I’m excited to share that I will be one of the mentors for The Township Community Arts Council Youth Mentorship Program. The program is designed to offer an opportunity for young musicians to broaden their experiences through lessons, performance opportunities, and rehearsals.
I am just one of the mentors for 2022/2023 session, please check out the other mentors, students, and other information such as how you can apply here!
This fall I am excited to be working with the Township of Esquimalt to offer a music class for adults and seniors in the brand new Esquimalt Gorge Park Pavilion. These classes are made for adults and seniors with a curiosity about music history, basic theory, and performance. There are two sessions to start and you can check out details here for how to register!
Registration is open for Clarinet Choir on Tuesday evenings at the downtown location of the Victoria Conservatory of Music. Click here for more information or to register!
It is officially summer and that can mean the flexibility and freedom to work on aspects of your playing that you want to improve without the pressure of performances and tests. It can also mean that it’s more challenging to find the motivation to sit down and practice. Here are some ideas that you can try to help you reach your practice goals this summer.
Set Goals for the Week
A big part of finding the drive to work on something is knowing what you want to work on. This goal can be big or small, broad or detailed. The main point is to have something in mind to work towards. If you’ve always wanted to expand your range maybe choose a goal of consistently hitting one note higher than you usually do. If you’ve always struggled with rhythm you can choose a rhythm a day to work on. Your goal doesn’t have to be achievable within the week time frame but you might choose to break it down into manageable bits.
Set a Timer
Often I find the hardest part is just starting. You don’t have to practice for hours at a time to make a difference. Choose a time limit that feels easy to accomplish (maybe it’s 5 or 10 minutes), set a timer. If the timer goes off and you’re not feeling like you want to practice anymore that’s it for now. Often you’ll probably get into a groove and want to practice more and have a good time doing it.
Perfect is the Enemy of the Good
We’ve heard the old adage “Practice Makes Perfect” and yes, we are striving for perfection. However that can be very intimidating for some, to the point that they don’t want to try. Especially when we’re trying something new it can feel awkward and not sound great either, this is part of the process. Be patient with yourself and know that every step you take to improving is a step in the right direction.
Be Curious
Practicing something new can take time and sometimes you might not know where to start. I would suggest experimenting, what happens if I move my fingers like this? Am I hearing what I would like to hear? Ooo, that’s a cool sound, how did I get that sound? Even if you don’t get the effect you are working towards you might discover something else really cool to use in another piece! Curiosity can lead to discovery of a new technique, a new way of approaching your practice, and a new perspective.
Learn from Performances
There are a lot of resources out there where you can listen to amazing performers! Whether it’s a recording or a live performance an excellent way to stay motivated and inspired is listening to others. You can ask questions like: what do I like about this performance? What have others done differently? What would I do differently? How did they get that sound? A few important things to keep in mind when finding recordings: don’t just listen to the first recording you find; check for accuracy; remember that this recording is a tool and not a replacement for your own interpretation/music reading skills.
End with Something You Enjoy
Make your practice session fun and enjoyable. This might mean that you play a favourite song, a rhythm you enjoy or even listening to a recording that you really like. You want to tell your brain that this is an enjoyable activity, not a chore.
What’s something you might end a practice session with?
Starting September 13th and running every Tuesday evening to December 13th Melissa will be leading Clarinet Choir at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. If you are unfamiliar, a Clarinet Choir is a chamber group of clarinetists that play works specifically written or arranged for clarinets. Bass and Eb clarinets are included so if you have an interest in trying a new member of the clarinet family this is a great place to do it!
Check out the description and registration details below and I’m happy to answer any questions you might have!
Coming up on Sunday March 27th students at the University of Victoria Clarinet studio will be showing off their hard work from throughout the year. Come join the audience either in person or online at 2PM in Philip T. Young recital hall at the University of Victoria.
In 10 days (!) I will be performing a concert for an audience for the first time in a long time and I’m excited to include Soliloquies by Violet Archer for solo Bb and A clarinet. Violet Archer was an influential Canadian composer and teacher who made her impact on generations on many students. I have performed her pieces such as the sonata for clarinet and piano and there is always something new to find in her music with each and every time I play.
The first movement, Meditation as you can guess begins slow and thoughtful. It explores the full range of the instrument, stretching up to a high C# (that’s 2 octaves above the treble staff) and has an active mid section with plenty of opportunity for expression.
The second movement switches clarinets to A and is much more active! There are a lot of exciting moments and acts as an excellent foil for the other two movements.
The final movement mirrors the first and brings us back to the energy of the first. Like the first there is an active section which relaxes to back to the slower tempo.
I encourage everyone to learn more about Violet Archer and her works, one way is through the Canadian Music Centre where you can also purchase her music.
The piece that first caught my attention by Daniel Dorff was “In a Deep Funk” for bass clarinet. Many bass clarinet players use the Bach Cello suites as a solo piece and this is a modern interpretation of that style. With rhythms and dances of a more recent age it utilizes the large range and gives the player a chance to really show what the instrument is capable of. After performing that piece I knew that I would seek out more of his work. The Flowers of St. Francis seemed like a natural progression.
Like “In a Deep Funk” it is obvious the composer is well versed in the capabilities of the bass clarinet and makes excellent use of some slightly less utilized techniques such as the impressive extended range.
Here are the program notes from the composer:
In 2012, bass clarinetist Barbara Haney (recently retired bass clarinetist from "The President's Own" US Marine Band) asked if I would accept a commission to write her a solo piece to premiere at the 2013 ICA ClarinetFest, to be held in Assisi, Italy. This was a fast "yes"!
Barbara and I both played in the Haddonfield Symphony and had back-to-back bass clarinet lessons with the Philadelphia Orchestra's Ron Reuben in the early 1980s, and while I was a composer keeping up with performance, it was clear that Barbara was a stellar bass clarinetist with a big career ahead. Occasional bass clarinet duets together was an inspiration that still helps my playing 30 years later. The opportunity to compose a solo work to be premiered in Assisi, by a virtuoso with amazing sound, as the first piece I'd ever write for the instrument I knew best, quickly suggested a clear idea for a suite about St. Francis, and within a day I'd drafted the following scenario:
I. The Flowers, Celebrated by St. Francis
Flowers are introduced through an innocent yet florid song, followed by a chant-like passage from the "voice" of St. Francis. The movement then continues as a duet between St. Francis and the flowers. The flowers represent all the fruits of creation as well as simply being flowers in the garden.
II. St. Francis Preaching to the Birds
St. Francis's chant begins the movement as a flowing cantilena, interrupted by a dramatic eruption of bird calls (taking advantage of the bass clarinet's tremendous range and agility). The movement then continues as a dialog between St. Francis and the birds
III. St. Francis Pacifying the Wolf
A ferocious interruption representing an angry wolf who terrorizes the village is perfect for an eager bass clarinetist. St. Francis is heard befriending the wolf, and their duet progresses from heated drama to a peaceful resolve as their themes transform into each other and end gently.
IV. St. Francis Preaching to the Fish
This sempre pp movement may be imagined as occurring underwater; an opening "glub-glub" motive evokes bubbles rising through water, and the wiggly sixteenths are like gentle fins waving. The dialog is more subtly integrated than in previous movements, and St. Francis's voice alludes to other musical fish.
V. The Starry Skies, Celebrated by St. Francis
The inspiring majesty of the infinite sky is salted with twinkling stars; St. Francis's voice becomes one with the harmony of the Universe.