segment from Tim Phillip's Clarinet Corner featuring the premiere recording of Joel Puckett's Concert Duo. You can tune in online HERE to catch the great recording featuring Anthony and Demarre McGill with the Chicago Youth Symphony. 

You can keep up with the latest from composer Joel Puckett by following him through the links below.
     Twitter - https://twitter.com/joelpuckett
     Tumblr - http://tinyurl.com/ap5y8v3
     Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/joel-puckett

Choma Academy of Music

The Choma Academy of Music is a music school located in Zambia, Africa where students are given the opportunity to receive formal music education while at the same time being given access to assistance for traditional schooling, AIDS and human trafficking prevention education, basic needs provisions, and career development/vocation skills training. There "Music... offer[s] an alternative to a life lived in fear of sickness and slavery. The Academy of Music in Choma, Zambia is battling AIDS and human trafficking by offering students life through the arts."

A colleague and friend of mine, Derek Thompson, will be traveling to Zambia this summer to teach music, bring along much needed music supplies, and to help to grow this institution which is helping to combat the issues of poverty, AIDS, and human trafficking. If you are able, please consider making a donation to help fund his trip. Donations of any size will make a difference! All donations will be used for travel costs, living expenses, and music supplies for the academy. Learn more about Derek and what he will be doing in Zambia at his fundraising page HERE. The Choma Academy of Music Facebook Page can be found HERE. 

Donate now!

Forestone Reeds

Above are some recordings I made comparing the legato and articulation of the Forestone to those of the Vandoren V12. The answers are at the bottom of this post. More recordings from other players are available on the Forestone website HERE. 

As a clarinet player, I am always on the lookout for ways to make what I do easier. The dream of every reed player is the perfect reed; a reed that could be produced with complete consistency while still maintaining a beautiful sound and great response. Since this cannot be accomplished with traditional cane reeds we are relient on the synthetic reed industry for the realization of this dream.

I recently had the opportunity to experiment with some of Forestone's new Premium Cut synthetic reeds. These reeds retail for $30.95 and are available direct from Forestone's Website HERE.  There are things I like about these reeds. For one, they are extremely consistent due to their proprietary injection molding process which allows them to achieve a tip thickness of 0.1mm. They are also unaffected by humidity and require no soaking. This is true of all synthetic reeds, but what makes the Forestone unique is their use of real wood fiber in the reed, 50% of which comes from bamboo.

I disliked the response I experienced from the reeds. I tried different reed thicknesses on a few different mouthpieces and still never felt secure in my articulation or legato. I also found the tone to be thuddy with unwanted overtones and chirps that would sporadically happen when switching registers or tonguing.

Though these issues have been greatly improved since the original Forestone cut, they are still problems that will keep the Forestone from becoming my main reed. I could see relying on them for outdoor concerts or other occasions when humidity can really be an issue, but while reeds have come a long way in this area, they are still not, in my experience, anywhere near where I could play them as a viable alternative to a real cane reed. I will keep my eye on Forestone and other makers as they continue to perfect their design in the hope that someday, there will truly be a perfect reed.

Articulation A - Forestone
Articulation B - V12
Legato A - V12
Legato B - Forestone

Pilgerstorfer Reeds

I have recently discovered a new brand of reed by the name of Pilgerstorfer. 

Pilgerstorfer, an Austrian company, produces three different cuts of French-style reeds. The Dolce, Rondo, and Morre. I tried several strengths of each cut and determined that the dolce is the closest to the V12s I am currently using. I found them to be very consistent and they produced a nice, mellow tone. They also play very well straight out of the box. I did notice that they seem to be lacking some of the depth I find in my V12s as well as possessing a somewhat slower articulation, but overall they are wonderful reeds. I would definitely recommend giving them a try. If you are interested, you can purchase the reeds from Clark Fobes, who is the only US retailer of the reeds. He even provides a sample box with reeds from all three cuts in the same strength if you are interested in comparing for yourself. Only time will tell if they will replace my trusty V12s, but they are definitely a contender. 

Buy reeds HERE. 

Pilgerstorfer website HERE. 

New York Phil Opening Gala: PBS on Demand

The full video of Thursday's concert can be seen below. Enjoy!

Watch New York Philharmonic Opening Gala with Itzhak Perlman on PBS. See more from pbs.

Pines of Rome: Anthony McGill performs with the New York Philharmonic

Watch the New York Philharmonic perform Pines of Rome from Thursday's concert. Anthony McGill, as always, sounds INCREDIBLE. Skip to around 9:00 to hear some of the most masterful clarinet playing you can imagine.

Masterclass with Robert Marcellus: an audio recording

Below is a recording made in 1982 of a masterclass with Robert Marcellus from the beginning of his summer sessions at Northwestern University. It is incredible to hear the voice and teachings of such a renowned performer and pedagogue. Enjoy!

The Reed Workshop: Reed Making Overview

Joseph LeBlanc, clarinetist in the DC area and creator of the incredible Metronome Plus app, has a new website dedicated to reed making. The Reed Workshop is a great resource for prospective/beginning reed makers as well as those with years of experience. You will find a full range of reed-making equipment as well as tips and tutorial videos to aid you along the way.

Below is a video with an overview of at-home reed making:



The Reed Workshop website can be found HERE.

