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Hot News October 2008

Dr Hartig and Justin O'Dell

Buffet Raffle giveaway of new R13 Clarinet

Dr Bradley Wong and Dr Hartig

25 October 2008

Michigan State University  Annual Clarinet Extravaganza - 25 October 2008 - Dr Caroline Hartig, Director

East Lansing, Michigan USA

                                                  Justin O'Dell Master Class with Students

                                            Dr Caroline Hartig Master Class with Students

               This annual Clarinet Extravaganza, headed by Professor Caroline Hartig, a major Solo artist in her own right, featured outstanding performances with top rated students and a newly appointed faculty Justin O'Dell.   The day had no stops as the master classes, given by both Hartig and O'Dell, featured students from both College level and outstanding potential High School students desiring to be music majors.  A session for students to meet with the Dean of the School of Music was held to assist students in their planning to enroll at Michigan State University.  Galleries above contain programs and details of the Master Classes given this day.

             Exhibits from the Clarinet firms and Stores attended to assist browsing participants including Buffet-Crampon, Marshall Music, Meridian Music, Eric Satterlie, an artisan repair specialist, and more.  As with many events like this, this is where to check out new products and services.

                                                              Clarinet Choir Rehearsal

                             Clarinet Ensembles and the Mass Clarinet Choir in Performance

                                  Concert of Armenian Folk Music with Guitar and 2 Clarinets

                                                                Justin O'Dell in Recital

                                                             Caroline Hartig in Recital

                  Ensembles included Clarinet Connexions, the MSU Clarinet Ensemble, and the Finale performed by the Festival Mass Choir.  The MSU Ensemble performed at the Chicago Vandoren Clarinet Ensemble Festival, performing the Peter Schikele Monologue III to a great performance again.  As in previous years, this has always been an outstanding Conference with a very important message on Clarinetistry and high standards to attain.   This School has an outstanding legacy reputation with such luminaries as Keith Stein, Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr, and now Caroline Hartig and Justin O'Dell.   This is one of the most important annual Festivals to plan to attend.

19 October 2008

Mercandante International Clarinet Competition - Antonio Tinelli, Director

Noci ( Bari, South Italy)

                 The Mercadante International Competition took place in Noci, near Bari, south part of Italy on October 16-19. The partecipants came from Italy, Greece,Romania, Bulgaria, Japan,Russia, USA and Israel .In the Senior category Masaki Shirako, 26 years old, won the first prize, 1200 euro and two concerts in Romania. Angelo Montanaro from Italy, 26 years old, won the second prize and 500 euros, third prize to Ivov Levent from Bulgaria and 300 euros. In the junior category Or Posti , 15 years old ,from Isralel won the first prize and 350 euros.  Second prize and 200 euro to  Mattia Aceto, 15 years old, from Italy. Third price to Grigorios Vasileiadis,13 years old,from Greece. About the Chamber Music competition: first prize ex aequo to Trio Aurelian Bacan-Butean  (clarinet, violin and piano) from Romania and to the Duo Michele Naglieri -Alessandro Deljavan (clarinet and piano) from Italy , no second prize and third price to  Lucania quartet from Italy (Giuseppina Cammarota, Vito Sulla, Giuseppe Clementelli e Michele Cetera).The required pieces for the soloists senior category were the Mercadante Concerto ( first round) and Mozart or Weber Concertos for the final.

                 The members of the jury were Alois Brandhofer (president), Antonio Tinelli, Luigi Magistrelli, Ludmila Peterkova and Romeo Tudorache.

 

17-18 October 2008

4th Annual Vandoren Clarinet Choir Festival - Northeastern Illinois University, Mitchell Estrin, David Gould, and Rose Sperrazza, Directors

Chicago, Illinois USA

           In its fourth year, this American Festival initiative, started by Professor Mitchell Estrin of the University of Florida, has expanded its reach to include a large geographic of players and students from all over the United States. Previous Festivals have been held in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, Seattle, Washington, and this weekend in Chicago.   Participants included over 200 performing in several ensembles numbering 12 groups plus the Mass Festival Clarinet Choir conducted by Clarinet Choir legend Harvey Hermann from the University of Illinois in Champaign.   Many of the most important transcriptions for this ensemble medium were arranged by Dr Hermann especially of the Classic Orchestral repertoire which brought a higher musical meaning for the development of fine ensemble performance.  Detailed information about this Conference contained on the Clarinet Choir News Page.

         Performance and Social at Western Michigan University's Dalton Hall with Students and Mike Getzin

East Michigan University Clarinet Studio with Ms Meyer

West Michigan University Clarinet Studio with Sabine Meyer

Professor Kim Cole-Luevano and Sabine Meyer

                                  Performance at Rackham Auditorium at the University of Michigan

11 - 12 October 2008

Sabine Meyer, World foremost German Klarinettist on Tour with the Tokyo String Quartet (Brahms Clarinet Quintet Op 115)with 2 Concerts held at University of Michigan at Rackham Auditorium in Ann Arbor 12 October, and the day before at Dalton Hall at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo on 11 October 2008

Western Michigan University and University of Michigan

Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor, Michigan USA

             World-Class Klarinettist and Soloist and Chamber Music artist Sabine Meyer, who has gained a formidable reputation since her brief time as Solo Klarinettist in the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Herbert von Karajan, has outdone any expectation in these performances seen here of the Brahms Klarinetten Quintett Op 115 with the Tokyo String Quartet, on a North American Tour with Vancouver and San Francisco yet to be performed.  There are few times where this great masterpiece has been played with incredible artistic finesse in so many ways, including flawless technical mastery, ensemble cohesion, and incredible soul.   The incredible Wurlitzer sound with its fluidity and depth and perfect intonation made the performance beyond inspiring. Ms Meyer in every way was the high point of both concerts.    The Tokyo Quartet was a perfect match for all the musical agendas and demands which were handled with no effort on all parts. 

