I like playing in summer band – the group is larger, and there’s more diversity.  We have players ranging in age from 10 to 71, from beginners to semi-professional.  In summer band many aspiring music teachers pick up new instruments; sax players take up the oboe, or violinists learn percussion.   Clarinetists branch out to bass clarinet, flutes to piccolo. 

Summer band literature offers the old standards (America the Beautiful, Stars and Stripes Forever and other patriotic works), music from Broadway, and jazz.  It was in summer band I got my first taste of playing big band style (Glenn Miller’s ‘In the Mood’) and was instantly hooked.  The next summer we did ‘Sing,Sing,Sing’ which offered the opportunity for an extended Goodman-style solo in the middle.  A favorite this summer for the clarinet section at least, is ‘Clarinet Polka’. 

Typical venues include the Orange County Fair, the local Independence Day observance, and Cerritos College’s own outdoor stage.

As I battle warm weather, dry reeds and windburn and take a swig from my water bottle I’m contemplating the fall season ahead, but not ready to leave summer behind. 

Keep cool, and have fun!

The clarinet clairvoyant