West Coast Clarinet Congress 2000

By Alison P. Deadman

On Thursday, March 9, 2000 the rains and cloudy skies that had plagued central California disappeared, the sun came out, and the Spring flowers put on their best dress to welcome the participants of the West Coast Clarinet Congress 2000 to California State University, Fresno.  Blessed with a state-of-the-art concert hall and delightful recital hall the Music department at CSUF was the ideal location for the congress, which was kicked off with flare on Thursday evening by the headline artist, Buddy DeFranco.  The recital, much heralded throughout the central San Joaquin Valley on local radio and in the newspapers, was an exciting and lively excursion through a variety of jazz standards.  Ably assisted by local musicians, Chuck Van Horn (piano), Pete Scaffidi, (bass), and Gary Newmark (drums), DeFranco�s improvisations were energetic and creative, utilizing the whole range of the instrument.  Audiophiles will be delighted to discover that compact discs of DeFranco playing many of the tunes he regaled the congress audience with, are available from his web site at www.budydefranco.com.

The first full day of the congress began in fine style with a varied and entertaining recital given by congress organizer, Miles Ishigaki.  Joined by Marcus Eley (marketing specialist, Rico International), and Matthew Horton (piano), Ishigaki began the program with the second of Mendelssohn�s two concert pieces transcribed for two clarinets and piano.  Stravinsky�s Three Pieces for clarinet solo followed, and the program concluded with the too infrequently heard Double Concerto for clarinet and trumpet by Gordon Jacob.  Here Ishigaki was joined by his colleague, Ritchie Clendenin (professor of trumpet, California State University, Fresno).  For an unexpected encore, Marcus Eley entered the stage playing Happy Birthday, accompanied by a birthday cake for the Congress � may there be many more years to come!

Each day of the congress gave participants a varied diet of recitals, master classes, lecture/demonstrations, and time to visit the exhibit hall.  After lunch, during which many of the participants got to know each other over spaghetti and salad, Burt Hara (principal clarinet, Minnesota Orchestra) began the master class series.  Master classes, which were well attended by congress participants, gave students from a wide geographical area chance to perform for some of the top teachers in the country. Hara, a lively and energetic teacher, focused attention on taking the music beyond the notes and into the realm of expression.  A theme that was to recur throughout the congress was to think of oneself as a singer.  By lively demonstration, Hara encouraged the students to think of the �larger than life� qualities necessary for communication (which are utilized by the best opera singers) as a model for the energy and intensity needed in musical expression.

Later that afternoon David Ethridge (professor of music, University of Oklahoma), accompanied by Steve Harlos (piano faculty, University of North Texas, Denton), treated congress participants to a masterful performance of some clarinet classics (Brahms, Sonata Op. 120, no. 1 and Lutoslawski, Dance Preludes) as well as some less often performed works: Germaine Tailleferre�s beautiful miniature Arabesque, and Graham Lyons�eclectic Sonata for clarinet and piano.  Ethridge introduced the Lyons Sonata by telling the audience a little about this talented composer/clarinetist/educator and introducing some of the ideas in the Sonata, which include a samba and a tribute to the memory of Karen Carpenter.

The first full day of the congress was rounded out with an ambitious recital given by Christopher Sereque (principle clarinet, Seattle Symphony Orchestra) accompanied by Joseph Adam (University of Puget Sound).  Sereque�s program began with a beautifully refined performance of Arthur Benjamin�s Le Tombeau de Ravel: Valse-Caprices for Clarinet and Piano.  The first half concluded with Andr� Jolivet�s Ascesses for solo clarinet � perhaps better known in the version for solo flute.  Sereque showed masterful control and musicality throughout the five movements, each of which is prefaced by an epigrammatic literary quotation.  After the intermission the audience was treated to Serge Prokoffiev�s Sonata Op. 94 for clarinet and piano.  Ruth Sereque (viola, North West Chamber, Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra, and Seattle Baroque) then joined the performers for a delightful rendition of Mozart�s Trio in E-flat, K. 498 (Kegelstadt).  For an encore the audience were treated to the slow movement of Schumann�s Fairy Tales for clarinet, viola, and piano.

