ClarinetFest® 2021 Virtual: Clarinet Breathing: Anatomy, Physiology, and Pedagogy

“Clarinet Breathing: Anatomy, Physiology, and Pedagogy”

with Dr. Alyssa Powell

Effective breathing practices are essential to beautiful clarinet playing. However, for many players, the actual physiology of breathing remains a mystery. Addressing this aspect of breathing can lead to clarity of communication between teacher and student, improved breathing processes, and consequently more expressive performance. An overview of significant clarinet pedagogy sources demonstrates that many clarinet teachers describe breathing through figurative language that partially utilizes anatomy but excludes detailed explanations of the physiology. Fortunately, a great deal of research has been conducted in the closely related music field of singing. Voice pedagogues have used medical equipment to examine breathing techniques for decades. With careful consideration for the differences in clarinet playing and singing, many of their findings appear to be readily applicable to breathing for clarinet playing.

In this presentation, I will provide an explanation of the anatomy and physiology for breathing and relate this information to the methods suggested by significant clarinet pedagogues. Incorporating physiological explanations into breathing pedagogy provides an avenue to speak about this essential process with greater clarity, resulting in improved understanding and ultimately more effective breathing in performance.

Supplemental Resource

When: 07/24/2021 | 4:30 pm

Featuring: Alyssa Powell

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