Thoughts from an Orchestral Clarinetist, Soloist, Teacher
If the Ice Capades are the musician’s daily life, auditions are the Olympics.
Tonight, to begin the process of learning “the list” for one audition I’m taking, I opened the xeroxed and stapled packet of required excerpts to the first page. Many orchestras supply the music to clear up any confusion regarding various editions, [...]
Drew McManus at Adaptistration has given us the most comprehensive and constructive game plan to date. This block of suggestions is from his detailed overview of our current state, Columbus’ Smoking Gun. I post it here for all to see, including Dispatch reporters, Board members, Management and Patrons. Let’s get the show on the road, [...]
Betsy, principal bassoonist with the CSO, wrote this letter to the Dispatch after Saturday’s momentous concert. So far it remains unpublished, which means it’s a good letter, since the Dispatch avoids reasonable truth like the plague.
As a musician of the Columbus Symphony, I am grateful for the opportunity given to me by the city of [...]
OUR COMMITMENT
Last Sunday evening I gave a free recital in my home, the second such event in a month. The audience loved the concert, relishing the opportunity to see musicians perform up close and speak with them afterwards. Cultivating relationships with music lovers nurtures their personal investment in the Symphony and offers a valuable path [...]
A musician can never stop practicing anytime in their career. I believe it was the great cellist Rostropovich (or was it Casals) who said, “If I don’t practice for one day, I notice a decline in quality; if it’s two days without practice, my wife notices; three days, my neighbor notices.”
Over the years my practice [...]
People think musicians are sophisticated, cultured creatures.
Yes, of course we are. At least in public.
Behind the scenes, though, we are animals. We may act polite, but don’t get in the way of a musician who has delineated his or her territory.
In my section, the second clarinetist will politely push away any stray objects which [...]
A musician sits practicing alone in his room, as he has done most of his life. He is a beloved performer, respected and revered by many. He is concentrated and fearless in his focus. Time passes effortlessly here. Time stops.
The light in his room dims. He looks up from the piece he is playing, the [...]