tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19406784847061147492024-03-13T11:34:48.618-04:00Shannon's BlogMusings, ramblings, and other blogginess from clarinetist Shannon Thompson.Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-43048764506392542262014-07-29T02:41:00.000-04:002014-07-29T02:41:32.066-04:00Well, it took me two years, but I did it!I made a promise to some audience members in 2012 that I'd put the presentation I did at the Nebraska ClarinetFest online, and I finally got it done. I'll be at ClarinetFest 2014 in Baton Rouge this week, and I wanted to make sure I'd kept my promise before I saw anyone. There's nothing like a deadline to help motivate you!<br />
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The title of the lecture was "The Signature Sound of Daniel Bonade and his Students: Its Evolution and Attainment," which fit right in with my doctoral treatise research from 1998 and the Daniel Bonade and Robert Marcellus theme of ClarinetFest 2012. I gave this talk a few times at different universities after the conference, but, for the most part, there's very little change in this online presentation from what I presented in Nebraska. I corrected a few errors, but there isn't any new research included.</div>
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Narrating all the slides and getting the sound levels to an acceptable level has proven to be quite a lot of work, and I learned a lot by going through the process. I'm glad I did it, but next time, I think I'd rather film myself doing a lecture in front of real people. This movie shows you the keynote slides better, but it's missing the presence of an audience.<br />
I improved the sound quality of the videos of Robert Marcellus in a 1982 masterclass as much as I could. I actually don't know who filmed this or how I ended up with a copy, but I think they took place at Baylor University. </div>
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Please let me know if you have any trouble viewing this or have any questions, corrections, or more information. This is an exciting topic for me! </div>
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If you are interested in hearing more of Daniel Bonade's great playing, I'd recommend Larry Guy's <a href="http://www.bostonrecords.com/servlet/the-119/Daniel-Bonade/Detail">CD Compilation of excerpts featuring Bonade</a> on the Boston Records Label. Any recording by the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by George Szell should feature Robert Marcellus on principal clarinet, so there's a lot of great stuff out there. I always do a szell cleveland search on iTunes or Amazon when I'm looking for a recording of an orchestra piece I'm about to play that I don't know. There's also a lot of great vintage recordings of clarinetists at <a href="http://rharl25.wix.com/clarinetcentral">Clarinet Central</a>. Finally, you can listen to your heart's content to a <a href="http://media.northwestern.edu/">big audio collection of clarinet master classes conducted by Robert Marcellus from 1977-1990</a> which is offered online by Northwestern University. </div>
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Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-77057931935328558412014-02-16T17:55:00.000-05:002014-02-16T23:47:32.682-05:00Some thoughts for those considering a music major...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This month, as I am meeting some prospective music majors, emailing and talking with them and their parents, and having first lessons with them, as well as continuing to teach the students in my studio, I want to share a few thoughts. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Teaching at WCU is not an easy job, but it’s a rewarding one. For me, this is because I have a great collection of students and colleagues to work with. At the risk of sounding sappy, it’s easy to care for the clarinet students here, because they are a lovable bunch: an interesting, talented, and fun collection of human beings - who are all completely different from each other! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">My teaching is based in a comprehensive school of clarinet playing that emphasizes beauty of sound and efficient use of the body to play the clarinet with flexibility and ease. The clarinet is a complicated instrument, and so I make sure my students have good instruments and other equipment, and I show them how to diagnose and choose equipment. My students go through a systematic series of exercises to develop finger technique and the ability to read music in all keys, and we address individual playing issues with targeted exercises and activities which can range from simple exercises, body exercises, listening assignments, and reading. We often play duets in lessons, and we are able to play a lot of different literature from a large sheet music collection which includes my own library, that of my predecessor Maxie Beaver, and three large bins of music that my first clarinet teacher Stan George gave to me from his own music and that of his teacher, John Stehn. Ultimately, the goal of lessons throughout an undergraduate’s years with me is to develop more and more proficiency and independence, so that that student becomes a competent and versatile clarinetist/musician, who makes his or her own musical and technical decisions based on both knowledge and experience.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As a college clarinet teacher, my job is to help each student become a well rounded clarinetist and musician, and I endeavor to create and maintain a good working relationship with students based on individual needs and personality. That’s a lot of responsibility, and ultimately, it’s shared by both me and my student. Of course, the student will have to practice daily, or at least practice regularly enough to make the necessary progress. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">With all the responsibilities of classes and other college activities that music majors have, this can often be challenging. I don’t think Western is unique in that respect - music majors are busy people! The question a lot of prospective students and parents have when they see the demanding schedule of a music major is “can they do it?” The answer, assuming that the student is accepted to the university and passes his/her music audition with us, is “yes!” provided they:</span></div>
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<li style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Are open to change and willing to try new things.</span></li>
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<li style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Reach out to and bond with other students.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Be willing to face challenges (we ALL have them) and work on them.</span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Most of this is true for any college student, but majors like music that begin specialized classes first semester of freshman year, are particularly demanding. Time management and personal responsibility can be issues for new college students, particularly those who are used to relying heavily on others or come from a high school situation where tardiness and/or missed assignments were tolerated. Everybody struggles with adjusting to life as a new college student, and talking with friends who have been through it before can be a great way of learning how to cope with college life. Students that have been at Western for a few years have some of the best advice for first year students. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The other question I get from students (and their parents especially) is “will I have a job when I graduate?” Great question: depends on the major and what job you are expecting. With the exception of a couple of dry years when the recession hit, there have been music teaching jobs in the public schools out there for our graduates. Good grades and experience teaching students and/or working at band camps can help you land a better job, but for a first job, don’t expect to land your dream job. Some of our students come in hoping that they will be able to be the band director at the high school that they graduated from. Obviously, that rarely occurs, especially as a first job. That said, we have a lot of alums who have become successful music educators both inside and outside the state. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">If you are looking at our commercial and electronic music or music industry degrees, those degrees lead into careers after graduation. Since there’s a lot of diversity within these degrees, it’s hard to generalize as to what types of jobs people end up with, but a lot of our graduates are working for music companies and recording studios. Most students in these degree programs do an internship in the business during their senior year or over the summer, and these internships can really help a student get the experience they need and/or make connections to land a job in the field.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">Those students who pursue a performance degree at Western (or anywhere else) should plan on earning both a masters and a doctorate in order to succeed as professional players and/or college teachers. And... choose your teachers and graduate programs well, because you need fine teachers who are also mentors to help you learn what you need and help you make connections. There are some places in the country where those with undergrad performance degrees can make an ok living teaching private lessons to band students, and I actually did this for a while when I lived in Austin. I only recommend the performance major to those who love, love, love the clarinet and music-making, have an excellent aptitude for it, are highly motivated to practice long hours, and can’t see themselves doing anything else in their lives. This is the route I took, and it has led to a really interesting vocation and life! </span><span style="font-size: 12px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">Although I love classical music and continue to champion it, I doubt that we’ll have very many orchestras or even as many positions for full time college clarinet professors in the future. I believe there will always be room for performers and creators of music, including those who do their undergraduate work on a traditional instrument like clarinet, but it’s important to think beyond the initial undergraduate training and expand one’s skills and exposure beyond the traditional realm of classical music. If I was just starting my musical education now, I would definitely make room in my education for courses in music technology, sound production, and composition, as well as improvisation and jazz. Others should find their own way based on their interests and aptitude, but whatever you do, make sure you have a lot of skills! Whether you learn recording technology, how to teach music theory, or virtuoso harmonica, diversifying your skill set can only help you in the music business and academia.</span><br />
