Clarinet
My Knowledge of the Instrument
My History
How It All Began
I joined the army way back in 1983 as a trombone player but was changed immediately to clarinet, due to there being a shortage of clarinet players within the system.
After one year of what should have been a two-year training course, I reached Grade 8 standard and was promptly shipped off to my first band – The Duke of Kent’s Band, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. After two years within the band as their 3rd clarinet player, I did a one-year “Pupil’s Course” at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall under the tutelage of Professor Mike Farnham, after which I returned to the band as their solo clarinet player (after a total period on the instrument of just 4 years).
I held the position of solo clarinettist throughout my army career, until my retirement from the army in 2005. I then proceeded to teach the instrument, both for the North Yorkshire Music Service and privately as well as performing for weddings and events.
Lessons
What is involved
In the beginning, I used a variety of books for teaching, finally settling on a series of books called “Look, Listen & Learn Method for Clarinet” by Jacob de Haan (published by DeHaske). These books are a guide from absolute beginner through to about Grade 5-6 standard and have fantastic backing tracks that make the playing of the instrument with accompaniment, fun! They also help to teach the basics of improvisation and allow the student to develop their skills, something that I have not seen elsewhere in study books.
The lessons are focused on notation reading and a good technique, something that I was not initially taught until my year at Kneller Hall, and something that I have realised is very important if the student does not want to run in to any issues later in their studies.