Saturday morning saw congress participants up bright and early to attend a fascinating lecture demonstration given by William McColl (professor of clarinet, University of Washington, Seattle).  A true scholar as well as a fine clarinetist, McColl began by demonstrating the extended lower joint that turns his modern Boehm clarinet into a basset clarinet suitable for playing Mozart�s Clarinet Concerto and Quintet, as well as sharing some of his thoughts on the first published review of Mozart�s Clarinet Concerto.  McColl also displayed a copy of the only surviving clarinet made by the instrument maker whom Mozart patronized, L�tz.  Perhaps most remarkable of all were a pair of French Baroque clarinets that McColl had reconstructed from the engraving in Diderot and D�Alembert�s Encyclop�die.  As the session ended, attendees eagerly gathered round to get a closer look and even to play some of these beautiful instruments, all of which McColl has used professionally.

As this session was winding down, Chris Sereque was setting up for his reed making demonstration.  An expert reed maker who plays exclusively on his own hand made reeds, Sereque had his audience�s rapt attention as he masterfully demonstrated the procedure for making a finished reed from a seasoned blank using a Reed Dual machine.  Discussion during the session ranged widely and covered much useful information on everything from splitting tube cane to balancing and measuring the finished product.

A break in the schedule allowed participants time to (re)visit the exhibit hall (where one could find everything from new clarinets to sheet music to accessories) and to get an early lunch, and possibly to adjust a reed or two before the lunch-time Potpourri Concert.  Accompanied by Alan Rea, I had the pleasure of opening the performance with two wonderful twentieth-century French works, Milhaud�s Duo Concertant and Debussy�s Petite Pi�ce.  Mary More (principal clarinet, Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra) and Karen Johnson (piano, Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra) continued the twentieth-century theme with a marvelous new Sonata for A clarinet and piano composed specially for her by Bakersfield, CA composer, Howard Quilling.  The Net-Play Clarinet Quartet of the Army Ground Forces Band (Brian Ross, Sherylanne Marie Branning, Bruce Geyer, and Milton Finney) changed the pace of the program as they concluded the recital with a varied set of clarinet quartets giving the audience a truly professional and exciting ensemble performance.

A master class by Mitchell Lurie (professor emeritus, University of Southern California), a recital by Clarence Padilla (associate professor of woodwinds, Drake University) and a lecture/discussion by Buddy DeFranco, provided the afternoon�s fare.

In his quiet and unassuming manner, Mitchell Lurie treated students and audience to a wealth of his expertise and knowledge gained over his career as both a performer and educator.  The discussion covered a broad array of subjects, including �recital paralysis� (am I sharp or am I flat?), of how to achieve a �singing� espressivo by balancing air support and embouchure, and how to practice technical passages by keeping relatively relaxed and working with the idea of focus in the fingers.  A truly inspiring teacher, Lurie made us all want to go away and practice to become better musicians.  Returning to the recital hall, Clarence Padilla (accompanied by Cynthia Giunta) captivated his audience with a polished performance of Crusell Concerto No. 1.  He continued his program by introducing participants to some less familiar repertoire, William Dougherty�s Fantasy and Dance for clarinet and piano and Pierre Gabaye�s Sonatina for clarinet and piano.  Before leaving for dinner, congress attendees were given a rare treat.  Billed as a lecture/demonstration by Buddy DeFranco, this session ended up more like an informal conversation as DeFranco responded to questions.  He related details of his early legit training (including playing in his High School orchestra and concert band), of sitting in the back of clubs as a student and soaking up the music that he heard, and of forming his very first swing band.  He also told of his professional career and of players who had influenced him, prominent among whom were Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman.  That evening DeFranco again astounded his audience with a two-hour program of wonderful jazz.