             Several Clarinetists from all over Michigan and beyond came to see this anticipated performance and were not disappointed.  Two University Clarinet Studios came with Professors given the high priority of this concert.  Many have never heard Ms Meyer live but only in recordings, and this was the opportunity to hear and meet.  Both concerts were almost sold out.

              Sabine Meyer is a proactive pioneer on the performance of the major Clarinet Literature and has made many recordings for EMI.  Noteworthy are her Mozart Clarinet Concerto recordings with Bassett A Klarinette, and very recently recordings of the Carl Nielsen Clarinet Concerto Op 57 with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Krommer Double Clarinet Concerto OP 35 with British Clarinet Prodigy Julian Bliss, who studied with Ms Meyer in Luebeck, Germany.  Ms Meyer is Professor at the Luebeck Hochscule fur Musik and has one of the most important Clarinet Studios in Europe.

12 October 2008

Clarinettissimo - University of Washington,  Sean Osborn, Director

Seattle, Washington USA

               Clarinettissimo at the University of Washington on October 12 was very successful. 

              About 100 people from the regional clarinet community came from as far away as Oakland, Portland, and
Vancouver, BC to see the event.  Seattle Symphony Orchestra clarinetist Laura
 DeLuca was the special guest this year for the annual, free event.  In
addition, UW clarinet instructor Sean Osborn gave a master class, and conducted 20
community members and students in the world premier of his piece for clarinet
choir which was the finale of the evening's concert.  Vendors from Music
Centers, Inc., Kennelly Keys, and Backun Clarinets provided much for the
participants to sample, and clarinetists Jennifer Nelson, Florie Rothenberg,
and Mary Kantor helped make the evening concert a success, along with UW's Rhonda
Kline on piano.

Eric Hewitt Introduction

Jon Cohler and Elizabeth Gunlogson

David Gould (Vandoren) and Chris Coppinger (Buffet)

Mike Getzin and Jon Cohler

Rico Composition Competition

University of New Hamphire Professor and Students

5 October 2008

Boston Conservatory Clarinet Day,  Michael Norsworthy, Director,

Boston, Massachusetts USA

          The 2nd Clarinet Day at this prestige Conservatory brought an active day of lectures, Master Classes, Exhibits from several firms about the Clarinet, Accessories such as Mouthpieces, Reeds, Tools, Music, and more.  A major focus of this day was quality teaching of fundamentals and musical playing as shown on several advanced students covering major solo literature, and in depth coverage of New Music Extended Clarinet as covered by Director Michael Norseworthy and Eric Mandat, a composer and authority on this performance medium.  As the galleries show, the student-teacher interaction was intense and enlightening for all who attended.  Principal Faculty included Mr Norseworthy, Director, and Professor at the Boston Conservatory and a near legend exponent performer of New Music, Eric Mandat, Composer, and Distinguished Professor at the University of Southern Illinois at Carbondale,  Michael Wayne, 2nd Clarinetist in the Boston Symphony, Eric Hewitt, Conductor of the New England Conservatory Wind Symphony, International Solo Saxophonist, Clarinetist, and Bass Clarinetist and exponent of New Music, having performed myriads of premieres, Jonathan Cohler, major Clarinet Soloist and Professor at Boston Conservatory and at the Longy School of Music at Harvard University and major Recording Artist.  This was a major first-class faculty especially covering new music with solid grounding of established literature.

                               Jon Cohler in Morning session and  'What makes a Good Sound'

                                  Michael Norseworthy session on 'Climbing the Steep Steps'

                                Eric Mandat session on Multiphonics and Contemporary Techniques

                                                            Michael Wayne Master Class

              The morning had 3 sessions with Mike Norseworthy covering new music with Bass Clarinet with demonstrations and performance, titled Climbing the Steep Steps,  Jon Cohler gave a comprehensive talk about 'What makes a Good Sound', picking the audiences' brain about the tangible components of good tone production in an effort to establish what the priorities are in production, emphasizing tonal clarity, intonation, and many other factors.  Eric Mandat gave a comprehensive talk about extended techniques, including fingerings, partials, overtone studies, and many other things.

            To serve the curiosity about instruments and exhibits, two hours to browse and try with a relaxed house took place where major firms showed their products including Buffet-Crampon, Orsi Weir, Vandoren, Rico, Gao Barrels and Bells, Gary Gorczyca Clarinet Repair, and Yamaha.  Social interaction was very active between students, faculty and performers.

                                           Recital by Eric Hewitt and Michael Norseworthy

                                                        Eric Mandat New Music Recital

                                                          Jonathan Cohler in Recital

             The finale to this Program was the Evening Concert featuring the faculty with a generous New Music dose with superb performances by each of them.  Program is on the gallery above.   As can be seen by this successful day, credit is due to Director Mike Norseworthy and Conservatory Director Eric Hewitt.  This seems earmarked to be an annual event which should attract serious players from around the country.

 

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Revised: November 07, 2008