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Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-81124073436882122852013-01-29T23:46:00.002-05:002014-02-16T17:58:59.692-05:00Beginning Again: Bach to the Clarinet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After a week of not practicing at all due to a bad virus, I'm back in the saddle again. Although I've got to perform a solo movement next Friday with the wind ensemble, I've decided to ease into my practicing as my ears, throat, and chest heal. Tonight I started into my usual routine with some scale studies for about twenty minutes. It actually felt healthy and joyous to play this stuff again, which surprised me. I sounded so bad doing duets with my students today and yesterday, I wasn't sure I would be able to play tonight. Actually, I have no idea how I sounded, since my ears are still pretty blocked.<br />
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Then, I went to the music that interests me the most: that of J.S. Bach. Don't ask me why someone who loves Bach's music ended up playing an instrument that he ignored. I suspect Bach made a smart choice not composing for the infant clarinet: it probably wasn't very pleasant to listen to, and it certainly wasn't versatile.<br />
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I love to read through the solo violin pieces and the cello suites. I usually reserve the cello suites for bass clarinet. In both cases, I read from the urtext parts and don't bother transposing. Of course, with the bass clarinet stuff, you must read bass clef, but that's part of the fun. I avoid the movements with many double stops, but I'm left with plenty of challenging and beautiful music to explore. Playing these pieces helps me to balance myself. The music keeps me challenged as I play through the phrases, and it begs to be played with the utmost delicacy and beauty. I always leave a practice session of Bach's music with a smile on my face, no matter where I am in the learning process.<br />
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When I come back to the clarinet after a break, I try to structure my practice routine so that it helps build up confidence and also helps to spark the passion that brought me to music in the first place. Not only does this mean staying away from heavy reeds and the altissimo music, but it also means giving myself a fresh new start.<br />
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<br />Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-5587173256171100412013-01-21T12:54:00.000-05:002013-01-21T13:31:40.137-05:00This Time of the Year - Part 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Seriously, I can't believe this is my third year in a row of having to deal with a crack problem in my clarinet. This time, there were TWO cracks to deal with!<br />
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Here's a photo of what I found at 10pm the night before I was to travel to Greensboro and Winston-Salem to play our British music recitals. What got me looking at my clarinet was that two "normal" reeds that I tried on my clarinet were registering 15-20 cents flat on the tuner. That seemed odd, so I checked to see if the crack we had superglued last month had opened up again. The superglued area was fine, but the crack had lengthened into the second tone hole, and a new crack had developed at the bottom of that same tone hole.<br />
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I'm lucky that Eldred Spell is a night owl and that my husband just happened to have a fairly new bottle of ultra thin superglue at home. This kind of superglue often dries up in the bottle before you need it a second time. Eldred did a lovely job of sealing the cracks and polishing the bore so that the superglue mostly disappeared from view, and I was able to start playing through my recital program by midnight.<br />
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Since it was raining like crazy that week, and the humidity in my house was decent, I am sure that this occurred because of the lack of humidity where I work: WCU's Coulter Building. I may have to start using my second best clarinet during students' lessons, if I want to save my clarinet from completely breaking apart!Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-63995895127326578332013-01-11T11:31:00.003-05:002013-01-11T11:37:09.235-05:00My Tribe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This August, I had an amazing experience at ClarinetFest 2012 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Because the focus of the conference was on Daniel Bonade and his student Robert Marcellus, this was the largest collection of people I had ever been with who were Marcellus students. There was also at least one student of Bonade, and many followers like me of the teachings of these two clarinet superstars. I met so many wonderful people who shared my love for the sound concepts of these artists the "Philadelphia School" or "American School" aesthetics. I truly felt like I had found my tribe!<br />
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The encouragement and enthusiasm from the audience at my presentation on Bonade and his students' sounds was a really special moment for me. It made me realize that clarinetists are really hungry to know more about our predecessors and what they can teach us, and that my research is something that is important to pursue more and share with others. Prompted by someone who urged me to put my presentation up on the internet, I promised the audience that I would try to do that. Afterwards, I realized that I should bring the presentation to other universities to share with the clarinet studios first, before I made it completely available on the internet. However, when I have the time (probably not until summer break), I plan to put portions of it up on the internet. Besides my own studio, I've presented it to the clarinetists at the University of Texas in Austin in October; and next week, I'll be presenting to the clarinet studio at the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. I'm hoping to show it at more colleges this year when I can work this into my schedule. </div>
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The Bonade reeds pictured above are from the stash of my first clarinet teacher, Stan George. He pulled them out for me to try out and photograph this summer. They look kind of duck-billed to me in shape. Can't say they are my favorites to play (pretty soft), but they worked pretty well on Stan's mouthpiece. </div>
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Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-90596469512709478912013-01-04T15:25:00.002-05:002013-01-04T15:48:16.551-05:00My Daughters<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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Just a break from music and the clarinet to write about what really matters: our loved ones. Here's a photo of my our children, Billie and Ella. We adopted them from the Jackson County Animal Shelter in 2007, and they have been part of many of our happiest moments since then.<br />
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Like many places in this country, our county operates a shelter that has to euthanize hundreds of animals per year, many of whom are adoptable. It isn't the fault of the people who work at shelters, and I encourage anybody who's thinking of adopting a dog or cat to visit their local shelter or pet rescue organization.<br />
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As part of our annual charitable donations, my husband and I always send money to our local county animal shelter and our feline sanctuary, <a href="http://www.catman2.org/">Catman 2</a>. If you love animals, please don't turn a blind eye to pet overpopulation problems. <a href="http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/pet_overpopulation/facts/spay_neuter_myths_facts.html" target="">Click here for more info from the Humane Society</a>.</div>
