David Ortiz of the Clarinet

This week, I'll be hitting for the cycle as far as clarinets go. When I entered Conservatory, I was told by my teacher to learn all of the utility clarinets (Eb, Bass, alto, etc.) so as to make myself more attractive for gigs. What did I do? I learned them all. I did manage to have some serious problems learning to play bass at the start, but I eventually learned how to play the thing. Now, I love playing it and the other utils. This week, I'll be playing (in rehearsal or concert) the standard Bb/A combination, the Eb, the Bass, and the Paper Clip. Wha? Yup, I'll be playing what a conductor once referred to as the radiator. This is the contrabass clarinets. I've never played a contra that was well-adjusted, so it's always a constant battle against keys flying off and pads sneaking away from their cups.

Of course, I just heard a colleague play this same instrument a couple of weeks ago. She played it virtuosically, which means that I have no excuse for not playing wonderfully. Oh well...
On a more contraversial note: A percussionist told be yesterday in rehearsal that many percussionist take up the instruments out of laziness, essentially. He said that many were fairly good instrumentalists in other sections, but took up percussion because it was easier and they wanted to stay in music at a high level. Is this true? Is the percussion section the UPN of the music world?

Oh yeah...Go Marathon and stuff...Run and run...And get me the remote.