Clarinet lesson plan ideas for the music classroom

Here is a couple of lesson plan ideas that can be used when teaching students about the clarinet in your music classroom. These are just a few ideas taken from the fun music company’s music lesson plans on instruments of the orchestra.

Have fun making this simple single reed instrument You will need: plastic combs and pieces of paper, about 2 inches by 2 inches (5 cm by 5 cm). Instructions: Hold a comb with the teeth pointed toward you. Place a piece of paper on the comb in line with the edge of the teeth and hold it in place with your thumbs. Place your lips around the paper and comb and blow to make a sound. This activity should make clear the concept of a single reed vibrating to create sound.

Here are some great clarinet players that you can talk about in music class Alternatively, assign these musicians to groups of students for short-term projects and have them give presentations.

Benny Goodman (1909-1986) was an American clarinetist best known for his jazz playing. He was born in 1909 to jewish immigrants in Chicago While a teenager he learned the clarinet very quickly and became a professional musician Goodman led a band in New York City in the 1920’s and 30‘s. Goodman even became known as “The King of Swing” as his music was very popular during the swing era Benny Goodman is known as one of the best jazz clarinetists of all timse, as he continued to make recordings for the rest of his life He was one of the few jazz musicians to cross over to the classical realm and make recordings of well known classical pieces.

An important English Clarinetist was Thea King (1925-2007) She was the principal clarinetist of the English Chamber Orchestra from 1964 to 1999, and played with many other groups. She became “Dame Thea King” when she was inducted into the Order of the British Empire in 1985.

A well known American classical clarinetist is Richard Stoltzman. He has made both classical and jazz recordings He majored in both music and mathematics at Ohio State University. He is in high demand as a clarinet soloist with orchestras around the world.

Sabine Meyer, a German clarinetist born in 1959, was the first ever female member of the Berlin Philharmonic. She soon left when the other members didn’t accept her to become a full time clarinet soloist. She is also very involved in chamber music (music for a small group of players).