Wednesday, April 23, 2014

My First Instrument, And Old Friend

     Trivia for you - who knows what instrument I started with? If you said clarinet you`re right. As a child I did not fully appreciate the sound of a clarinet, but I continued through elementary and junior high playing the instrument. I passed my high school audition on clarinet, but thanks to seeing and hearing Bennie Maupin on saxophone, well, the rest is history - Saxophonist Keith Gamble.

     I have never really given-up on clarinet, after all, I played bass clarinet in high school and college, and played clarinet as a professional musician. Currently I am not playing clarinet, but I do teach clarinet. Two of my former clarinet students are graduating as music majors this year (2014), and I have had the honor of being invited to both senior clarinet recitals, although I could only attend one.

     I attended the senior recital of clarinetist Kenseye Fort at Wayne State University, on April 5, 2014 at the Schaver Music Recital Hall, in Detroit. I was beaming with joy as I was seated in the recital hall listening to my former student play the works of Bax, Koechlin, Sutermeister, Finzi, and Sir Malcolm Arnold.

     The timbre of the clarinet just speaks to my soul. Of course, in elementary band I could not understand that. When I listen to the clarinet solo with orchestral accompaniment of Walter Mourant`s "The Pied Piper", and other musical works highlighting the clarinet I cannot help but stand in my tracks and truly listen and enjoy. As an adult, and musician, I now fully appreciate the sound of a clarinet.

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