Martin Fröst Humming While Accompanying Himself on the Clarinet

A very fun video that shows yet another amazing talent of this great player.

This technique requires a great amount of skill when it comes to circular breathing. All clarinet sound is made by pushing out air with the cheeks. All lung power is devoted to the humming. It really is impressive.

The fun starts at 1:20 and again at 3:50, unless you speak Swedish.

Best Sources for Free Clarinet Sheet Music

Image: renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

IMSLP - Petrucci Music Library
This is the best source around when it comes to free sheet music, and not just for the clarinet either. Symphonies, concerti, sonatas, chamber music, etc. are all available here for free. The music is all public domain, so more recent works, such as those by Shostakovich, are not available here.

The Clarinet Institute of Los Angeles
This is another great source for clarinet music. It has solo pieces, duets, quartets, quintets, and chamber music for the clarinet. It also has a library of midi files of many clarinet works. There is a section with recordings made by the Institute as well. This consists of popular classical pieces set for clarinet ensemble. Some of the selections include Eine Kline Nachtmusik and In the Hall of the Mountain King.

8notes

This website has a lot of clarinet music for free download. The music on here ranges from happy birthday to Bach's Air on the G string. From my personal experience it does not have many pieces from the classical clarinet literature. Mostly transcriptions of folk tunes and some classics. It also has duets for two clarinets as well as duets for clarinet and oboe, flute, or saxophone. 

Posture and Tension and Their Effect on Wind Playing

An interesting experiment recently happened over at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. It all happened when flute teacher, Nancy Stagnitta, and dance instructor, Nicola Conraths, were discussing the connection between the body and the instrument. After talking about how tension and posture seem to affect the playing they decided to design an experiment to test how much proper and relaxed posture affect the quality of the sound. With the help of physics instructor, Taoufik Nadji, they found a way to test and measure the impact.

Read more at the Interlochen Center for the Arts website:

http://www.interlochen.org/crescendo/dance-physics-%3D-better-flutists?WT.mc_id=Crescendo_Mar2011

Firebird - Berceuse with Daniel Matsukawa

I know this is for bassoon, but much of what he says rings very true for all wind players as well as for musicians in general. Very interesting and useful information.

Clarinet Symphony Openings

Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
Principal Clarinet
Clarinet III/Bass

http://www.kalamazoosymphony.com/page.php?menu_id=6


Waterloo/Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra
Clarinet III/Auxiliary (includes Eb, Bb, and Bass)

http://www.wcfsymphony.org/about/employment-opportunities


Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra
Substitute and Extra

http://orlandophil.org/auditions/


Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra
Clarinet III/Bass

http://www.daytonphilharmonic.com/contactdpocareeropportunities


Knoxville Symphony Orchestra
Principal Clarinet

http://www.knoxvillesymphony.com/kso.asp?id=193



Boise Philharmonic Orchestra
Clarinet III/Bass

http://www.musicalchairs.info/uploads/job_adverts/8f4acbe014957d927e0f1245ef18fc77.pdf

Anthony McGill Appointed to Juilliard Faculty

Anthony McGill has been appointed to the Juilliard School Faculty. This news was received in the past couple weeks. Rumor is he will be hearing auditions this year to select students for his studio. What exciting news and best wishes to him on his future endeavors.

Humidifying Your Case

During these dry winter months it is very important to keep your clarinets from drying out. According to an article on LeBlanc's website, the ideal humidity for granadilla clarinets is between 45-55%. There are many ways to humidify your case and we are going to outline a few of the options here.

Dampit®     ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
Price: $20

The Dampit is an effective and easy way to increase the humidity in your clarinet case. The product consists of a rubber rube with a sponge inside. You then wet the Dampit and place it within the case where it releases the moisture.

Pros: Effective, simple, comes with a card that can be placed within the case to determine humiditiy.

Cons: More expensive than alternatives, must be refilled often, needs to be checked daily for moisture, the spong deteriorates after a period of time. Will need at least two for double case.

WARNING: Don't put this product inside the bore of the clarinet under any circumstance. This will greatly increase the likelihood of cracking.

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Humistat ®®     ★★★★★ (5/5)     TOP CHOICE!
Price: $9

The Humistat is a cheap, convenient, and very simple product. It consists of a water reservoir, a spong, and a sleeve to adjust the amount of moisture released.

Pros: Cheap (includes free shipping), clear reservoir makes it easy to determine if there is still water in the unit (vs the Dampit), only needs refilling every few days, small enough to fit in a clarinet bell or an accessories pocket.

Cons: You will probably need to buy two for your case, but at this price, and for the product you are getting, it is a very small con.

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Orange Peels     ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
Price: an orange

The peels of this readily available fruit make a great addition to a clarinet case. It provides moisture while added a great citrus scent.

Pros: Virtually free, effective, adds a pleasant smell to case.

Cons: Can be difficult to keep fresh peels in case if you don't eat oranges regularly, will turn moldy if not replaced every couple days.


Room Humidifier:     ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Price: $25+

Room humidifiers are a great way to humidify your instruments. As well as being good for the wood, it also provides moisture to the room and anything else stored in it. If you own multiple clarinets, or ever other wood instruments, this is the way to go.

Pros: Can humidify multiple instruments being stored in the room, being a better alternative than buying many small, individual humidifiers.

Cons: Room humidifiers can be expensive and are not very effective unless the clarinet is the the room a lot of the time.



Medicine Bottle     ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Price: >$5

Take an old, plastic medicine bottle. Drill some holes in the sides and put a cosmetic sponge inside. Wet the sponge when needed and leave in your case.

Pros: Very cheap and effective. Most people have a medicine bottle lying around and probably a cosmetic sponge as well. It is also a fun experience to make your own humidifier.

Cons: Some medicine bottles won't fit in certain cases, though most will. There is also a chance of leaking if you over-wet the sponge.



Hygrometer
Price: $8+

For any of these methods I would recommend buying a hygrometer. A humidor hygrometer will work great and is what I choose to use. This is a good way to monitor the humidity of your case and will keep you from over-drying as well as over-humidifying your clarinets. I prefer the look of the analog, but there are digital versions available as well.

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