I can’t imagine anything better than spending a week surrounded by top professionals in my field, soaking up their wisdom, and hearing unforgettable performances, all the while taking it in alongside my best friends. Indeed, it was a dream come true to attend ClarinetFest 2014 this summer in Baton Rouge, La., with my ensemble, Quartet Atrevido!
I first attended ClarinetFest two years ago in Lincoln, Neb., and ever since, it was a goal to perform there myself, although I never thought it would be as soon as two years later! Collaborating with Quartet Atrevido (QA) at CSU has been a transformational experience for my growth, both personally and professionally. The opportunity to perform with QA at the conference was a remarkable capstone to our journey together. It was wonderful to share in their first ClarinetFest experience, and I was very glad they enjoyed it as much as I did!
Networking is absolutely vital in the music industry, and the gathering of so many artists and teachers at ClarinetFest makes it an ideal place to make connections. I have been working intentionally for several years to expand my professional network, and was thrilled to recognize and know quite a few people present – one in nearly every room I was in! I met many new people and also reconnected with former colleagues, teachers, and fellow International Clarinet Association members I had met in conferences past. It’s hard to explain the sheer excitement of having so many clarinet players in one place!
The lectures on entrepreneurship and diversifying one’s career were undoubtedly useful, especially right after QA had organized a chamber music concert, something we were all highly encouraged to do at the conference. Hearing how other artists create their careers and gain audiences gave me many ideas as I craft my own future. As an educator, I appreciated learning from the expertise of renowned pedagogues and attending an enlightening panel discussion on “Teaching Entrepreneurship to Students.” As a student of the clarinet, I was amazed by the opportunity to perform in a masterclass for Jacques Merrer, a French clarinetist who has incredible passion for the integrity of the music. I worked with him on Introduction et Rondo by Charles-Marie Widor. It was a rare chance to perform a French piece for a French player, and I learned much about how to play in the French style.
Attending recitals expanded my knowledge of the clarinet repertoire immensely. I was able to hear several world premieres, as well as the clarinet in new settings – clarinet with voice, with traditional Japanese shakuhachi, with electronics, and even accompanied by Beatles music. I also was moved to tears by the performances of some of my favorite pieces, especially the Mozart Clarinet Quintet, Poulenc’s Sonata for Clarinet and Bassoon, and Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet. It’s an incredible experience to see your musical heroes perform live and in person. The conference offered no shortage of these moments, featuring performance by artists I’ve admired for as long as I can remember: Stanley Drucker, Jon Manasse, Deborah Chodacki, and others. It’s also excellent to be exposed to new artists.
Taking the international stage with QA was a career highlight, and I am very grateful to all of our sponsors and our teacher, Wesley Ferreira, for their tremendous support. The entire experience was a beneficial lesson in being a professional musician in the 21st century – from auditioning, to preparing, raising donors and funds, organizing our send-off concert, planning our trip, to finally performing. And the opportunity to collaborate on stage with my favorite colleagues was a complete and total joy!
~ contributed by Emily Kerski, Music Performance, ’16