Hearing music for the first time: a deaf man's story

Austin Chapman was born almost entirely deaf. Through the use of hearings aids he was able to discern some sounds, but nothing that made music special to him: 

"My whole life I’ve seen hearing people make a fool of themselves singing their favorite song or gyrating on the dance floor. I’ve also seen hearing people moved to tears by a single song. That was the hardest thing for me to wrap my head around.”

Through the help of an upgraded hearing aid (Phonak’s Naída S Premium) he was able to experience music for the first time. Below is his reaction to first hearing Mozart's Lacrimosa:

"Being able to hear the music for the first time ever was unreal.

When Mozart’s Lacrimosa came on, I was blown away by the beauty of it. At one point of the song, it sounded like angels singing and I suddenly realized that this was the first time I was able to appreciate music. Tears rolled down my face and I tried to hide it. But when I looked over I saw that there wasn’t a dry eye in the car."

The full story can be found HERE. (via The Atlantic)

Atlanta Symphony Contract Deadline Passes: What is next?

As the current contract with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra musicians expired on August 25, 2012, no deal had yet been reached in the ongoing negotiations between orchestra musicians and management. Management refused the deal proposed by the musicians suggesting that all orchestra employees take an 11% cut in pay, the result of which would have been a $5 million savings over the next two years. 

The orchestra is scheduled to open its new season on October 4th, if a new deal is reached in time. The Atlanta Symphony Website stated: 

“While the current contract between the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Atlanta Federation of Musicians expired on August 25, 2012, both parties are continuing to work towards a solution. Negotiations are ongoing. We have some serious budget issues to address but we are all striving for the same thing — a thriving music community.”

Musicians are fearful of a lockout which would leave them without pay and health benefits. Atlanta Symphony president, Stanley Romanstein, denies that this will happen, but Donald Fox, vice president of business operations, stated in a letter to musicians that they have no authority to continue to receive benefits past the time of the current contract's expiration. 

What is next? Could there be a strike in store? 

Full article HERE. 

Detailed information about negotiations can be found HERE.http://www.atlantasymphony.org/2012musiciantalks 

Atlanta Symphony: new proposal includes pay cuts for musicians and staff

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, with a debt that could reach $20 million by 2013, has agreed to an 11% cut in player compensation with the requirement that orchestra staff and management take an equal cut in pay. If officials agree to this decision, the orchestra would stand to save around $5 million over the next two years, more than the $3.1 million reduction demanded by orchestra management. It will be interesting to see how the management responds to this proposal.

I personally feel it is only fair that all involved make a sacrifice to keep this organization afloat.

Full article HERE.

Atlanta Symphony struggles keep and attract top musicians

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra has been having trouble attracting and retaining the high-level musicians that are necessary for the orchestra to keep its status as one of the nation's finest.

A proposed 25% pay cut, in addition to prior concessions, is prompting current members of the orchestra to seek out other opportunities and has caused a major drop in audition turnouts with a recent audition only showing 1/3 of the usual turnout, with no winner chosen.

To make matters worse, the proposed pay cut is being forced upon the musicians by symphony executives who are threatening to take away the musicians' health and dental insurance if they don't agree to the new measure by August 25th.

Full article available via Arts Journal HERE.

Some beautiful photos of the new Buffet "Divine" Clarinet

Below are some beautiful photos taken from Woodbrass.com, one of the few places the Divine is available. Their website is HERE and it's being sold for around $6800. (5522€)

Metronome+ Lite: Free download of incredible metronome app

Metronome+, the sleek, simple, and feature-packed metronome app (which is also my personal favorite) is now being offered up in a FREE "lite" version. This version contains many features including some of the loudest sounds on an Apple device (for loud rehearsals), a tempo scroll wheel, a range of 30-300 bpm, and a clear pendulum animation.

You can also get the full version for $1.99 (a steal!) which includes even more features such as the ability to run the metronome in the background (multitasking), do tap-tempo, as well as customizable sounds, beat patterns, and accents. Metronome+ is also constantly being updated with new features and if you own the app all updates are FREE. I have been using this app for a long time now and I can say that it is the best I have used. I really recommend giving it a try!

Download the "lite" version HERE.

Download the full version HERE.

Philadelphia Orchestra emerges from bankruptcy

The music community was shocked when the Philadelphia Orchestra, one of the "big five" declared bankruptcy, owing some $100m in debts, claims, and liabilities. Now, that same orchestra has reorganized, settled its debts, and, hopefully, found a plan that will keep it from financial ruin in the future. The restructuring has included lowering salaries, cutting musicians, and making changes to pension plans.

Read the full article HERE.

McGill@Menlo: "leaving a listener wanting more"

Music@Menlo Festival Photo: Tristan Cook / SF

Anthony McGill, a long time performer at San Fransico's Music@Menlo festival, received a glowing review from the San Francisco Gate of his performance of the Mozart Clarinet Quintet in collaboration with the Pacifica Quartet. Music critic, Joshua Kosman, said Mr. McGill has "a star quality that stands out in anything he does. He boasts a buttery, elegant tone that imparted a glossy sheen to the melodies of the first movement, and he leavened that with a crisp rhythmic bite in the variation set that constitutes the quintet's finale." He also said that "the only downside of Sunday's excellent concert... was that it didn't include enough of McGill's sumptuous artistry."

Read the full review HERE. 

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