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<br />Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-35242030502542970512013-01-04T00:34:00.003-05:002013-01-04T00:38:46.648-05:00RRRReverb!I've always wanted to be able to add reverb to my teaching studio, but I didn't want to buy and mess with hardware to do it. I discovered a way to do it on my iPad yesterday when I was checking out programs that would work with my new iRig Pre (a preamp device to attach your microphone to the iPad). After settling on the TwistedWave program as a good overall recording/editing app, I checked out some of the live effects apps. I was nervous about getting feedback in my headphones or speakers, so I was careful to bring up the volume gradually when trying these out. I found that I could get a simple and quick reverb effect in my office at home by using an app called AudioEffects and plugging the iPad into my home computer speakers. Just using the built in mic on the iPad, I was able to create reverb in the room while practicing my clarinet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_pqHSdQmtizThEscT3UFaTI5yXptsxwA0KUI09j5gcpOBXSw5to5X8YMfMvNBXXWPac5ZoSwle42siDlgRfmrjfFU80Wanfi2DOgGCET_c1KpDglfJxAPHvPXNc44Wx1VwWZxae-Dj_k/s1600/jacobprincipals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_pqHSdQmtizThEscT3UFaTI5yXptsxwA0KUI09j5gcpOBXSw5to5X8YMfMvNBXXWPac5ZoSwle42siDlgRfmrjfFU80Wanfi2DOgGCET_c1KpDglfJxAPHvPXNc44Wx1VwWZxae-Dj_k/s320/jacobprincipals.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacob performing in Clarinet Principals Class, WCU</td></tr>
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My husband asked me why I didn't just find an app on my MacBook that would do the same thing. That actually turned out to be a harder and more elaborate task to conquer. There are plenty of VST plugins for DAW (digital audio workstation) programs, but I couldn't figure out how to use these in Audacity, and the whole process seemed like overkill. Finally, I found a post on the NAfME list that explained how to do this in Garageband. Just add a track and select "Real Instrument". Over on the right you make sure your input source is an external mic of some sort (I used a microphone connected to an iMic), switch the monitor to on (make sure volume levels aren't on high or you may experience feedback), and then under the Edit menu (next to Browse), you can set the reverb level to whatever percentage you want. I placed the microphone fairly close to where I was practicing, and I got the feeling of being in an instant concert hall!</div>
Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-57292082773856324902012-06-20T16:59:00.001-04:002012-06-20T16:59:11.932-04:00Letter from Robert McGinnis to Daniel Bonade<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmnktMzVEoaEyzEyfAsCDqgl5VQTxBq_yf7Ukhe95fLY44R8o7S1cr9xoI4mE4hyphenhyphenE0A7rjF75Aa6-bsipX6NlmHP09MVbc5FsSJUaMLMpwnIv6BomvqHsxbYxq7cDtkv7fEYVNTXETyg/s1600/stoki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmnktMzVEoaEyzEyfAsCDqgl5VQTxBq_yf7Ukhe95fLY44R8o7S1cr9xoI4mE4hyphenhyphenE0A7rjF75Aa6-bsipX6NlmHP09MVbc5FsSJUaMLMpwnIv6BomvqHsxbYxq7cDtkv7fEYVNTXETyg/s320/stoki.jpg" width="273" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leopold Stokowski (1882-1977)</td></tr>
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I am busy at home going over all my old notes to resurrect my research on Daniel Bonade and also get ready for my presentation at the ClarinetFest. I just came across a copy of an undated letter to Bonade from his student Robert McGinnis about his audition for Leopold Stokowski, music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra. It was probably written about 1930, the year McGinnis entered the orchestra. He started as third clarinetist, and then moved to principal, when Louis DeSantis left.<br />
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6235 Chestnut St.</div>
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Dear Daniel: - </div>
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Well I played for Stoky this morning. I thought I'd write you cause I couldn't hold it until Saturday. The reed still worked good and I played quite well and he was quite pleased and said he was petty sure I'd <u>do</u>. There are some catches in it tho cause he wants me to play again in 2 weeks and wants me to practice certain things. He said I must have first good tone, good phrasing and most important of all to do just as he signs without being talked to. For the next audition I must develop a vibrato for certain places, play much more freely and be careful not to go flat in crescendos. All I played was Don Juan, Unfinished Symphony, and Venusberg Music and Scheherazade. He made me play so loud that even a tuba would have gone flat under the pressure and I had an awful time trying to make a vibrato. And of course I must play more freely and flexibly. I think all that can be taken care of if I can only discover how to make a vibrato.</div>
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What makes me feel the chances are good is that he asked me if I knew anybody for 2nd or 3rd and so I told him about Collis. He told me not to say a word to anybody about this and so I won't tell Collis but you could easily start preparing him without telling him for a while. I'll give you the details on Sat. when I see you and you better bring an extra vibrato with you. My best wishes to Mrs. Bonade and I'll see you soon.</div>
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Very Sincerely, </div>
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Robt. McGinnis</div>
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If you want to know more about Bonade and McGinnis and Stokowski, check out this <a href="http://www.stokowski.org/Philadelphia_Orchestra_Musicians.htm#Clarinet%20Index%20Point_" target="_blank">link</a>.</div>
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<br /></div>Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-21144469581806979772012-06-08T22:53:00.000-04:002015-11-30T17:25:33.040-05:00The Reed (and Barrel!) Project<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2YbD8QMp3nuEzsRUbK-Qew7nEaYTb20fExMjprYyPs-A9B_KY-rCS-8IUTD4soqjAaVTgqeCZVtNvXu_rTbD55rEnvfsIJT77vX0xgnZpxZ4kBWnClChq-4zyXFOfJO6k3ok1nvDeWc/s1600/IMG_0192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2YbD8QMp3nuEzsRUbK-Qew7nEaYTb20fExMjprYyPs-A9B_KY-rCS-8IUTD4soqjAaVTgqeCZVtNvXu_rTbD55rEnvfsIJT77vX0xgnZpxZ4kBWnClChq-4zyXFOfJO6k3ok1nvDeWc/s320/IMG_0192.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brian Hermanson teaches reed class at WCU</td></tr>
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I've been meaning all year to put up a posting about custom reed maker Brian Hermanson, who came to our neck of the woods last summer with his wife Alice Ann. It's not everyday that you find a professional clarinet reed maker within easy driving distance, particularly when you live in a fairly remote mountain hideaway like Cullowhee, North Carolina.<br />
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Brian happens to be a fine clarinetist with a brilliant mind, who thinks deeply about sound and discovers how to manipulate it through reed design and other factors. I got him to teach our single reed making class this semester, which I also attended, and he took the class to a whole other dimension of really analyzing your sound and the reed's anatomy. Check out Brian's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reedproject">Facebook page</a> to learn more about him.<br />
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In the fall, Brian designed a reed for me that I named the "Chicago" for the Chicago Kaspar 11 that I am currently playing (thanks to <a href="http://www.ramonwodkowski.com/">Ramon Wodkowski'</a>s amazing mouthpiece refacing). Since then, I've had the joy of getting together with Brian every couple of weeks to try his new reed designs and new barrels that he is beginning to make. I'm using one of his barrels now, which is made out of bubinga wood, and having a good time trying out the others he's made since. His barrel making activity has inspired me to get Eldred Spell (piccolo headjoint maker and WCU flute colleague) to find my box of mountain mahogany barrel blanks and start experimenting with clarinet barrel making again. The first time we did this, I took the first barrel Eldred made for me (that wasn't seasoned or treated or anything) to Utah, where it shrunk in the low humidity and heat to about 3/4 its size!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nMm_iiW-QoAuIp8GFQHN2iYe68J8tSUsOU5Mv2v5JmvyLWa2jEJCkfvm-G0KlffYhezFSN0kIXZM-gkEsiYcFQGjNgt7jw32lOR_HW-63xZAQgLNFscFrNOaRF2tCxq0UrT5fwgtrv8/s1600/Image+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nMm_iiW-QoAuIp8GFQHN2iYe68J8tSUsOU5Mv2v5JmvyLWa2jEJCkfvm-G0KlffYhezFSN0kIXZM-gkEsiYcFQGjNgt7jw32lOR_HW-63xZAQgLNFscFrNOaRF2tCxq0UrT5fwgtrv8/s200/Image+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">One of Brian's barrels on the lathe</td></tr>
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Back to reeds: I've been playing Brian's reeds exclusively since October, and some of my colleagues in the Asheville Symphony and our students are also playing his reeds. See <a href="http://reedproject.org/">reedproject.org</a> for his website store. He's working on several designs with people, and he also has a couple of production designs that he sells: the Chicago and the BCR. Brian made up boxes of what we call "No Bite" reeds for my students that are a special system he invented that builds up your embouchure so that you learn to avoid biting on various registers and intervals. I use them myself whenever I feel that I'm getting away from the embouchure control that I need.<br />
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Another embouchure building tool that I've been using lately is the Facial Flex. I got the idea from an article Larry Guy wrote on embouchure, and the device really does seem to help you build up the muscles of your lip from the side. The Facial Flex is a popular wrinkle remover device of dubious reputation that I doubt has any positive effect on one's facial appearance. Fortunately, using it to build up certain embouchure muscles on the clarinet really does work, but I wouldn't recommend using it in public!<br />
