From the blog of a colleague and friend. Besides offering valuable advice to bassoonists playing the difficult music of The Nutcracker, she offers some sage comments about the changes taking place in the world of performing musicians: Classical musicians are…
What is Peak Mastery of the Clarinet or any Instrument?
Image Credit The musician performer has to function at an extremely high level. Not only to achieve that level, but also to sustain it for decades. A lot of concentration is put on fingers, on pitch, on just remembering notes,…
Young German pianist unites classical music with world of video games | Culture & Lifestyle | Deutsche Welle | 04.12.2010
His album is called Nuss Plays Uematsu and it contains video game music – something which nobody has done in this form before. He got arrangers from Russia, America, Finland to arrange the music of Nobuo Uematsu, who is one…
Bach & Lemon Shakeups- John Lennon vs. classical music
Classical music was the establishment and pop wasn’t taken seriously. These days, however, I’m hard pressed to find anybody “oppressed” by Bach, Beethoven and Mozart. In fact, the reverse is true. The real establishment is the rather dumb and conformist…
Clarinet and Oboe Tone Talk: Schumann Piano Concerto
I was listening to this recording yesterday. It’s Leif Ove Andsnes, Berlin Philarhomic with Mariss Jansons. This has to be one of my favorite pieces as an orchestral clarinetist. I adore the solos Schumann gave to the clarinet in the…
How to learn Suspended or Floating Breath Support
Image Credit- Emily Hodges I’d like to elaborate briefly on a subject vital to playing a wind instrument (or singing): Breath Support. First, a two sentence refresher of the basic ideas of Flow Breathing, from which Suspension Breath Support evolves:…