Previously on “the four tendencies”, I gave suggestions to obligers and questioners that could help them practice their instrument regularly. Today, let’s talk about upholders. People with this tendency meet both inner and outer expectations without much trouble. Forming good habits comes pretty easily to them, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a little…
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When classical musicians decide to play klezmer music, it’s always a risky challenge. But with the Sirba Octet, it’s just a great pleasure for us listeners! These 8 musicians from the “Orchestre de Paris” are perfectly aware of their classical background, and they don’t pretend to play “pure” klezmer music. The octet mixes the traditions…
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I continue my series about the “four tendencies” developed by Gretchen Rubin in her book Better than Before. In the first episode, we talked about obligers, people who mostly meet outer expectations and work better when they feel useful to others. Today, let’s speak about the opposite personality, I mean questioners. They respond better to…
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A thread on the Facebook group of the International Clarinet Association about an April Fool’s concert made me remember a post I wrote in french almost a year ago. I think it’s time for me to translate it! Carmen Strips is a humoristic fantasy piece, with an obligatory ‘undressing’ of the clarinet. The piece is…
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Remember my post about Gretchen Rubin “four tendencies” ? Over 200 people answered my poll, thank you all! The poll reveals that obligers are predominant, with 33% of the voters. This is in keeping with what Gretchen observed, in the general population. Yep, musicians are just like everyone else after all, who would have thought?…
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Do you remember Watchdog? I told you about this duo a few days ago. They were about to release their debut album, “You’re Welcome”. Well, it has been released since yesterday. I listened to it on line via bandcamp, and it’s a really great album. Especially for clarinet lovers! The various combinations of the instruments…
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Why does a cylindrical tube play a lower note than a conical tube of the same length? Why is it difficult to play the lowest notes on the saxophone softly? What is the influence of the wall material on wind instruments? An oboe goes to the octave, a clarinet goes to the fifth. But why?…
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Every musician knows that having good regular practice habits is the key to improve. If you’re a teacher, you have certainly noticed how difficult it could be for a student to practice regularly. Telling them about our own methods does not solve the issue. When I was a teenager, I used to wake up every…
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In a galaxy far far away… is Martin Fröst new album, Roots. His quest to “create new programmes which move beyond traditional concert formats” lead him to the roots of classical music, and to his own roots, too. Mission accomplished. Brilliantly. It’s like you were visiting sort of a museum, with alive, animated artworks. You…
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Smartphones have become increasingly popular in the last ten years. They are very useful tools for musicians, making it possible to combine the functions of several devices in a single machine. Here are my favorite apps: Pro Metronome : “The best metronome app. Period.” says the developer on itunes. Well, it’s true. It allows many…
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