TAMU Residency - September 2015

TAMU Department of Performance Studies

Kim-Choi Duo spent a wonderful weekend of September in College Station, TX, giving a recital, lecture and masterclasses to highly energetic group of Aggies! We brought with us some of our newly learned repertoire including Peter Lieuwen's Bright River and Bernstein Sonata as well as our old favorites such as Devienne's Sonata and Martinu's Sonatina. It was great to play Bright River for Peter at his own university. 

Kim-Choi Duo performing at the Rudder Theatre

The following day, both of us gave master classes for clarinet and piano students. I particularly enjoyed collaborating with the TAMU Department of Anthropology for my lecture entitled "The Influence of Traditional Korean Music on Contemporary Music." I have had a number of opportunities since graduate school to explore this particular topic and felt both comfortable and sufficiently informed to give a short lecture. Since the majority of the audience did not have formal musical background, I focused on two particular examples where the Traditional Korean Music and Western Contemporary music intersect: the musical borrowing of famous (and very pleasant) Korean traditional melodies such as Arirang, and more intricate but subtle adaptation by composers such as Isang Yun (mainly through the concept of "Hauptton"). I was able to give some demonstration showcasing various unfamiliar but fascinating musical practices in Korean tradition. I am intrigued by the potential in this fusion and look forward to investigating this topic further. 

Brown Bag Lunch Lecture 

Parallel between the Eastern calligraphy and the concept of Korean music

Taoist principles in Korean traditional music

Demonstrating modern techniques that emulate practices in Korean traditional music 

Our friend Peter was such a gracious host and invited us for the evening at his incredible estate. We had marvelous time enjoying his beautiful lake and talked about some more collaborative projects to come!

Our friend Peter had this beautiful private lake behind his house. The dock floats around!

Our friend Peter had this beautiful private lake behind his house. The dock floats around!

Some high-speed exploration!

Some high-speed exploration!

2015-16 TTU Clarinet Studio Overview

2015-16 TTU Clarinet Studio 

This year, my studio is joined by four excellent freshman clarinet majors (two performance and two music education) with one more coming in the Spring 2016. Four of my seniors will be out student teaching (residency). Two of them are planning to apply to graduate schools. The students will actively participate in our growing Clarinet Choir (the group had a chance to work with the Pulitzer-prize winning composer Steve Reich as well as the renowned bass-clarinet duo, Sqwonk, last year), clarinet chamber ensembles, reed-making class, orchestral excerpt class, and more. Please stay tuned for a major update coming up for our Studio Website (with individual student bios, studio and student recital schedule, etc.) and visit often!

We also have some very impressive programs! Here are some of the highlight repertoires that our students will work on and perform on various occasions:

  • W. A. Mozart - Clarinet Concerto
  • Aaron Copland - Clarinet Concerto
  • C. M. v. Weber - Concertino
  • C. M. v. Weber - Clarinet Concerto No. 1
  • Louis Spohr - Clarinet Concerto No. 4
  • Gerald Finzi - Clarinet Concerto
  • Igor Stravinsky - Three Pieces
  • Donald Martino - A Set for Clarinet Solo
  • Paul Harvey - Three Etudes on Theme of Gershwin
  • Heinrich Sutermeister - Capriccio for Solo Clarinet 
  • Scott McAllister - Freebirds
  • Giuseppe Verdi/Bassi - Fantasy on the Theme from "Rigoletto"
  • Francis Poulenc - Clarinet Sonata
  • Andre Messager - Solo de Concours
  • Wilson Osborn - Rhapsody for Solo Clarinet
  • Henri Rabaud - Solo de Concours
  • Robert Schumann - Fantasy Pieces
  • Gerald Finzi - Five Bagatelles
  • Saint-Saens - Clarinet Sonata
  • Johannes Brahms - Clarinet Sonata No. 1 and 2

Our students will also work on the following etudes throughout the year:

  • Hite - Melodious and Progressive Studies for Clarinet, Book 1
  • Rose - 40 Studies and 32 Etudes
  • Polatschek - Advanced Studies for the Clarinet
  • Uhl - 48 Studies for Clarinet
  • Jeanjean - 18 etudes de Perfectionnement
  • Jeanjean - 16 Etudes Modernes
  • Excerpts from my own soon-to-be-published exercises 

TTU Society of Clarinet recently elected its new officers:

  • Sarah McMichen, president
  • Torey Hart, vice president
  • Caroline Brightwell, secretary
  • Austine Wilson, treasurer
  • Delaney Naffziger, official spokesperson and social media coordinator!