A smorgasbord of chamber music provided a pleasant morning treat on Sunday as the first recital began with a rousing rendition of the Poulenc Sonata for two clarinets performed by Mark Berry (principal clarinet, Tulare Symphony Orchestra) and Marc Tipton (Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra).  The Golden West Quintet from Travis Air Force Base (Candis Hanson, oboe; Christy Bailes, clarinet; Lindsey Bartlett, bassoon; Emily Justiana, French horn; Laurie Siebold, flute) were joined by Igor Pokland, bass clarinet to continue the program with Janacek�s enchanting late work, Mladi (Youth).  To conclude, Bruce Nolan (principal clarinet, Fresno Philharmonic) took the stage along with David Margetts ( Professor of Music, California State University, Fresno) and John Morrice (assistant concertmaster, Fresno Philharmonic), violins, Cynthia Stuart (Fresno Philharmonic) viola, and Judy Robinson standing in at the last minute on �cello, for a wonderfully mellow performance of Brahms� late masterpiece, the Quintet Op. 115.

The final masterclass of the weekend was given by David Ethridge.  An experienced educator, Ethrdige shared some of his pedagogical insights and methods, (including some innovative and useful techniques for working to eradicate jaw and diaphragm motion, and to improve finger positions), as well as emphasizing the importance of subdivisions not only for rhythmic accuracy but also for musicality.  After lunch, Marcus Eley�s cleverly titled slide show/lecture ��Reed all about it��followed the stages of reed growth in the Rico cane fields from rhizome to harvest, and explained the different grades of cane, cut of reeds, brands of reed, and quality control performed by Rico.

The congress was brought to an exhilarating close by Burt Hara, assisted by Ron Samuels (principal clarinet, Toledo Symphony Orchestra) and accompanied by Steven Harlos.  The recital began with lively renditions of two twentieth-century classics: Poulenc�s Sonata and Muczynski�s Time Pieces, after which Hara and Harlos were joined by Samuels for Glazunov�s flashy Entr�Acte from Raymonda for two clarinets and piano.  Mitchell Lurie then stepped down to introduce the penultimate work � Ingolf Dahl�s Duo for two clarinets.  Lurie explained how Dahl, a former colleague at the University of Southern California, had taken a sabbatical, and unbeknown to his clarinetist friends had composed this work, dedicating it to all of them and fashioning each movement after his impression of one of the dedicatees.  Tragically, Dahl passed away before he was ever able to return from his sabbatical, but before he died he sent the manuscript to a copyist with instructions that each of the dedicatees were to receive a copy, and so it was that almost magically, and as if from the grave, each dedicatee received a copy of the music.  Hara completed the recital with a beautifully controlled and expressive performance of Brahms� Sonata, Op. 120, no. 2.

It was not without some sadness that we left Fresno, having made new friends, discovered new repertoire, and found new ideas to take back with us to our various performance and teaching situations.  However, the phrase �see you next year!� was never far away!

            Plans are well under way for the West Coast Clarinet Congress 2001, which will take place on July 26-29 at California State University, Fresno.  As well as recitals by top name artists, master classes, and lecture-demonstrations, plans for next year include a music educator�s day, a clarinet choir, and sessions with clarinet designers and manufacturers.  A new addition will be the West Coast Clarinet Congress 2001 High School Clarinet Competition.  This is open to all clarinetists who have not reached their nineteenth birthday by May 31, 2001.  Competitors should send a cassette tape of all three movements of the Weber Concerto No. 1 (Carl Fisher Edition) with accompaniment to:

W.C.C.C. 2001, High School Clarinet Competition

Dr. Alison P. Deadman, Coordinator

East Tennessee State University

Department of Music

Box 70661

Johnson City, TN 37614-0661

Please do not place any identifying marks on either the cassette tape or its box.  The competitor should include a photocopy of their driver�s license or birth certificate (to verify their age) and a statement signed by both the competitor and their teacher that the cassette tape represents an unedited recording of the competitor.  Semi-finals and finals of the competition will take place during the WCCC 2001.

So come to visit California next summer, vacation in Yosemite, relax, and attend the West Coast Clarinet Congress 2001!  For more information, contact

Dr. Miles Ishigaki, Professor of Clarinet
Department of Music
California State University, Fresno
2380 E. Keats Ave. M/S MB 77
Fresno, CA 93740-8024
(559) 278-2902, (559) 435-9120 (fax)
Email: [email protected]
http://zimmer.csufresno.edu/~milesi/