[From the Past] Interview with Libby Larsen

enhake with Libby Larsen, Tallahassee, FL (2010) 

Here is an interview I did with members of enhake and Libby Larsen for WFSQ 91.5FM in Tallahassee, FL in 2010. We discuss the creative process of commissioning and our collaborative endeavor on a piece Ms. Larsen wrote for our ensemble, Rodeo Queen of Heaven (2010). We later premiered the work at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall and performed the work in many important festivals and venues. We also recorded the work for Naxos, which was later selected as "Music US Choice" by BBC Music Magazine and MusicWeb International among other. The work was also the topic for my doctoral treatise entitled "Rodeo Queen Of Heaven (2010): Libby Larsen's Fusion Of Chants And Clarinet's Unique American Voice." 


Krehl/Naxos Recording Session

Rehearsing before recording

It was a busy and exhausting week I spent in Evansville, IN with my Larchmere String Quartet friends, but I feel so great to finally put an end to this project that I envisioned several years ago. In effect, I traded my Spring Break off with this CD, a totally worthwhile outcome! The CD will include a beautiful Clarinet Quintet by Stephan Krehl (1864-1924) and a virtually unknown string quartet by the same composer set to be released by Naxos later this year. It was a great pleasure working with our engineer, Bill Maylone (WFMT Chicago), and producers, Daniel Stein and Francisco Cortes Alvarez. I will keep everyone posted as the release date comes closer!

Bill setting up the microphones

The Control Room

Where the magic happens...

At Bonefish Grill about halfway done!

Astor Piazzolla CD

Recording session with enhake

I am currently working on some edits for the upcoming CD featuring enhake's Piazzolla Tango collection (the arrangements are done by our violinist Brent Williams). We recorded back in January during our residency in Durango, CO, and working on them brings back many wonderful memories from that busy week. 

This is one take on my solo in "Concierto para Quinteto." Many people asked me to share a sound clip of the new Vandoren V21 reeds, and this was played on V21! A hauntingly beautiful melody written by Piazzolla, arranged by Brent, and improvised by me!

My stand!

Making sure if we are doing it right...

The enhake family

Downtown Durango, CO

Thronateeska Concerto for enhake and Albany Symphony Orchestra

enhake's first reading of Steve's Thronateeska Concerto with the Albany Symphony

It was a remarkable experience to premiere a new concerto written for enhake by our friend Steve Landis. The project was initiated many years ago,  and we were both thrilled and grateful to bring it into life despite a multitude of obstacles. The work is in three movements with two cadenzas between each section, although they are played without break. Landis highlights various strengths of enhake's ensemble as well as its individual players. The first movement begins with a stream of high-energy repeated notes, and it posed some challenges for me as a clarinet player. In the end, we found a great tempo that provides a fine balance between flow and ever-changing accents. 

Close-up

The opening of the solo clarinet part...

The first cadenza leads into the slow movement, and I and Brent (our violinist) are asked to walk off stage then to the upper balcony. The effect was quite stunning, but we had to make sure there was plenty of time for us to move around and climb up/down all those stairs. A great way to work out and get some stretching done!

This is where I have to run out of the stage and climb up to the upper balcony

The antiphonal solo part in the econd movement 

The third movement begins with highly rhythmic motif played in unison and leads to an exciting ending. There are many interesting and creative ideas, and we were pleased to see them work very well. It was a great privilege to be a part of this project among some wonderful friends in the ensemble. We certainly look forward to much more to come!

This section in the third movement asks all players to play as loud and high as possible!

My set-up for the evening!

Visiting Evansville, Indiana

The University of Evansville Clarinet Day

Dinner with Larchmere String Quartet

Performing Stephan Krehl's Clarinet Quintet with Larchmere String Quartet

UE Clarinet Day Master Class

UE Clarinet Day Master Class

Playing with UE Clarinet Choir!

with my delightful Larchmere String Quartet friends!

University of Denver Master Class

I had a privilege of visiting Dr. Jeremy Reynolds' clarinet studio at Lamont School of Music - University of Denver last week. I worked with four talented students and we had a wonderful audience consisting of Lamont students and some community folks. 

Here are some pictures that one of the audience members (former physician who is now a clarinet enthusiast and semi-professional photographer). A good combination of serious, inquisitive, entertaining, and delighted faces! 

with my friend and colleague, Jeremy Reynolds


Izakaya and Ice Cream in East Nashville

I and Grace wanted to visit Two Ten Jack since we first spotted it few months ago (we were then with the Larchmere String Quartet and having lunch with them at nearby vegan restaurant Wild Cow just after performing at WPLN Classical 90.1). It was quite good, and we plan to come back!

Two Ten Jack Entrance

A nice mix of contemporary and mid 1900s decoration

A great appetizer!

Chicken Ramen

Pork Ramen

Fancy Bar

Cute Menu

Jenis Ice Cream, Nashville

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!

Eclectic Food Adventure in Atlanta

Here is the first of my food adventure blogpost:

I and Grace spent a night in Atlanta for our second wedding anniversary(!) on our way back home from my orchestra weekend in GA. Atlanta is not an unfamiliar city for either of us, and we decided to focus on food adventures during our stay. I already made a dinner reservation at Nan Thai Fine Dining in Midtown few days earlier, so all we had to do was to find a place to eat lunch and hang out. Thanks to our friend Jessica's suggestion, we decided to check out the Atlanta Food Truck Park. We came with high hopes, but we were a bit disappointed with the limited food selections. They also had small number of merchants carrying various products by local craftsmen. It was a fun afternoon (especially when Grace spilled my lemonade on my loaded cheese fries--and yes, we settled on some hot dogs and fries in the end), but the food was rather subpar. However, a photographer from Jezebel happen to come by and take our photo so perhaps our presence at the Food Truck Park will be permanently documented...

Our evening at Nan Thai Fine Dining was much for satisfying. The place looked fantastic and had complimentary valet parking. The menu was sleek and easy to navigate. Most importantly, the food tasted really good and very reasonably priced. 

It is remarkable how time flies so fast. For us, it was a perfect place for us to reminisce our past two years of high-paced but extremely fulfilling life together. Our choices: Pla Muk Thod (crispy calamari) for appetizer; Grace ordered a special pork dish (the best choice of all), I got a chicken Panang curry, and we both got Singha. We would certainly come back here and recommend the place to anyone who happen to pass by Atlanta for some delicious Thai food. 

Pla Muk Thod

ASO Cirque de la Symphonie

Albany Symphony Orchestra with Cirque de la Symphonie

This weekend was the second time for me to play with Cirque de la Symphonie, but it was still too exciting not to glance at the amazing acrobats every once in a while during rehearsals and performances, etc. A truly challenging endeavor if you are the musician! In fact, my very first concert after being appointed as the principal clarinetist of the Albany Symphony Orchestra back in 2012 was with ASO and Cirque de la Symphonie. With some really nice musical selections (including some of my favorites such as Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espanol) and great performances by the acrobats, I find these productions much more enjoyable for both musicians and audience than conventional pops or holiday concerts.  

I grew to really love playing with this group, particularly with the wonderful woodwind section! They are all outstanding musicians and amazing friends! One of many exciting projects I get to do with this group next year is a performance of Concerto for enhake called Thronateeska and Orchestra by Steve Landis. This project was initiated by my chamber ensemble enhake and Albany Symphony Orchestra a few years ago. I am really looking forward to the world premiere of Thronateeska in February and will certainly keep everyone posted about the concert.

Albany Symphony Orchestra Clarinet (and bassoon) sections!