Big clarinets, small groups

This year, I'm happy to say that I've been asked to play in the kickoff concerts for the 31st season of the North Country Chamber Players' White Mountain Music Festival in New Hampshire on July 10 and 11. I'll be playing the basset horn part in Mendelssohn's Concert Piece No 2 for clarinet, basset horn and piano. You've probably heard the piece in recital before with two clarinets, but we'll be playing the piece with its original instrumentation. See my previous entry for a highly detailed, exhaustive explanation of the nature of a basset horn.

Somehow, I've managed to be asked to play next to clarinetist Allen Blustine, a member of the NCCP as well as longtime member of Speculum Musicae. (I'm sorry to say that, as of right now, I don't yet know who will be playing piano.)

As a result, I have spent the past two days adjusting/fixing/casting spells over my borrowed basset horn. As of my last bit of practicing today, I finally have the low notes booming and intonation headed in the right direction. These thumb keys are awfully tricky, though.

I encourage everyone to buy tickets for the concerts (via the above link), or donate to the group. It seems that they've really got something neat going on up in New Hampshire.