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Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-80498145804379829172012-02-17T20:42:00.000-05:002012-06-08T22:58:28.446-04:00This Time of the Year - Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I discovered a crack in my clarinet this week. That makes four Bb clarinets in a row for me. Three of which were probably brought on by the horrible conditions of the non humidity controlled building in which I work. That and scheduling recitals in February. Since it's been two and a half years since I got this clarinet, I thought it was "seasoned" enough to not crack, but I was wrong.<br />
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I thought of repairing the crack myself, but then I got wise and did what any intelligent person within driving distance of Eldred Spell would do: I packed up my clarinet and a bottle of ultra thin super glue and headed for Eldred's house. Eldred is the master of fixing such things, and these photos prove it. It was both interesting and disheartening to see the extent of the crack through a microscope.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagnosis</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Operation</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygq1LM7ooWIz3Uz3Nrmbcl7fDd1ZjKuM2OdWc_5-h8nal0vpBlzEgDEl7eIkGi4bM5W9t71XUcQAhTW_EZcFKSrxaueUZQPi5E_1RF3NQ2HB4QcPm47Zvfmk00nv3ejuRy577zZeGeLo/s1600/IMG_1627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygq1LM7ooWIz3Uz3Nrmbcl7fDd1ZjKuM2OdWc_5-h8nal0vpBlzEgDEl7eIkGi4bM5W9t71XUcQAhTW_EZcFKSrxaueUZQPi5E_1RF3NQ2HB4QcPm47Zvfmk00nv3ejuRy577zZeGeLo/s320/IMG_1627.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recovery</td></tr>
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<br />Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-73302666518286594002012-02-12T16:06:00.000-05:002017-09-04T08:40:45.785-04:00Bb Bass Transposition for Prelude and Isolde's Love Death by WagnerI am sure that someone out there is going to really appreciate my valentine gift of a transposition of the bass clarinet part to Richard Wagner's Prelude and Isolde's Love Death (Liebestod) from <i>Tristan and Isolde</i>. The original part is for bass clarinet in A in bass clef. Unfortunately, I received a pristine part, with no markings on it to indicate any notes, even though I'd played the piece with the same orchestra a few years earlier. I searched my library and the internet in vain looking for a transposed part. I would have been happy to pay someone just to not have to deal with the transposition myself. I'm okay reading bass clef transposition and I'll deal with A transpositions in treble, but when you put the two together, it's a royal pain. Rather than marking up the part again and stressing through the rehearsals concerned that I'd flub a transposition, I went ahead and put it all into Finale. It took me 4 1/2 hours because I'm not a Finale pro.<br />
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So here it is, my masterpiece, guaranteed note correct and completely readable, since I just used it in my performance with the Asheville Symphony last night. You can download a pdf of the part <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0EXDTFZl25ZdjNoOHRYQjRPVEU">here</a>.</div>
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Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-67156996577162443542012-01-02T17:16:00.000-05:002013-01-11T11:42:14.572-05:00Tooth Saver<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Because of a venous malformation that I was born with in my upper gum and lip, I am missing some of the bone I need above my front upper teeth to counter the weight that pushes in from the clarinet. Back in 2004, when I experienced some loosening of one of my teeth and pain while playing, I consulted the experts at the University of North Carolina Medical and Dental Schools in Chapel Hill. Dr. Minsley, the prosthetics expert at the dental school designed an acrylic tooth guard for me to use while playing. It broke after three years of heavy playing, and Dr. Minsley made me a couple of more. Since then, I have relied on my local dentist, Dr. Patrick McGuire, to refit these for me whenever needed. I've been using these devices practically every time I put the clarinet into my mouth. As a result, I’ve had no further problems with pain or loosening teeth.<br />
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The photo at the right is of my newly refitted tooth guard, ready for practice. I have is to remember to keep this with me no matter what clarinet I play. I have to store the devices in water because they are acrylic and will become brittle if they dry out too much, so my reed water cup doubles as a tooth guard holder. It is a pain to have to put this in and out of my mouth all the time and I have to talk a little differently when it is in. No matter how careful I am, I often forget where I put it down in lessons, and some of my students know to remember where it is, so they can remind me when I forget! I can play a few bars without it and sometimes I warm up using double lip instead, but I would never choose to play without it at a rehearsal or performance. I am sure it seems like a lot of trouble to others, but for me, this tooth guard is a great blessing. It has saved my clarinet playing.</div>
Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-89826066905298652992011-12-26T13:13:00.000-05:002011-12-26T14:01:14.783-05:00Bonade Presentation at ClarinetFest<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYT73dyK2WOnQgaQfA3a50uHncWZuV9siVaqrE99SWrcYJaq4A-d5GDTxhL0A4vXCLve02nr4qHyzJZLPnRTNgwg5Q9YClNTvi-GiPKhtlNcu1jE4d8zjeJiE1s_J33rSwaoE18fqcrgR9/s720/PGPhoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYT73dyK2WOnQgaQfA3a50uHncWZuV9siVaqrE99SWrcYJaq4A-d5GDTxhL0A4vXCLve02nr4qHyzJZLPnRTNgwg5Q9YClNTvi-GiPKhtlNcu1jE4d8zjeJiE1s_J33rSwaoE18fqcrgR9/s320/PGPhoto.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shannon at Curtis, Summer 2002</td></tr>
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I am proud to announce that I've been selected to speak at the 2012 I.C.A. Convention in Lincoln, Nebraska. Host Diane Barger and the selection committee have been amazingly efficient in setting up the schedule in advance, and I've alreay got a time for my talk, The Signature Sound of Daniel Bonade and His Students, which is Thursday, August 2nd, at 11am. <br />
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My presentation is going to identify the tonal characteristics of Bonade and his students and show how they got it through their technique and the equipment they used. Much of the background is already in my doctoral treatise, <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/title/history-and-analysis-of-the-philadelphia-school-of-clarinet-playing/oclc/041954021">The Philadelphia School of Clarinet Playing...,</a> but I'm also really going to spell out to people the elements of acquiring a beautiful, flexible clarinet sound. I'm excited about getting back into this topic again, since it is so near and dear to my heart, and my recent experiences with mouthpiece craftman Ramon Wodkowski and reed maker Brian Hermanson have futher helped me to refine my sound and knowledge. As Richard MacDowell says, it's all about overtones.<br />
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Speaking of overtones, I received the bad news last week that I have some hearing loss in the 4000-6000 hz range. This is typical for an orchestral musician of my age, but it has been a painful process in the last five years to lose my ability to hear people speak clearly in the classroom. I also wonder how much it affects my ability to discern clarinet tone, and I think I'm going to have my friend Eldred boost the sounds of these overtones for me on recordings so I can be clear about what I am missing. It's frightening and completely irreversible. I am getting some custom 12 db earplugs to wear in loud situations to help prevent further hearing loss, but I am concerned that I won't be able to hear enough when I have these earplugs in. I've been appalled at the lack of attention or even concern by some orchestra managers and conductors to complaints about noise from brass and percussion, and it really doesn't help when the people who are making the loud noises are going deaf too!<br />
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Anyway, my big takeaway from this is that musicians OF ALL AGES should protect their hearing with custom earplugs. At least, that's what my audiologist says, and I have to agree with her now that I better understand the reasons for my hearing loss. It's not just the amount of decibels, but it's prolonged exposure to loud sounds. My students who are on the marching band field certainly must experience dangerous levels of exposure. I was not in marching band in college, and I am experiencing what I consider significant hearing loss. ANY hearing loss is significant for a professional musician. Check this <a href="http://performingarts.uncg.edu/music-research-institute/research-areas/musicians-hearing-health">link</a> out for more info on musician's hearing.<br />
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The photo is me when I visited the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia several years ago. Bonade taught some of his most famous pupils at Curtis, and this photo makes me feel nostalgic for researching again. That's what I'm going to do as soon as things settle down and I finish learning my music for my February 21 recital. <br />
