Clarinet Nottinghamshire

I have been playing the clarinet since the mid 1980’s, and whilst other instruments have come and gone in my life, this is one that has remained! I now not only enjoy still playing this instrument, but also offering lessons for the clarinet. Nottinghamshire is one of the areas I cover.

The clarinet has a warm flexible and melodious character and whilst it can sometimes be at underneath many jokes (Green Clarinet), it could also hold its own if it came to a brawl and has the remarkable ability to laugh at itself – see Artheme swallows his clarinet!

The clarinet is not one the simplest of instruments to learn, but once you know some of the principles, and you put in a little practise the sound transforms from that of wounded cat to a warm rich sonnet. The clarinet really isn’t one of those instruments that is best self taught as there are many facets the student needs to know about to produce an good quality tone and also in some cases – prevent injury! Reed knowledge and care is as important as the maintenance of the instrument itself.

Perhaps one of the most famous works of popular music for the clarinet is Stranger on the shore by Acker Bilk, but the clarinet has been used extensively in Dixieland, blues, orchestral works, jazz– every genre of music there is. A Victorian Kitchen Garden series on the television features the Harp and Clarinet playing the main themes in the show. Some famous clarinettists are Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, and Artie Shaw. A contemporary young clarinettist is Julian Bliss from the UK.

For me, the most breathtaking thing about the clarinet it the sound, and the fact that you can choose to play a wide a range of music as you like – I get bored easily! It performs wonderfully as a solo instrument, and equally as good when let loose to improvise and play as part of a band or orchestra.

Did you know: In his movie ‘Jaws’, Steven Spielberg can be seen playing the clarinet in an orchestra and Woody Allen plays the clarinet at Michael’s Pub in New York City on Monday nights, and has even been known to turn down invitations to the Oscars because he has a gig.