Index / TOC (scroll down for recent blogposts)

It takes anywhere between 2 and 10 hours to create each blog post.
If you found this blog useful, and if you’d like to see more,
you can support me on Patreon for less than the cost of a coffee

Dear composers – when I started this blog I had just finished my PhD, and had lots of free time to work on the blog and answer your questions, as I was just starting to find my way in freelance new music playing. Now, unfortunately, it’s getting difficult. I receive many e-mails from composers with scores and questions every week, and while answering them is a great pleasure for me, I no longer have the time to keep up with them. If you don’t get a response to your e-mail, please understand, it’s better if I spend the time working on new posts (or, you know, practising ;). I’m very sorry about this, but I wish you all much luck and fun with your clarinet writing!

air sounds eb clarinet no mouthpiece speaking
aluminum foil flute embouchure preparations spectral multiphonic
articulation flutter tongue quarter tones tongue ram
bending glissandi register key trills
 composer advice history repertoire trumpet embouchure
double tongue  ‘how to’s for clarinetists shaking water
double trills  multiphonic singing whistling
dyads  CONTRA slap tongue

Table of Contents


The Basics:

On multiphonics:

Special Techniques: 

Specifically for Clarinetists:

On Repertoire:

…on a historical approach to the sound of the clarinet

 Other Popular Posts:

Posted in performance | 2 Comments

Study with me at my home or online

Regular or one-off lessons are available either online via Zoom or at my home studio in Woolwich in South-East London. These are available to both clarinettists and also composers who need help and feedback with their work, and can be booked quickly and fuss-free via the Calendly app below.

A photo of me, clarinet in hand, pointing at a screen with a score displayed thereon.

For clarinet players, things you might consider working on in your lessons:

  • Extended techniques (circular breathing, slap tongue, multiphonics, quarter tones and other microtones – basically anything you’ve seen on my blog that you’d like to be able to do)
  • Working on your improvisation skills
  • Graphic Scores
  • Contemporary repertoire (you can see the solo repertoire I’m most familiar with, but I’m happy for you to bring anything to your lesson, so long as you send me a PDF of the score).
  • Chamber music coaching (if you want to bring your ensemble/pianist for a lesson to my home studio, that would be wonderful – I have a beautiful August Förster baby grand for them to play on).
  • Breath work, voicing, posture
  • Advice about the music industry, about building a ‘portfolio career’
  • Advice on studying – where to do it, who else to study with, etc.

Rates for clarinet players are are as follows:

  • initial consultation/one-off lesson, £55 (1 hour)
  • 45 minute follow up lesson, £40
  • A block of five 45-minute lessons is available for £180
  • Chamber music coaching, £80 (90 minutes)

Composers, you might consider booking a session with me if:

  • You’re unsure if you’ve notated something well for clarinet, or if it’s idiomatic or comfortable to play
  • You’d like to explore a technique you’ve seen on my blog in more detail
  • You want to write creatively with multiphonics and need some help or need to hear them first
  • You just want someone to look at your solo piece and give some detailed feedback

Rates are:

  • £40 for a half-hour session (with 15 minutes of looking at your score before our session if you send it to me in advance)

It is very easy to book a lesson with me now through Calendly, just select a time that works for you.

Posted in performance | Leave a comment

Masterclass for Composers in Beautiful Croatia in October

Dear Composers – I’m joining Synchronos Ensemble and composer Johannes Maria Staud for a few days in October for a masterclass at Osijek Festival.

Come join us!

https://masterclass.tribina.eu/

Posted in performance | Leave a comment

Zöllner-Roche Composers Lab

The Zöllner Roche Duo is pleased to announce a call for applications. The last online workshop to help you with your applications (and show you some nice features of our duo) is TONIGHT on Zoom (June 27 at 8pm CET (7pm GMT)). Please see our flyer below for more details and our website at www.zoellner-roche.com for the workshop sign up details!

Posted in performance | Leave a comment

Gaudeamus: Thursday September 9, 7pm

Friends in Holland! Eva Zöllner and I are coming to Utrecht to play next week, we have a fantastic programme for you, which is a combination of our ‘hits’ and some new pieces written especially for the festival. We’ve started rehearsing already, and I’m very sure this is going to be a fascinating concert.

The programme is as follows:

Annika Socolofsky – The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows: silience
Matthew Ricketts – Lucent
Pawel Malinowski – Paradise blue
Johan Svensson – double dubbing (firefly song)
Elnaz Seyedi – Nach Neuen Meeren

See you next Thursday! More information can be found at their Facebook Event.

May be an image of one or more people
Posted in performance | Leave a comment

Learning about multiphonics – a different approach!

Hi all – I just wanted to share some of the videos from the project I’m consultant on, The Garden of Forking Paths, with Dr. Scott McLaughlin. He’s made some fantastic videos where he explains how multiphonics work in a really helpful way – I think spending an hour or so looking through his content could really help with how you conceptualise multiphonics and how you think about the clarinet as a non clarinet-player.

Scott also does a great job of explaining all of these things as a non-player himself. Well, non-professional. You’ll see him having a go, constantly. If you ever wondered what use it would be to get yourself a clarinet to try some of these things out as a composer, you might find his playing super inspiring!

The first two explanatory videos are particularly insightful – and will take you just under half an hour to watch (and take detailed notes on, obvs).

But you’ll see there’s a playlist with further resources there.

Follow scott – http://twitter.com/mugloch – and the project – http://twitter.com/PathsForking – on Twitter!

Posted in performance | Leave a comment