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I am in the midst of transferring all of my web pages and blog to Google from MobileMe. iWeb is apparently dead forever, and it was always a clunky mechanism for blogging. Since I've migrated to using gmail and google calendars for everything, it seems easiest to put everything on google products. We'll see if this is a good idea!Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-15448940871957393872011-07-25T21:33:00.000-04:002011-12-19T23:10:03.799-05:00BASS Clarinet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I LOVE the bass clarinet! I tried to avoid it like the plague in my youth, and then, forced to play it seriously in a performance of the Walton Facade, I realized that I had an aptitude for it. Of course, just because you are good at something, doesn’t mean you should do it, so I continued to deny it’s existence until the Asheville Symphony bass position opened up, I auditioned (only on soprano clarinets, actually!), and started my new career as a bass clarinetist. Since Don Quixote was on the first concert of the season, I knew the bass and I would be doing some serious time together.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">For the first five years, I shared the school instrument with my students at WCU. That was a trying time, because I never knew if the bass would be in working order when I picked it up after band. Fortunately, Rhonda at Stone Cottage Band Instrument Shoppe in Waynesville has been here for me all these years to take care of my many bass clarinet emergency repairs.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">At some point, I don’t know when, I did fall in love with the instrument, and I decided that I had to have my own Buffet Prestige bass. This was a big financial step, but I knew that I would only buy one bass clarinet in my life, and I’d like to enjoy it while I could still play it. Of course, now, I’m doubly glad I made the purchase then, because the prices have gone up.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">My biggest objection to the bass is that it’s big. Big to carry around, big to hold, a pain to put together, and I always need extra room when I’m sitting in symphony. Of course, it doesn’t help that I have a Wiseman case - the older super-heavy kind. Wisemans are the only cases that fit in the overhead on a plane, and the new Wiseman cases that came out last year are quite light. Not mine...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">What I love about the bass clarinet is how easy it is to blow compared to the clarinet. The embouchure is looser and there is less air pressure. Make no mistake, the instrument takes a lot of air, but it feels much more free blowing than a regular clarinet. I’ve always thought that when I get too old and weak to enjoy playing clarinet, my instrument of choice will be the bass.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It is tricky to get used to if you are a clarinet player. It took me a long time to figure out reed strength and posture, and I’m still not convinced that the bent neck on the Buffet (that mimics a soprano clarinet angle) is a good idea. It’s easy to make yourself sore from playing the thing if you aren’t careful. Reading music from one side of the instrument to the other is also a hassle. You’ll want to read the music straight in front of you, but there’s an instrument neck in the way.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">If you are still reading this, you are probably curious as to what equipment I play on the bass, so here you go:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Grabner Lawrie Bloom Model mouthpiece</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Peter Spriggs ligature</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Gonzalez or Vandoren V12 reeds (usually size 3.5)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I’ve been working on Mike Lowenstern’s transcription of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s song “Lenny” on the bass, and I just found a chart on Mike’s site with altissimo fingerings that’s very useful. Go to his earspasm.com super awesome site and click download on the fingering chart to get a chart with notes going higher than anyone would ever want to hear on bass clarinet! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Mike shows the standard way of playing high notes on bass where you stay in clarion for notes up to E, and then all the fingerings he lists beyond that are way different than anything on the soprano clarinet. Of course, it’s a good idea to make up your own fingerings too, especially for high notes. When you are up high on the instrument, the possibilities for overtones are almost endless. Be creative!</span>Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-5401313398100586662011-01-25T02:00:00.000-05:002011-12-19T23:10:25.278-05:00This Time of Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQ5hF9YS3rPq8O82m4MivfIPWnNs1l7roS9G30FyiSSBsYGEv6fRak68ZZYov4OFSsZG-v3AI3jjZepuZTIU0Ee2Aupv9b7BnjtnSoFwoUQ0K_Rs-F8dIqERdcE-SnmaL-omYEHtxYfk/s1600/clarinetcaseinwinter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQ5hF9YS3rPq8O82m4MivfIPWnNs1l7roS9G30FyiSSBsYGEv6fRak68ZZYov4OFSsZG-v3AI3jjZepuZTIU0Ee2Aupv9b7BnjtnSoFwoUQ0K_Rs-F8dIqERdcE-SnmaL-omYEHtxYfk/s320/clarinetcaseinwinter.jpg" width="268" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;">Living in the mountains and working in a badly climate controlled building has forced me to face the difficulties that humidity and temperature changes can bring to wooden instruments and reeds. The photo above shows my clarinet case this evening. It may seem a overboard to have two Oasis humidifiers, orange peels, and a slightly damp swab in one case; but trust me, this is the kind of environment that keeps my clarinet playing normally. The two penguin humidifiers that sit close to my practice chairs in my offices at school and home also help.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">Tenon rings are falling off of my students instruments all the time, and a long rod on one of the school bass clarinets was bound up until we put a couple of dampits in the case and let it sit for a few days. I tell my students to humidify their clarinets as Guy Chadash suggested to me: put a damp rung out and wadded up paper towel inside your clarinet case. Place it in the case so it’s not touching the instrument, and make sure it stays damp (usually means rewetting every day). Peels from an orange are my inexpensive humidifiers because they are from a healthy food we all should be eating and they smell good. Replace them when they dry up. If they are getting moldy, you don’t need a humidifier! If you want to buy a humidifier, I suggest the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Oasis-OH-5-Plus-Humidifier/dp/B0018A5R5O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324350688&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Oasis Plus Humidifier</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">Take loose rings, low humidity, and low temperatures seriously! I managed to crack the last three Bb clarinets I owned before the current instrument I am playing. Two of them were new instruments that were overplayed and underswabbed during the winter months, and one was a used clarinet played heavily for ten years that I managed to crack in the first couple of months of my ownership by leaving it out in an exposed room on a chilly October day in Austin. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">In all cases, I was not swabbing as regularly as I should have been, and I believe that being careful to swab around the tenons carefully and avoiding putting the instrument together with loose rings would have saved a couple of these cracks from happening. After I experienced these cracks and had some battles with dry reeds at concerts, I vowed to never give a solo recital in January and February again. Well, my solo recital is February 1st this year, but I feel like I’ve learned enough from my experiences to be confident that I have decent control over the health of my clarinet and reeds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">I try to keep my office at home between 40 and 50% humidity, and never let it drop below 30%, but the hygrometer reads in the teens in my office at school. My university office is too big and the air system is too connected to the rest of the building to humidify effectively, so I try to keep my clarinet and reeds in my case as much as possible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">It’s particularly depressing to watch a reed dry and shrivel up on my mouthpiece when the humidity is low. I am much more aggressive in keeping my reeds at high humidity levels, and I probably tend to overwet my reeds rather than keep them too dry. I always carry a cup of water with me, and soak reeds some before playing. The rico reed vitalizer packets with the reed case or bag are really great for reed storage, and they are pretty fool proof, as long as you replace the packets regularly. I’ve tried other methods like using small sponges to keep a bit of moisture in a reed case or a baggie with reeds, but I usually end up with mold on my reeds, when I do this sort of thing. By the way, moldy reeds are salvageable. Clean them and play them. Use 1/2 peroxide and 1/2 water to clean them if they are really disgusting. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">At home, I store my new and unused reeds in cigar humidors. My husband just bought me a lovely glass top humidor at JR’s, and after seasoning it, I’m storing my reeds in there at about 68% humidity. I’ve been told this is high enough to grow mold on reeds, but I’ve never seen mold at this humidity level. My colleague Eldred Spell has analyzed some of the mold I grew on reeds in the past, and all he’s ever found on my reeds is harmless bread mold. Here a photo of my new humidor and Eldred’s photo of mold from one of my bass reeds:</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">I find that reeds kept at this humidity level tend to change less rapidly and remain more stable and predictable. I think it’s important to let your reeds dry, so that they don’t get waterlogged, but if you do this at higher humidity levels, the reed will dry slowly and be less prone to warp.</span></span></div>