The organization will help planning various fundraising events, a spring break trip to soon-to-be-revealed location, and the annual TTU Clarinet Day. Now, let us begin!

Harlaxton Music Festival, UK

  

The Harlaxton Manor

From July 1-3, I visited the Harlaxton Music Festival in its inagural year (launched by my colleagues from the Larchmere String Quartet), where three of my students from TTU were the chamber music participants. It was a real pleasure to reside in this amazing castle, coaching some hard-working students and playing music with them, too!  

Harlaxton gardens

The atrium on the rear side of the Manor

Coaching my student Anjali's Stamitz group

The cocnert venue at the Harlaxton Manor

My student Sarah working on Mozart's Clarinet Quintet

Sarah performing Mozart Clarinet Quintet

On Thursday evening, I also performed the charming "Clarinet Quartet, No. 1" by the American clarinetist and composer Sean Osborn with my students at the St. Wulfram's Church. After the concert, we all went out to a local pub in downtown Grantham! 

St. Wulfram's Church

My student Torey performing Mendelssohn's Concert Piece at the St. Wulfram's Church

Selfie with my students before the evening concert! 

Downtown Grantham

Post-concert celebration! 

All three of my students visited me in London after the Festival, and I took them out to a gastropub near the Covent Garden where we all had some great pies and ale! 

with TTU clarinet students at a gastropub near the Covent Garden

2015 Chapel Hill Chamber Music Workshop

Spending the first week of June each year in Chapel Hill with chamber music enthusiasts from various parts of the country (and around the world!) has long become an essential part of my summer. Catching up with the phenomenal faculty colleagues as well as exploring a vast number of chamber music literature with highly dedicated participants are among the most inspiring moments I get to enjoy. It was also fun to be joined by the Larchmere String Quartet, this year's young artists ensemble, and we had great time performing Mozart's Clarinet Quintet for an incredible group of audience on the first evening of the workshop. 

with LSQ at the reception - intentionally looking upset for no reason...

Each year, I am both amazed and invigorated by what our participants manage to achieve. Mostly comprised of highly successful individuals in their own fields (and many who are retired), they display not only an impressive degree of technical and musical proficiency but a true understanding of the intrinsic communication through chamber music. The long hours of coaching, rehearsals, and of course our famous "marathon" concerts are exhausting, but I always end up wishing that the week did not end. 

Working with adult amateur musicians poses many different challenges than what I normally encounter with my own students. Serving past six years as a faculty member at the workshop enlightened me various ways to articulate musical ideas without being too technical and creative means to overcome problems and mediate differences. My aspiration of helping our participants (many of them now good friends) through musical journey is always realized by their hard-work and positive feedback. Below is an excerpt from a truly gratifying email I received a few days ago from one of the participants whom I share a great deal of mutual respect:   

"I have always enjoyed both listening to you – your extraordinary musicianship is complemented by a beautiful sound that truly exemplifies the “open inner embouchure” Don [Oehler, also my formal teacher] is fond of talking about – and your coaching.  You always wish to get the most out of the players you work with (even when constrained by the most rudimentary of performance problems such as those I have been plaque with, certainly in past years) yet you never give up trying to make everyone do their best.  You apologized one day for not wanting to make the sessions like a conservatory, but that is exactly what makes you so effective: you just have only one high standard."

One of the participant ensembles I coached at the workshop

More than ever, I am fully convinced at the immense power of chamber music to connect people and bring the best out of our collective mind. I am thrilled at the prospect of continue sharing this experience with many people I will meet through performing, teaching, and listening.  

Each year, I discover several hidden gems in our repertoire. This year, my dear friend and mentor Freddy Arteel, brought this marvelous work by the Flemish composer Piet Swerts.

