Chamber Music Reflection

Name : Courtney Kuhn 3/6/14
Other group members:

Angelica Monclova, Ben Sampayan
Chamber Music Reflection
My chamber music experience involved two separate performancesa flute solo with
piano accompaniment and a trio with 2 clarinets and a trumpet. I chose to play a trio with 2
clarinets because we were all in Bb, and we could play from the same book. Choosing a piece
was difficult, because we had to accommodate the ability levels of all players. Angelica was
having difficulty playing over the break, so we looked for a piece that would stay in and below
the throat tones for her. I also had to think about range, because some of the trios didnt have any
parts that were within my playable range on the trumpet. This was mostly an issue because we
were playing from a book for Bb instruments, instead of solos written for our particular
instruments. This is important to consider when providing repertoire for young players; what
may be easy, idiomatic music for one instrument may be very difficult on another. The students
may not be able to discern what type of music is at their level without some guidance.
My solo, on the other hand, was much easier to choose. I got to pick something that was
easy to find online, and within my ability level on flute. The piano accompaniment consisted
mostly of block chords, so I was confident that Ben could play it.
When the trio rehearsed together, we tried to go about it as democratically as possible.
We usually began with running through the piece, followed by group comments. Ben and I spoke
up more than Angelica, offering feedback about our phrasing, dynamics, balance, etc. After one
of our runs, Ben said he needed some work on the middle section. I then suggested that we start
on measure 5 and play those next 4 measures slowly together, making sure that each note spoke.
Several repetitions produced much greater consistency, and we were able to focus on other
things. Once the note accuracy had improved, Angelica said, maybe we could try to bring out
the melody more thereBen can play louder, and Courtney and I can play softer. This
approach allowed everyone to feel free to make comments, suggestions, and plans for
improvement. Sometimes, we just needed individual time to work out fingerings, so we would
take a few minutes to practice on our own and reconvene later to work on that section.
Overall, our goal in rehearsals was to improve speed, accuracy, and quality of our
performance. We had to assess what each person needed to make that happen for our group. Ben
and Angelica had to spend more time working on fingerings than I did, because that is much
more of a challenge on clarinet than on trumpet. Whenever there was a disagreement, it was
usually about how to spend our time. I wanted to run the piece more, but they needed individual
practice. In the end, we compromised by spending half the time on our own, and half on group
rehearsal.
My favorite part about this project was the performance aspect. We have done many
teaching demonstrations and ensemble exercises on secondary instruments, but this project
focused on proficiency and professionalism. I liked being able to rehearse in a formal way and
perform for a real audience.
My least favorite part was probably the repertoire selection. It would have been fun to be
able to play things written for our instruments, so we could explore the limitations of that idiom.
I definitely felt less challenged on the trio than Ben and Angelica, because we had to find
something that fit within our range.
In this project, I learned about the process of chamber music performance as a beginner.
The rehearsal process was similar to my experience in saxophone quartet, but it required a
different approach. We still aimed for a musical product with good balance, dynamic contrast,
and phrasingbut realizing that goal is so much different on a secondary instrument.
I do think this project was worthwhile, but I thought the solos were too short and easy.
If we were given that much time, I wish we could have put something together that was a little
longer and more interesting. It definitely stretched me as a musician, because I had to blend with
clarinets and play soft enough for Bens melody to come through. This exercise developed skills
of flexible musicianship and leadership, because we had to work together towards a common
goal on instruments that we are all beginners at.
I can see this exercise going over very well in high school, but they would need a lot
more supervision. This might involve guided rehearsals and worksheets to help them decide on
what to do. I also think that high school students would benefit from talking about why they are
doing this, in the same way that we did. That conversation could help them become more
intentional and accountable in their rehearsals. Experiences in chamber music always make
students more interested and skilled in playing music. It is really valuable to have a framework
for including chamber music in a school program.

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Document Informationclick to expand document informationReflection on Chamber Music Recital 3/2014 for Art of Teaching Advanced Instrumentalists spring 2014

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Name : Courtney Kuhn 3/6/14

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