Volume 33 Number 3 June 2006 - International Clarinet Association

(l to r) Lieutenant Colonel Timothy J. Holtan, Larry Combs, Sergeant First Class
John Parrette, and Stephen Girko
section at the first of two potpourri recitals,
featuring Staff Sergeants Diana Cassar-Uhl
and Jeff Geller, and Sergeant First Class
Christopher Jones. Staff Sergeant Sam
Kaestner presented an hour-long discussion
about the bass clarinet just prior to
Mr. Girko’s feature recital. Girko and ac -
companist Dr. Ruthanne Schempf delighted
the audience with their performance of
Bernstein’s Sonata, the Debussy Première
Rhapsody, Babin’s Hillandale Waltzes,
and, in a special performance with former
student Sergeant First Class Shawn Hern -
don, Ponchielli’s Il Convegno. After dinner,
the evening’s final event began — Mr.
Combs’ all-Mozart feature recital. Ac com -
panied by pianist Evan Solomon and violist
Noriko Futagami Herndon, Combs
delivered an unforgettable performance of
the Kegelstadt trio, followed by a trans -
cription (by SFC John Parrette) of the
Quintet in C Minor with the Academy
Clarinet Quartet.
Saturday began with a recital by the
West Point Clarinet Quartet (Sergeant First
Class Christopher Jones, Staff Sergeants
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Diana Cassar-Uhl, Jeff Geller and Sinclair
Hackett), featuring a program of original
music for clarinet quartet by Paul Harvey,
Michael Henry, Pierre Max Dubois and
Alfred Uhl. The second potpourri recital
followed, featuring Master Sergeant Ra -
chel Grasso and Staff Sergeants Jennie
Tibbs and Erin Foster. After lunch, Mr.
Combs led the other two young artists in a
master class. A panel discussion led by
three members of the Academy Band
about life in a military band gave participants
the opportunity to ask questions
about the career path we’ve chosen. A
clarinet choir recital followed, conducted
by the band’s Executive Officer, Captain
Treg Ancelet, Sergeant First Class Chris -
to pher Jones, and Staff Sergeant Chris
Ret tie, a saxophonist in the Academy
Band. The audience was treated to a di -
verse program of transcriptions of music
by Mozart and Holst, as well as original
compositions for clarinet choir by Peter
Schickele and Martin Ellerby. Mr. Combs
and Mr. Girko led a discussion about their
careers as or ches tral clarinetists to round
out the afternoon.
Saturday evening’s gala concert event,
conducted by Lieutenant Colonel Timothy
J. Holton, was the culmination of the two
days of great music. Prior to the concert,
Dr. Dana Wilson, professor of music at
Ithaca College, presented a lecture on his
work Liquid Ebony, which he transcribed
for clarinet and wind ensemble for the
West Point Clarinet Summit. (The piece
was premiered, with piano, by Larry
Combs at the 2003 ClarinetFest® in Salt
Lake City.) The concert, which also featured
such traditional wind ensemble mu -
sic as Molly on the Shore and The Klax on,
showcased the guest soloists in top form.
Georgiy Borisov, the winner of the Young
Artists’ Competition, displayed masterful
control and technique for one so young in
his performance of Rossini’s Introduction,
Theme, and Variations. Steve Girko treated
the audience to a dramatic ride through
Bassi’s Fantasia on Rigoletto, and Ser -
geant First Class John Parrette wowed the
audience with his versatility in his performance
of Morton Gould’s Derivations.
Larry Combs brought the concert to a
rousing finish by playing Liquid Ebony.
The clarinetists in the audience were excited,
impressed, and motivated. One was
overheard exclaiming, “I have to go home
and practice right now!”
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THE CLARINET