Welcome! This is a
blog for me to record my experiences over the course of my senior project, Exploring the Diversity of Instrumental
Music.
I’ve been playing the clarinet for 8 years, but sometimes I
wonder why I never picked up any other instruments or chose a different one
back in 4th grade. Would my passion for
music have been different if I had initially chosen the saxophone, or the
trumpet, or even percussion? Maybe I
would be “better” at that instrument today than I am at the clarinet.
These thoughts led to the genesis of my senior project. Between now and May, I will be learning eight (count them, eight) new instruments! "Learning" an instrument will consist of playing a flawless one-octave chromatic scale and performing the unique part for a band composition of my choosing. I'll select a piece and evaluate myself based on a rubric I created. Finally, I'll be visiting the third graders in April to teach them about the instruments. The goal is to get them interested in enrolling in the band program in fourth grade. Afterwards, I'll assess them on their physical capabilities and musical interests and report back to the elementary school teacher with a list of suggestions. Hopefully, these events will continue after I have left for college.
So here's my schedule of instruments to learn:
October Bass clarinet
November Trumpet
December Alto saxophone
January Flute
February Oboe
March Trombone
April Percussion
May French horn
Stay tuned for information on my quest for musical enlightenment! Any questions, comments, or feedback are greatly appreciated.