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</span></div>Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-74017362363163258962011-01-04T22:15:00.000-05:002011-12-19T23:09:28.453-05:00Cat Rescue!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Tanzi the cat</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">I know this blog is supposed to be about clarinets, but I can’t help talking about one of my greatest passions: the welfare of our companion animals. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">Yesterday, my friend Eldred and I drove to Traveler’s Rest, NC to pick up a cat that he is adopting. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Tanzi is a very sweet nearly nine year-old that people left behind when they moved away from the area. They took their two other cats and left this one. It’s true that I don’t know the whole story, but it does upset me when people choose to give up their animal (especially an older one) to a shelter or other animal organization. <span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">As a society, we have failed miserably at dealing with animal overpopulation. There are about four million animals euthanized in shelters in this country every year. Over half of the dogs and nearly 3/4 of the cats have to be killed, most of whom are adoptable. Yet people continue to breed dogs and cats for money or just because they want to see the miracle of life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">My two youngest cats came from our local county animal shelter. They are the healthiest and most well-adjusted animals we have ever had. I made the decision to adopt them from the shelter after getting to know the wonderful people and cats there when I was looking for my young cat Trigger who went missing in 2006. All of the cats I met at the shelter were adoptable and most of them were not so lucky, but I felt good that I was able to save two. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">Please consider adopting an animal from a shelter or your local rescue organization, or donating to your favorite animal charity. Here are links and information on the animal organizations my husband and I donated to this holiday: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://www.aspca.org/">ASPCA</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was the first humane society to be established in North America and is, today, one of the largest in the world. Our organization was founded by Henry Bergh in 1866 on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment at the hands of humans, and must be protected under the law. Headquartered in New York City, the ASPCA maintains a strong local presence, and with programs that extend our anti-cruelty mission across the country, we are recognized as a national animal welfare organization.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://www.catman2.org/">Catman 2</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">Conceived in 1996, Catman2 is managed by Dr. Harold Sims, a retired college biology professor and his wife, Kay, a retired school social worker. The cats live in a large shelter adjacent to the Sims’ home in Cullowhee, North Carolina.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://animal.jacksonnc.org/">Jackson County Animal Shelter</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">Our local animal shelter where we found our kitties.</span></div>
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</span></div>Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-89030190009623308642010-12-13T22:56:00.000-05:002011-12-19T23:11:31.906-05:00Latest Greatest Practice Tools<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0uq8sfLbykQETKTerE0vuuF-BJeNSpMRsGTIbkFduGy1y3UWu0JvmqHJ0AipK14p2nRGvmQgM9Fq-DaQ3WFA2oiz8JTWBLWD9sMJlqvUr_vxnOu1mtU3aogLIuMIt_hNKlmscs3a1Fw/s1600/metronomes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0uq8sfLbykQETKTerE0vuuF-BJeNSpMRsGTIbkFduGy1y3UWu0JvmqHJ0AipK14p2nRGvmQgM9Fq-DaQ3WFA2oiz8JTWBLWD9sMJlqvUr_vxnOu1mtU3aogLIuMIt_hNKlmscs3a1Fw/s320/metronomes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In my never-ending quest to carry as little as possible with me, I’ve started using my iPod Touch to substitute for other devices such as a metronome, tuner, and recorder. I’ve got a 2nd generation and the battery life is pretty horrible sometimes, but the apps are getting better and better, and this iPod can truly function well as a practice buddy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">That said, I have mixed feelings about recommending my students use their phones as their tuners and metronomes, because I know how distracting these devices are. I’m not sure a cell phone belongs in the practice room with some of my students, as addicted as they seem to text messaging and such. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Assuming that you use self control or turn of the internet and phone functions on your iPod touch or iPhone, here are my favorite practice tool apps for these devices:</span></span></div>
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<li style="font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/clockwork-metronome-click/id383338773?mt=8">Clockwork</a>: Metronome with a bell sound for accented beats. Easy controls with all the control of accents and divisions of the beat that I need. Love it so much, that it inspired me to buy a real metronome with a bell sound. I also have the Tempo app by Frozen Ape which also works well. The nice thing about Tempo is that all the stuff you select is on the home screen.</span></span></li>
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<li style="font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.petersontuners.com/index.cfm?category=150">iStrobosoft</a>: Virtual strobe tuner by Peterson. I have to use a cheap little thumb tack microphone to use it, and I think that the Peterson site sells a hook up that you attach to your instrument. Regular hookup microphones don’t work. It’s just as good as my Peterson V-SAM virtual strobe tuner - actually a million times better, because it isn’t broken!!! The Cleartune tuner app also works nicely for a different look. </span></span></li>
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<li style="font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.ronimusic.com/asd_iphone.htm">Amazing Slow Downer</a>: This app slows down the speed of sound files so that you can practice your music at a reasonable practice tempo. I’ve been doing this kind of thing for years and years with the Amazing Slow Downer Mac app, Quicktime Pro, and SmartMusic, but having a super customizable easy-to-use tempo (and pitch) adjuster on my iPod is wonderful. You need to use headphones with this to hear the music as you play, but a cheap pair of foam headphones will allow you to listen to the music and your clarinet sound. </span></span></li>
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<li style="font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/italk">iTalk lite</a>: I use my iPod Touch to record rehearsals almost as much as I use my Zoom H2, which is a far superior recording tool. iTalk allows me to get a decent enough recording that I can hear balance and tone and other stuff, and the iTalk software can send the recording to my computer. Alternately, you can also use Voice Memos on your iPod, which sends the recording automatically to iTunes when you sync. I just started using Voice Memos when I lost my iPod Touch for a month, and I had to use my iPod classic to record with a Belkin TuneTalk Stereo. The Belkin device fits on my iPod Touch as well, and probably records better than the thumbtack microphone. Not sure, but I will vouch for the Zoom as being my quality recording device of choice!</span></span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Also, there are some fun applications to develop your ear training skills as well. I’ve been using a couple of them to pass the time when I’m stuck somewhere. Might as well practice my intervals and chord qualities while I’m waiting at the doctor’s office - it’s as fun as most games.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Update: </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Here's another app I'm using right now to track my practice time. It's called Musician's Practice Journal, and it has a color coded graph that shows practice time from day to day. It motivates me when I'm tired in the evening after teaching to get my practicing done. (</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;">Monday, January 31, 2011 - 07:38 PM)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-68364062367782137612010-12-06T02:30:00.000-05:002011-12-27T05:13:23.242-05:00Hanukkah Music - Take Three<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Today, the extended clarinet choir at WCU (21 players) performed my latest version of Hanukkah Music at the annual School of Music “Sounds of the Season” concert. You can hear our live performance complete with audience participation (lots of coughing, footsteps, and a baby screaming) <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/carolinaclarinetist/music/compositions">here</a> - scroll down to the bottom of the page.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I wanted to round out my two part piece by adding a third Hanukkah standard: Rock of Ages. To keep it fresh, I added some early polyphony in fourths, polytonality, and a Renaissance dance section with finger cymbals and drum. We celebrated the Festival of Lights by having clarinetists wear strings of lights. The new LED strings of lights really put out some light! (Hope to have a photo up soon.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, we had a good time playing this, and the concert is all for a good cause: music scholarships for music majors at Western Carolina University.</span></span></div>Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-42780931243211317122010-10-17T23:03:00.000-04:002011-12-19T23:18:13.124-05:00Goodbye Orange Cat<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Not about clarinets, but importa</span></span>nt to me:<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Our cat Austin went missing last Monday, and my husband and I and our other cats are in the process of grieving for the big orange problem child we had for twelve years. It’s very quiet in our house without Austin’s monkey meows and amplified purrs....</span></span></div>
