X-Ray Video of Dancing Tongue in Clarinetist’s Mouth – Not what you expect.

xray_mouth

Clarinetist and teacher Ray Wheeler (1930-2006) shocked the clarinet world in the early 70s with his x-ray film of what happens inside a clarinetist’s mouth while playing. (Video link thanks to ClarinetMike Blog) For those who may not be aware of it, most clarinet teachers and players believe the tongue is high in the mouth for high registers and low for low registers. This video shows the opposite. It also shows an amazing amount of movement in general. In fact clarinetist’s and saxophone players move their tongues much more than any other wind instrument player.…

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Sandow and Midgette on audience decline for classical music

music dance rhythm

The institution of live classical music concerts continues to flounder, and the water isn’t getting any calmer.  Can you teach an old fish to swim upstream? But the origins and value of music remain vital to humanity’s sanity. What needs to change (or stay the same) for you to spend more money on live music? Share your thoughts please. In my case I’d like to see way more choices of styles, venues, times of day, length of concert. I want to see both longer and shorter concerts, Sometimes you feel likes nut and sometimes you…

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The OSU Marching Band with the Columbus Symphony

The Ohio State University Marching Band, TBDBITL, with the Columbus Symphony, Saturday night, July 30, 2011, at Picnic with the Pops. As always an exciting evening! And so ends a summer, a season, and and era. On the last night of the last Columbus Symphony Picnic w the Pops 2011, and the end of a 28 year venue, on the huge lawn donated by Chemical Abstracts Service right near The Ohio State University campus. Beginning next summer, we’ll all (including TBDBITL) be downtown for Summer Pops at the Columbus Commons, where the City Center mall…

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Good news for Columbus Symphony, public funding up

We all know public funding for the arts is hard to come by in the US, certainly more so than in Europe. And that recent economic downturns have made getting funding that much harder. So I think it’s pretty good news that the development director of the Columbus Symphony announced a strong increase in the CSO’s funding as well as its overall business rating. Good news that hopefully bodes well for future public and especially private support. Here’s the note listing the news and the numbers: Dear CSO Musicians, We are pleased to inform you…

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Opera Project conflicting with Columbus Symphony schedule? Why it’s not good.

Jean-Marie Zeitouni Columbus Symphony

Glancing at the website for the new Columbus performing organization, Opera Project, which I introduced in yesterday’s post, I see that the inaugural event conflicts with an inaugural event of sorts for the Columbus Symphony, the first in a series of concerts, led by our promising new Music Director Jean-Marie Zeitouni, at the Southern Theater. Anytime there is a change from tradition in a performing organization’s schedule, in this case a change of venue from the Ohio Theater to the Southern, there tends to be a drag on audience development until patrons become accustomed to…

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Gifted conductor returns to Columbus music scene

siciliani

I awoke to a pleasant surprise in my email box this morning, a Columbus Dispatch article announcing that Alessandro Siciliani, the long lost and neglected conductor who led the Columbus Symphony to great heights from 1992-2004, will return as music director of a new organization, Opera Project Columbus. It’s refreshing to see a new, unexpected development in the Columbus, Ohio classical music scene, after seeing all performing groups come under the auspices of a singular arts organization (well run and high quality for sure, but singular nonetheless), the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts, or…

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Mendelssohn on Mull festival Extolling the benefits of learning through doing – Herald Scotland

It seems the UK, specifically Scotland, is fertile ground for innovative ideas to rekindle the vital link between classical music professional and amateur players in developing a broader, younger, more loyal fan base for professional performing groups. Link to original article - http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNE3N1LrITFb0Em4PX0D07DYK6mXDg&url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-reviews/mendelssohn-on-mull-festival-extolling-the-benefits-of-learning-through-doing-1.1111254 Posted from WordPress for Android

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‘Perfect Practice’ over ‘Practice Until Perfect’

Jazz violinist Christian Howes of Columbus Ohio origins reflects on the teachings of the late Michael Davis, with whom he studied. Mr.Davis was the concert master of the Columbus Symphony for many years. Mr. Howes suggests that quality over quantity is important in jazz practice as well as classical. Article link- ‘Perfect Practice’ – http://pulse.me/s/B58f Posted from WordPress for Android

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Networking tips from an expert

Aim for long term professional relationships with your peers. Link – It’s all about your network – It’s All About Your Network Posted from WordPress for Android

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Composer Chris Cresswell: Mixing classical, contemporary. The new normal?

Is this young composer an example of the new norm for classical musicians and performers, who discover classical music more or less accidentally and as a young adult, rather than starting the discipline as a child?  It certainly allows more room for natural discovery of passion for the art. And perhaps the contemporary music created by such hybrid musicians will more accurately reflect the melting pot consumer habits of younger audiences. Here’s the link. Let me know what you think. Composer Chris Cresswell: Mixing classical, contemporary Posted from WordPress for Android

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Kenneth John Grant Recognized by Strathmore’s Who’s Who Worldwide Publication

Congratulations to clarinetist and colleague Ken Grant, who preceded me as principal clarinetist with the Columbus Symphony, and whose high playing standards left big shoes to fill when I arrived. His playing and teaching certainly deserve this impressive commendation. http://m.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kenneth-john-grant-recognized-by-strathmores-whos-who-worldwide-publication-125003499.html

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New York, Boston, Chicago and San Fran Get Great Marks for Cities with Classical Music

Classical music can be a destination point for many cities. So why can’t Columbus Ohio be on that map? Because it takes investment and long term planning and intention to do so. Is it worth it? Classical music is and always will be an art form which appeals to cutting edge thinkers as well as a broader public. But it is now marketed to the masses in most cities, leaving out the other smaller but critical demographic, the movers and shakers, so to speak. What appeals to those leading edge thinkers? New and challenging programming…

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Stanley Hasty (1920 – 2011) Legendary Clarinetist and Teacher

Stanley Hasty (1920 – 2011) Born February 21, 1920, Mr. Hasty pursued a long and distinguished career as a clarinetist and teacher. From 1943 until 1955 he served as principal clarinetist and soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. During that time he also taught at Indiana University in Bloomington and Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore. In 1955 Mr. Hasty joined the faculty of the Eastman School of Music and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra where he served as principal clarinetist and soloist until…

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