The Latest from Vandoren - My First Look at V21

I was greeted by couple of packages from Vandoren when I returned from my recent trip to GA. This time, in addition to my regular V12 reeds, I asked for few products I wanted to try out, including HRC20 Hygro Reed Case, Juno reeds (great reeds for beginners and young students), 5RVs, and the recently announced V21 reeds.

My primary choice for reeds has been Vandoren V12 3.5+ and occasionally rue lepic (I have not used Traditional reeds for many years). Naturally I was anticipating some good results with V21 since it "combines the conical shape of a 56 rue epic reeds with a V12 profile" (you can read more about it here). 

It is very difficult to precisely describe the particular tendencies of different lines of reed. However, I will try to generalize the characteristics of V12 and rue lepic based on hundreds of reeds I have used over the course of many years. I find that V12 reeds have a very strong core that enables great focus, direct response, and intensity in sound. When the reed is well balanced, it allows both full elastic projection and subtle responses to great satisfaction. On a downside, I find V12 sometimes results in a bit sharp, edgy (even thin) sound with slightly abundant resistance.  Rue lepic, on the other hand, feels warmer, more even throughout, and more refined, but I miss the strong center that I enjoy in V12 (on a simplest term, it just feels softer than what I would like).

I was advised to try V21 3.5 and 3.5+ to my current setup--M13 Lyre. The immediate reaction was highly encouraging.

V21 Front Side

V21 Back Side

After playing for few minutes, I was convinced that the V21 is really a good compromise of what I wished to have from both V12 and rue lepic. V21 3.5+ felt a bit harder than V12 3.5+, but I could make both V21 3.5 and 3.5+ work for my current setup. To me V21 felt closer to rue lepic than V12 but with much improvement, particularly on its center and strength. The sound is very even and well refined. Articulation and maintaining good intonation is easy, too. I plan on playing both V12 and V21 for a while.  

Vandoren Reed Comparison Chart (from www.vanforen-en.com)

Vandoren Reed Comparison Chart (from www.vanforen-en.com)

Vandoren HRC20 Hygro Reed Case

Quick note on HRC20 Hygro Reed Case: these reed cases are super light and easy to use/refill (with humidity control). Check out a video made by David Gould at Vandoren website here.

I also found this wonderful Vandoren vest sent as a surprise holiday gift in my office mail. Thank you Vandoren!

A Sneak Preview: 2015 TTU Clarinet Day

I've been very busy during past several days putting together various details for the upcoming Clarinet Day at Tech. Scheduled for April 17th and 18th of 2015, this is the fourth and the largest Clarinet Day I am hosting since my arrival at TTU. The line-up of guest artists are truly unique and impressive: Sqwonk, the world's most exciting bass clarinet duo based in San Francisco, and KoMo Quartet, a recently formed projects by renowned clarinetists from South Korea and Montana. Like previous years, the event will provide many opportunities for our students and participants to attend guest artist recitals and master classes, try out the newest line of clarinet products by leading vendors, play in the clarinet choir, and interact with each other (and perhaps make some new friends)!

While the official flyers and schedule are being finalized, I wanted to leak some exciting details here:

2015 Guest Artists

SQWONK DUO

Jeff Anderle (San Fransico Conservatory of Music) 

Jonathan Russell (Princeton University) 

KoMo Clarinet Quartet

 

 

Friday, April 17, 2015 at 7:30pm - Sqwonk will present an astounding and genre-defying recital

Devienne Clarinet Sonata on ABC's (Australia) Classical Drive

The final movement, Rondo, from my recording of Devienne's Clarinet Sonata No. 2 will be aired on Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Classical Drive today. This CD has been featured on ABC numerous times in the past and was even featured as CD of the week. They pick some really fantastic selections, and I am honored that they frequently have my work broadcasted. 

http://www.abc.net.au/classic/program/classicdrive/

For a limited time only, I am also sharing the entire sonata available for stream here. If you like them, please consider ordering a copy of the CD from my store.

TTU All-Star Clarinet Symposium

The 2014 TTU All-Star Clarinet Symposium Participants!

I spent all day today with approximately 50 high school clarinet students from all over Tennessee who came to participate in our Annual All-Start Instrumental Symposium. This year's group was particularly outstanding, and I thoroughly enjoyed working with them. I led a clinic on the fundamentals of clarinet playing, warm-up technique (long-tone, scales, arpeggios, thirds, and articulation exercise), and a master class on excerpts from the Mid-State and All-East Tennessee audition music in the morning. The students also worked me to prepare for an afternoon concert as part of the large clarinet choir, which they performed to great satisfaction. 

I went over the importance of daily warm-up and demonstrated systematic (and easy-to-do) warm-up routine that students should try to do on a daily basis.

After lunch, I led the TTU Clarinet Choir to play for woodwind participants. Several of my students came to help a great deal (I am truly fortunately to have such an outstanding studio, and I wouldn't be able to do these activities without them!). A group of Tech clarinet majors also came to demonstrate a reed-making session in front of the high school students. It was an inspiration for me to see so many students interested in studying music or at least continue being involved with music program at college. If you ask me, the future of what we do certainly looks promising!

TTU Clarinet Choir getting ready to play for the high school audience.

MTSU Concert last Monday

After our concert at Middle Tennessee State University last week

It was such a pleasure to play with the Larchmere String Quartet once again last Monday. This time, we were guests at Middle Tennessee State University School of Music. Our work together on Krehl's Clarinet Quintet is making some good progress. Still much work needs to be done, but we now look forward to our next concert in January and recording session in March. Stay tuned for more!

Mozart Clarinet Concerto Recording from August 2014

Performing an encore, my own arrangement of Sarabande from Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 for basset clarinet, after playing Mozart Clarinet Concerto with SPO in August 2014 (photo credit: Kayoung An)

Thanks to my friend and amazing recording engineer/producer Brad Sayles of the Houston Symphony, I now have this recording available to share. The video broadcasted on Arte TV will become available soon so please stay tuned!