Harlaxton International Music Festival

Harlaxton Music Festival

I am extremely proud of my students, Torey Hart, Sarah McMichen, and Anjali Sivaainkaran, who are accepted to Harlaxton International Music Festival in UK (June 28-July 5) and named recipients of TTU's URECA grant ($2,500 each). They will travel to UK this summer to study with my colleagues from the Larchmere String Quartet and other international faculty members and perform some great chamber music. I will travel to Harlaxton as well during my London residency that week to work with the students at the festival. We spent many hours preparing the application materials for the festival and grants, and I am thrilled that all three will be able to make this work in the end!

Congratulations to my students, Torey, Anjali and Sarah, who will attend the Festival as URECA fellows!


2015 Tennessee Tech Clarinet Day

Last Saturday, I hosted our annual Clarinet Day at TTU. Although I face a multitude of challenges each year planning for the event, I feel tremendously fortunate to have wonderful colleagues, students, sponsors, and community to make it possible. This year, I asked my student Delaney to write a report to submit to our upcoming Clarinet Magazine issue and other newsletters:

A Report by Delaney Naffziger (pending publications by ICA Clarinet Magazine and WKA Newsletter) - published in this blog with the permission by the author

2015 TTU Clarinet Day Group Photo

On April 18th, 2015, Tennessee Technological University held its annual Clarinet Day on campus in Cookeville, Tennessee. The event was led and coordinated by the university’s assistant professor of clarinet, Dr. Wonkak Kim. In the past, this event has primarily consisted of local clarinetists of all ages coming together for a day dedicated to choir ensemble playing; however, when Dr. Kim took the assistant professorship in 2011, he began to reconstruct the event, keeping its community choir foundations but gradually expanding the event to contain guests artists, master classes, and a wide range of clarinet products available to be enjoyed by all participants.

Sqwonk Recital

The event kicked off at 9AM with opening remarks made by Dr. Kim and was immediately followed by the Clarinet Day Artist Recital. Dr. Kim opened the recital with the beautiful works Deuxieme Sonate pour clarinette et piano by François Devienne and Introduction et Rondo, Op.72 by CH-M Widor and was accompanied by  Dr. Eunhye Grace Choi on piano. The program continued with guest artist Matthew Miracle performing Shovelhead for Clarinet and Electronics by Steven Snowden. The recital concluded with the day’s main guest artists Jonathon Russell and Jeff Anderle, members of the San Francisco bass clarinet duo Sqwonk, who performed stunningly their works KlezDuo by Jonathon Russell and Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Bach (arr. Russell).

The day immediately continued with a full clarinet choir rehearsal consisting of all participants under the direction of Dr. Kim. The choir played Tarantella, Op. 102/3 by Mendelssohn, Introduction and Rondo by Gordon Jacob, and Clarinet Polka arranged by Eric Osterling.

TTU Clarinet Day Ensemble Rehearsal

After a brief lunch break, participants reconvened to watch a master class led by Sqwonk members featuring TTU students Sarah McMichen, Anjali Sivaainkaran, and Michaela Cundari. Jeff Anderle and Jon Russell worked with these students addressing many key issues which affect all players. Sarah McMichen played excerpts from Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream (Scherzo) and was encouraged not to get carried away with technical passages and to always remember that the goal is to make music, regardless of passage difficulty. Anjali Sivaainkaran performed Minuet from Bach’s First Cello Suite as Sqwonk members worked with her on remaining loose and relaxed even and especially during high passages. And Michaela Cundari played movement one of Sonata no. 2 by Brahms as Mr. Anderle had her and the audience work on projecting an upward airstream while pushing off with legs as well as practicing many different forms of phrasing.

Michaela playing Brahms Clarinet Sonata for Sqwonk

Anjali playing Bach's Cello Suite for Sqwonk Master Class

After another brief rehearsal with the choir, participants were encouraged to take a break and enjoy the various booths of the day’s sponsors including Buffet Group USA, Lohff and Pfeiffer, Onks Woodwind Specialist, Just For Winds, Silverstein Ligature, and Vandoren. 

