Fw: Klezmer clarinet lessons

[david lowther <dlowther...>]

Hi Marc and listers,

I agree wholeheartedly with Marc re learning the basics of playing clarinet, 
like breathing, etc.  I've had 2 lessons now from Dave Kaetz who plays a mean 
klezmer clarinet and figured he'd teach me the ornaments and slides.  Hah!  
What he did was show me how to hold the clarinet comfortably so I wouldn't get 
carpal tunnel and would still be able to play when I'm old and doddery (which 
is just around the corner), how to breathe and relax and play with confidence.  
But what about the klezmer?,  I protested.  First you need to have a good tone, 
he replied, and be grounded properly.  He's trained in Feldon Krise(sp?), which 
is body mechanics for musicians - excellent stuff.  

I discovered, a year later, that he's right, of course, and I look forward to 
the time he's back in town for another lesson.

Mary Lowther

--- Original Message ----- 
From: MIAdler (at) aol(dot)com 
To: World music from a Jewish slant 
Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2003 6:15 AM
Subject: Re: Klezmer clarinet lessons 


Currently taking lessons from Fischel Bressler who studied with Andy Statman I 
feel
highly qualified to comment from the student's point of view. 
   Yes I thought I could take a few lessons to learn ornamentation and be done 
with it.
Here it is over a year later and I still haven't mastered the ornamentation or 
spent
much time focusing on that. 
   A good teacher will focus on the basics which few intermediate students have
mastered like breathing,  embrochure, tonguing, etc. We have also spent time
on phrasing, and reducing complex ornamented tunes to the core in order to
get the feel of the tune. It is only when the basics are adequately covered 
that  we
move on to the ornamentations. Developing an ear for the style is important.
We spend time in lessons listening to different styles. 
   I am truely blessed to have a talented performer and educator as my teacher.
   To all a happy and healthy 5764.
   Marc Adler