Clarinet Concerto

Clarinet Concert

In concert band, I have the third chair clarinet. I lost first chair in the competition first of the year. To Joan. I’m still annoyed. The second most annoying thing is Sandy got second chair. So I’m relegated to third chair.

The push is on to regain my regal seat of first chair clarinet in the concert band. I held that chair for two years. Two wonderful years of being held in high regard by all the other players.

But somehow over the summer, I lost my edge. I put the clarinet in the corner, didn’t practice, went swimming instead. Made the swim team, won the butterfly 500 meter. Somehow the clarinet sat untouched in the corner. I found Jim, we had some fun. But I didn’t drag out that instrument, didn’t wet the reed, didn’t practice those scales. I got a just bit rusty. So when my time came to try out for concert band, I got bumped back to third chair. Embarrassing.

So I got to work. I practiced diligently every day. I broke up with Jim. I dropped swimming. The scales became easier. I started to work on Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A Major. It took some time because of the concerto’s length, but I finally got it figured out with YouTube videos being a great help. Wouldn’t Mozart be amazed by modern technology…

Now, by the opening of school, I am in third chair. But I am going to try again. In a week I challenge Joan.

After the challenge I am once again in my first chair position. And more in love than ever with my ‘licorice stick’. I think Mozart would be happy.




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