TTU Clarinet Day Exhibition Room

Buffet Group USA

Silverstein Ligature Booth

At 4PM, the Final Concert began, opening with the Cookeville Community Band Clarinet Choir performing the works Three Baroque Dances by J.S. Bach (arr. Russell Howland), Klezmer Suite by Alexis Ciesla, New Orleans Medley arranged by Charles Rose, and The Chrysanthemum  by Scott Joplin (arr. William Schmidt). The concert continued with Sqwonk performing Bass Clarinet Double Concerto by Jonathon Russell accompanied by the TTU Clarinet Choir. The concert was concluded by the Clarinet Day Choir; however, before the final performance, Dr. Kim presented a plaque of appreciation to Tennessee Tech’s clarinet professor emeritus Dan Hearn for his unending dedication to the studio even after retirement. 

2015 TTU Clarinet Day Mass Clarinet Choir - Any clarinet lover is invited to play in it at the final concert! (Gordon Jacob - Introduction and Rondo - Wonkak Kim, director)

Overall, TTU Clarinet Day 2015 was a fantastic event enjoyed by all. Thanks to the diligent work and organization of  Dr. Kim, the event came together seamlessly and held diverse aspects enjoyable to all clarinet lovers alike. It was both an enjoyable and educational experience which is sure to have inspired all participants. For information about how to partake in this annual event, please visit the website at www.wonkak.com/clarinet or contact Dr. Kim (wkim@tntech.edu).

Cookeville Community Band Clarinet Choir

Another BUSY weekend for Buffet Crampon USA! We were at the Tennessee Tech Clarinet Day, hosted by Clarinet Artist...

Posted by Buffet Crampon USA on Monday, April 20, 2015

Here is an album of pictures from Clarinet Day at Tennessee Tech University. One of our PRO Team members, Professor...

Posted by Silverstein Ligature on Wednesday, April 22, 2015

TECHnovations Interview

My recent hour-long interview with Penny Brooks for WTTU 88.5FM's TECHnocations is scheduled to air today at 11am. I enjoyed talking to Penny about my teaching, research (creative works), and music entrepreneurship. 


You can also listen to or download the podcast here: http://www.technovations.libsyn.com (Episode 13: Dr. Wonkak Kim, assistant professor of clarinet in the College of Education, discusses his scholarly work as a soloist and member of chamber groups, including one in which he is co-founder, enhake. Two musical works are featured, one a solo work and one performed by enhake.) 

Working with Steve Reich

There are those confusing moments when you get to meet and interact with individuals who you are much more familiar reading from history books and such. It was a remarkably exciting opportunity for me and my students to work with Reich on his New York Counterpoint. My student ensemble has been working on the clarinet choir version of the piece for the past several weeks, and hearing various feedbacks directly from Reich certainly made the experience truly special. 

Rehearsing with Steve Reich

It was an honor to hear from Steve how much he enjoyed hearing our performance. He told me that he usually prefers the Live Solo Clarinet with Recording version. But he gave high compliments about my ensemble's good intonation, rhythmic accuracy, and balance and told us that it was one of the great playing of the NY Counterpoint that he has heard. What a proud moment for me as a teacher!

with Steve Reich (2015)

TTU Clarinet Ensemble performing Steve Reich's NY Counterpoint at TTU Center Stage Concert with the composer in presence

TTU Symphony Band in Chicago

TTU Symphony Band clarinet section on stage at Chicago Symphony Center

It was a pleasure to accompany my students in TTU Symphony Band during their trip to Chicago last weekend. The ensemble prepared some great selections, including Frank Ticheli's Blue Shades, which features a number of exciting solos for clarinet and bass clarinet (you can watch the performance clip here).  I was immensely thrilled and proud to hear my students' outstanding playing at all rehearsals and concert I got to attend that weekend. 

Warming up for at a local HS before the big performance in the evening

Look how happy my students are!

Aside from all the playing, we got to do other fun things as well such as going to CSO/Uchida concert on Saturday evening and spontaneous ice cream social at midnight in downtown Chicago...

An evening with TTU clarinet students at Chicago Symphony Concert

Uchida directed and performed CSO on Saturday evening!

And of course, I took my studio out to a midnight ice cream adventure in the city!

TTU Symphony Band at Chicago Symphony Center

The TTU entourage had fun enjoying the concert from the box seats