Dr. Diane Cawein Barger

Associate Professor of Clarinet and member of the Moran Woodwind Quintet, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Do you have the fire within? asked my teacher, Robert Marcellus, during one of my lessons when I was a graduate student at Northwestern University.

Those words continue to echo in my memory even to this day, and now that I am a teacher, I often find myself asking that same question to my students. It is a question that asks many things: How much are you willing to risk to become a great musician? Are you ready to put in the time it takes to become a great musician? If you have a bad day/practice/performance, will you become discouraged to the point of wanting to quit? If you have a great day/practice/performance will you think you have nothing left to learn? The list goes on...

Recently I had a discussion with my entire clarinet studio about what each of them thought they could do as they continued to travel on the road to becoming a better musician. Here are some of their answers:

  • Have a more positive mental attitude.
  • Learn to practice more productively.
  • Practice the day of my lesson, after my lesson so I can immediately begin applying what I learned.
  • Stop procrastinating.
  • Prepare as I go.
  • Determine what role my clarinet playing has in the big picture
  • Do more serious score study with recordings.
  • Work on reeds more consistently.
  • Try to fix things immediately so my teacher doesn't have to keep telling me the same things over and over.
  • Listen to other players to determine how I want to sound.
  • Learn how to make it through those "burn out" periods.
  • Motivate myself and work on not being too hard on myself when I'm not progressing as fast as I'd like.
  • SLOWER practice!
  • FOCUS!
  • Learn to practice more creatively.
  • Practice more and take it more seriously while I'm in a practice room.
  • Work toward better integrity of rhythm.
  • Listen to myself more critically.
  • Prioritize my time and goals when I practice.
  • Accept the fact that I have to sound "bad" sometimes in order to improve.
  • More concentrated practice.
  • Have a more positive attitude in general.
  • Take notes in my lessons.
  • Set a goal to play every day, no matter what!
  • Repetition.
  • Listen to recordings of all types of musicians.
  • Set up a practice time in my schedule and stick to it.
  • Practice every aspect of my playing every day

Being a musician is both easy and difficult: easy in that we are involved in something that gives us and others great joy...difficult in that it requires time and an enormous amount of dedication. Becoming the type of musician you are meant to be is a continual process. I hope that you go through life believing that there is something new to learn and searching for answers to questions you never realized you had. Most of all, always be aware of that fire within that motivates and guides you every step of the way on your musical journey.

send a message to Dr. Cawein Barger

 

These established clarinetists have graciously agreed to share their thoughts on clarinet playing. May their words offer inspiration and insight.

Artists
©Copyrighted 1999 Rose Sperrazza
Phone: (773)442-5902