Playing the clarinet again!

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Remember how you imagined your future life when you were growing up?  Isn’t it amazing to look back (so far) and see how things have really unfolded? 

One area of my life that took a very unexpected turn was picking up the clarinet again after not playing for….. well, since high school :-)

When my Mr. Wonderful and I moved to The Villages, FL, I found out there were several concert bands in existence.  Oh, what the heck!  I’ll take my beloved sixty five year old clarinet (it was my Dad’s – he used to have his own dance band!) and see if I can still play!  The tone had retained its beautiful quality, and I found myself falling in love with it all over again.  Even though I thought I would poke a hole through my lip that day!  For you musicians, you know what a hit my embouchure took.

Now, six years later, I find myself looking forward not only to rehearsals but practicing at home.  I play regularly with a Concert Band, Clarinet Ensemble, String Orchestra, Pit Orchestra and Advanced Wind Ensemble.  Holy moly!  Did I count that right? 

Recently, I was asked to join a community-based orchestra called The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra for one concert.  It is make up of local students and community members, but mostly professionals from the Orlando area.  To be in the midst of professional musicians was a real treat!  The clarinet player who came, Vanessa, couldn’t have been nicer to me and was so helpful in helping me fine tune my technique. 

Here is one of the songs we played: (Look for me at the end!)

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Did you ever play an instrument when you were young?

Holly