<br />Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-72818327394850319032010-09-19T18:02:00.000-04:002011-12-19T23:18:01.151-05:00Richard MacDowell in Cullowhee<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I’m p</span>robably going to get into trouble for posting this photo (doctored up courtesy of my husband Odell and Photoshop), but I think it’s really funny. Check out the tattoo on the hand.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Anyway Richard MacDowell’s visiting as guest artist at WCU this next week, and I’m really excited to have him here to play and work with my students. Here’s a link to some videos of his teaching: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://cml.music.utexas.edu/LIPS/LIPSclarinet.htm">http://cml.music.utexas.edu/LIPS/LIPSclarinet.htm.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">And here’s some information on the concert and masterclass he’s doing at WCU.</span></div>
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<br />Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-33106821907294847302010-08-11T23:17:00.000-04:002011-12-19T23:23:54.662-05:00Fake Clarinet<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">The photo at right is from a painting by my colleague Bruce Frazier. I love the vibrant colors he uses and how he distorts the clarinet to make it look like it is alive.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQ0SiSviqScBBcvb-asZoNEILJqZEhWNLXd4u95X3brzWOQ0Wcty2uIFTPpWnUNVNJJvnJGkXNreBphNXZAu2a5C3xO8a_d_Y6J-_7iOAcG-8-YZN0ErowFFLnZj2Bse3SYHZApYUwI0/s1600/clarinetfloatingfrazier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQ0SiSviqScBBcvb-asZoNEILJqZEhWNLXd4u95X3brzWOQ0Wcty2uIFTPpWnUNVNJJvnJGkXNreBphNXZAu2a5C3xO8a_d_Y6J-_7iOAcG-8-YZN0ErowFFLnZj2Bse3SYHZApYUwI0/s320/clarinetfloatingfrazier.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I want to share an experience yesterday that really affected me:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">Something was fishy the moment she handed me the clarinet: it looked like a clarinet, but it didn't feel like a clarinet. The metal keys bent too easily, and the pads had this rounded look like they were all bloated. The barrel seemed almost too tight for the upper joint - a common problem for wooden clarinets, but not synthetics like this. I slipped my mouthpiece on the clarinet and blew into it. It sounded the opposite of roundness, like edgy cardboard; and I had to press hard to get the lower pads to begin to seal. The chromatic scale was just an approximation, and not in the usual Boehm way. The 12th from low E to B was literally a 12.5! I won't reveal the brand name, and I don't remember it anyway. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">What a tragedy for a student to use one of these instruments thinking that he or she is actually playing a clarinet. Imagine the crazy changes to one's embouchure and technique one would have to do to make this instrument sound acceptable within a school band. A young clarinetist must feel horrible about himself or herself as a musician, since the instrument makes it impossible to match the normal sounds of students playing on “real” clarinets. These instruments should be outlawed, and the people selling them to young musicians and their unsuspecting parents should go to jail. It's hard enough to play with the right embouchure, air support, finger position, and have a good reed. A fake clarinet just kills the whole dream of music-making. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-90557954455928843142010-07-25T23:20:00.000-04:002011-12-19T23:26:23.565-05:00Clarinetfest 2010 - a few impressions<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5iqSfv92QXlSAhjbVNY9dxEQxsd_i2NFREZN7SeednMf-FQopu5LcQ85tBIBvkq1sxZQwuTBeOybqzM67uw6mc_fPXeGMKm_llUDvFpS4MbF_Zr3b-o_PuESj4s6bmc4SZaLF1BUdqRQ/s1600/shannonandrichardclarfest2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5iqSfv92QXlSAhjbVNY9dxEQxsd_i2NFREZN7SeednMf-FQopu5LcQ85tBIBvkq1sxZQwuTBeOybqzM67uw6mc_fPXeGMKm_llUDvFpS4MbF_Zr3b-o_PuESj4s6bmc4SZaLF1BUdqRQ/s320/shannonandrichardclarfest2010.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard MacDowell and I</td></tr>
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<li style="font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I was almost convinced to take a second look at the second Spohr Concerto - quite a stretch for me - thanks to the magnificent artistry of Philippe Cuper. Word of advice: don’t yell “Philippe” in the hallway when Philippe Cuper is walking by, because he might actually hear you and turn around.</span></span></li>
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<li style="font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Mike Lowenstern is the bomb (on harmonica too), and he left the audience wanting more with a late afternoon recital under 30 minutes. Class act!</span></span></li>
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<li style="font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">And one really sad note: David Etheridge, the beloved organizer of the beloved annual Oklahoma Symposiums at OU died Thursday after a shockingly short bout with cancer. He was very kind to me in past conventions, sending me my misplaced camera, and even providing me with a tape recorder and tape when I interviewed Tony Gigliotti for my doctoral treatise. David will be greatly missed, and his shoes will be difficult to fill.</span></span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">There is so much more I heard and loved, and I’m sorry that I didn’t include others. It was great to see and hear so many old friends and meet and hear some new ones at the school I did my doctorate! I am so proud of earning my DMA from the UT Austin School of Music. There are so many fine people there and I learned so much there. It really means a lot to me that the Clarinetfest was at UT - despite the humidity and almost 100 degree heat outside!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The photo above is my teacher and friend Richard MacDowell and I on Friday, the day I played. I look so happy - it must have been after I played!</span></span></div>Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-87135648712107805492010-07-11T04:11:00.000-04:002011-12-19T23:34:16.849-05:00ClarinetFest 2010<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I was going to title this entry “insomnia,” because that is the reason I am writing this at 1:30am. In lieu of ambien, I decided to continue on the off chance that someone actually reads this before next week and is inspired to hop on a plane to Austin!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">As I’ve said before on this blog, I’m going to ClarinetFest this year, which is going to be held at the University of Texas at Austin July 21st-26th. Austin is my former and most favorite hometown, and I probably would have never left had I not found this wonderful job opportunity at Western Carolina University in the beautiful Smoky Mountains. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">For the uninitiated, ClarinetFest is the annual conference of the International Clarinet Association. It traditionally takes place every summer two years in a row in the United States and every third year in another country. I attended my first ClarinetFest in 1989 in Minneapolis, and that experience changed my life: it showed me the real clarinet world and I got to hear SO MANY fine clarinet players. Minneapolis is where I first heard Richard MacDowell’s amazing sound and dramatic playing, and it’s what led me to study with him at the University of Texas. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Since 1989, I’ve been to ClarinetFests in Tempe, Lubbock, Norman, Salt Lake City, DC, and Atlanta. Each experience has changed me in ways I would have never imagined. As has another clarinet conference I’ve attended multiple times and highly recommend: the Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I consider the ClarinetFest mandatory for any clarinetist who has aspirations to be a professional performer. I know I will get some protests from my students for saying this, but most of the clarinet students at Western Carolina University have a pretty narrow view of the clarinet world and what you have to accomplish to get your foot in the door and keep it there as a performer. They need world perspective - and ClarinetFest has it!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Yes, it’s true that at WCU I play for my students, so does the other faculty, and we also have fine guest artists here. My students also live on YouTube, etc., and that’s great, but... it’s just not the same as communing with other clarinetists from around the world and hearing and seeing great clarinetists live. ClarinetFest is where and when the real turning point in my thinking and playing occurred in my own career. It’s the point when I decided to go for it full blast and start my doctoral degree in clarinet performance.