The Little Clarinetist

From the preface:
"While the conviction that children can begin studying string instruments, the piano, and the guitar as early as possible is spreading more and more, unfortunately the opinion that the study of wind instruments be reserved only for preadolescents, is still very widespread. These convictions come from the pre-supposed need for the presence of several “physical requisites” that according to many teachers are necessary and that a young student, in fact, doesn’t have: their hands are too little, their lung capacity is too small, etc.

Nevertheless, I believe that if we try to imagine not exclusively technical, but mostly musical objectives and aims for the study of an instrument, then the “problem of physical requisites” becomes secondary, thus the goals of the student learning all the notes immediately, posture being the traditionally accepted one, the immediate production of a beautiful and perfectly in tune sound, and diaphragmatic breathing (usually dealt with in a rigid and absolute way). It is important that the child expresses himself with confidence, concentrating on a few elements, a few sounds which allow him, most of all, to develop a real musical experience.

Regarding the size of the clarinet, indeed too big and heavy for the child at times, the solution that we suggest is to have the child hold only the upper joint at the beginning. After an experimental and explorative first approach, the child will be able to utilize a series of easy notes with the left and only while the right hand supports the barrel. The problem of breathing should also be dealt with gradually, without useless and insistent proddings. By comparing himself to other classmates and by playing other instruments, the student will become more aware of his own intonation, intonation however, is a problem that will be solved gradually by listening to the sound, and progressively working toward correct diaphragmatic breathing.

“Posture,” then, shouldn’t worry the teacher too much: he, in fact, will have to be willing to find little compromises and different solutions for the child in order to avoid useless discomfort and physical constrictions.

Through the study of the instrument a child of 7 must be able to develop perception, rhythmic-melodic reading, memorization, sense of rhythm, the ability to listen, to improvise and to interpret, to then venture into his first composing experience. Through individualized methodology and content with attention to children's psychology, I have tried to offer an efficient and stimulating course of study.

Along with some original compositions and brief exercises, this book proposes a series of pieces taken from classical and international folk repertory, edited and arranged by me. Both the repertory and the exercises are presented in a precise didactic order which respects the child's rhythms and ways of learning.

In avoiding the limiting of the child’s first instrumental education to that of only an acquisition of technique, this method offers very complex and complete activities able to stimulate the curiosity of the child and also to gratify him.

A fundamental activity in this sense is the practice of ensemble music: the making of music with children even of different levels is an experience which is able to elicit comparison and the desire to improve.

This is why the repertory provides accompaniment by other instruments (mainly Orff instruments). In general preparatory courses interaction should be favoured and recognized as fundamental for the musical growth of the child, and we should keep in mind that it would be opportune, even during lessons, that the work be essentially collective (in groups of two or three children), or at least supported by piano accompaniment.

This way of conducting the lesson is important mainly because of the objective limits that the study of a “monodic” instrument like the clarinet implies. Making music together, even simply playing in unison or in dialogue form can be a richer and more gratifying experience for the youngest children.

This method is divided into 14 chapters. The first, introductive, proposes activities of exploration to be played with only the mouthpiece and the barrel. From the second chapter on, the first notes with preparatory exercises, pieces for solo clarinet and ensemble and improvisation activities are presented. The last chapter introduces several easy notes with the register key.

The aim of “collective plays of exploration’, inserted in the improvisation activities of chapters 6, 8, 9, 10 and 11, is to stimulate the pupil to use in a creative way the sounds acquired and to look for new sounds by means of extra musical and sinestesical impulses.

If is not possible to do collective instrument les- sons or music together (during general propaedeutic courses), these “plays” may be experimented by pupil with teacher."

The table of contents is available here.