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Let me just give you a glimpse of a few of many great experiences I’ve had at clarinet conferences:</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Ricardo Morales opened the Tempe conference by playing every French clarinet show piece imaginable: Bozza, Widor, Messager, Saint Saens, etc. Before that time, I always heard Saint Saens as a student piece. He really turned that conception on its head, and ever since, his brisk tempos and intensity are part of my own performances of this work. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The first time I heard Alessandro Carbonare and Andrea Dindo in Norman, Oklahoma, I remember someone (I think it was Burt Hara) suggesting on the way out that they should have provided trash cans so that we could throw our clarinets in them as we left the concert. It was that incredible - absolutely breath-taking! Alessandro was inspiring and ALL ABOUT EXPRESSION. His playing inspired me to learn the Lovreglio <i>La Traviata</i> Fantasy and play </span><span style="font: 10.0px Arial; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">really softly</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">. Alessandro’s tone reminded me of that of Harold Wright, whom I heard numerous times, but his musicianship is all his own! I’ve heard most of the best clarinetists in the world play in concerts, and I can honestly say that the top three clarinet concerts I’ve heard were played by Alessandro Carbonare. He’s the ultimate showman with no smoke and mirrors - it’s all genuine heart-felt fantastic clarinet playing!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I’ve heard many masterclasses at conventions by fine clarinetists, and there’s always something to learn from everybody. Some people who stick out in my mind as excellent masterclass teachers are Eddie Daniels (what energy!), Loren Kitt, Richie Hawley, Burt Hara, Bil Jackson, and the great pedagogue and player Larry Combs, who really knows how to put it all together.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">While you are at Clarinetfest, don’t skip the competitions - plan to see at least one round of orchestral or solo competitions. There’s usually some public feedback or written comments from the judges, but just listening to the contestants is enough to teach loads of useful information to both teachers and performers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">And then there’s the exhibitors: LOVE THEM! I am as bad as the next person when it comes to collecting clarinet equipment (actually probably worse). I don’t want to be a bad influence on others, but I do want to put in a good word for my very favorite tried and true vendors that are scheduled to be at the ClarinetFest 2010:</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Mouthpiece Makers: Brad Behn and Walter Grabner - excellent mouthpieces, totally different from each other, both great stuff. Brad’s doing some new mouthpiece material designs that you must try.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Buffet Clarinets: Lisa’s Clarinet Shop - my favorite clarinet chooser.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">My favorite every kind of equipment vendor: Muncy Winds (Phil and his rocker wife Pam) from Western North Carolina!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Annette Luyben at Luyben Music Shop, home of the former official poodle greeter named Bonade after Annette’s father’s great teacher. Annette will find you whatever clarinet music you want.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Please feel free to contact me with any questions, or say “hello” at the convention. Barring margarita breaks (aka Mexican martini: Cedar Door - best, Trudy’s Tex-Mex and El Arroyo - often sampled and recommended), I’ll be at ClarinetFest the whole time. I’m playing Clara Schumann’s Romances at the ClarinetFest on Friday, July 23rd (my wedding anniversary) around 4pm. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Note: The photo at the top is the WCU clarinet section on NC tour in 2009. It’s totally unrelated, except everyone’s playing the CLARINET.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The photo is of my student Leanna Smith performing the Rondo from Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto with the Western Carolina Civic Orchestra. Leanna’s going to be at ClarinetFest 2010!</span></span></div>Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-90087772732380837492010-07-04T23:36:00.000-04:002011-12-27T05:13:51.443-05:00Practice, Practice, Practice: Favorite Exercises<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRe7EwaHg50EIbz-tPOfPgnVQU4idG5D-nolDul2XhG5dJxXh0XDOzc3bIFHnYuyVK1To777ZZt22GY0vW0B6pKN58CypZZf3mXTLvkwVdRuGzrjUEgBQsnli-I8jLQxiiiVVWF5qhW_c/s1600/clarinetdesk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRe7EwaHg50EIbz-tPOfPgnVQU4idG5D-nolDul2XhG5dJxXh0XDOzc3bIFHnYuyVK1To777ZZt22GY0vW0B6pKN58CypZZf3mXTLvkwVdRuGzrjUEgBQsnli-I8jLQxiiiVVWF5qhW_c/s320/clarinetdesk.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I’ve been back to practicing after a long break. It’s always difficult to motivate myself to play the clarinet to prepare for something immediate, but these less busy times are also some of the best times to read new repertoire and practice more thoughtfully. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I am a firm believer in scales and exercises and spending at least twenty minutes (usually more) at the beginning of every day’s practice doing this. This is not always popular with my students, but those who do it build a solid foundation of sound production and technical skills. I tell my students that if you only have time to practice one thing on a busy day, make it warm up exercises. Biting embouchures, messy finger technique, and overactive tongues tend to reappear if you don’t do daily, thoughtful practice in this area. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">To vary my routine, I use many different materials, but I do have a few favorites: Some days when I really need to work on my sound, I spend the entire first 30 minutes on Klose low register exercises just focusing on maintaining a round embouchure and strong air. If I need to get my fingers moving and have limited time to warm up, I play the Klose scale etude (all majors and minors in one etude). This is memorized, so I don’t have to find the music. See this IMSLP link to download a public domain version of the complete Klose. The scale etude is on page 97 and the low register exercises starts on page 177.
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">My favorite Klose exercise is a progressive interval study I found in an obscure French edition that I will share with you if you would like to email me. It’s definitely advanced reading - with all the accidentals, double flats, and such, but it’s well worth learning to build up your ability to keep the embouchure steady and air going through large intervals.
Another essential that I carry with me everywhere is Paul Jeanjean’s “Vade-Mecum” du Clarinettiste. I play the first three exercises at least twice a week. The first exercise is for isolating finger technique and it’s easily memorized. The second exercise concentrates on the left hand and the third exercise concentrates on the right. I promise you that if you do these with great care to keep your fingers close to the clarinet and moving economically (from the back knuckle), you won’t find anything better to improve your finger technique. Warning: this book also includes a lot of accidentals, and you’ve got to do some French translation. See http://www.vcisinc.com/clarinetmusicstudies.htm to find the Jeanjean. It is not public domain, so you need to purchase it. I’ve bought two myself, since the first got so worn from use. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The photo above shows my practice desk at home. It’s originally a child’s desk, but it works great for my purposes. The roll top allows me to protect my reed water from becoming a cat water bowl!</span>Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940678484706114749.post-37409617624963911572010-05-24T19:38:00.000-04:002011-12-19T23:46:33.242-05:00Homecoming<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">After living in Western North Carolina for thirteen years, this feels as much like home as any place to me. But, I still have connections to other places that I’ve lived; and this year, I was able to return to some of my favorite former homes, and make some music too. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In October, I traveled back to Portland (my hometown) and the University of Oregon in Eugene. Although I was officially there to perform at the College Music Society National Conference, it was the perfect opportunity to visit family and friends, as well as perform recitals in both Portland and Eugene. It<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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was wonderful to reconnect with two of the most influential people in my life: my middle school band director and high school clarinet teacher, Stan George, and my undergraduate clarinet teacher, Wayne Bennett. (That’s Wayne in the picture of me showing off his expert dancing skills after my concert at the UO School of Music’s Beall Hall.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In July, I will perform at ClarinetFest 2010 which is going to be held at the University of Texas in Austin, where I lived for seven years when I did my doctorate. Not only will I get the chance to commune with the great people of the clarinet world, but I also get to visit with the other clarinet gurus of my life: Richard MacDowell (at UT Austin) and Michael Webster (Rice University), whom I studied with in Boston. </span></span></div>Shannon Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04569383790009863047noreply@blogger.com0