Bad Day for My Clarinet
Today is my busiest, cram-packed, most clarinetish day of the week. Not only do I teach a section of 7 bass clarinets before school (CPHS) but I also have thirteen students during the day. Well, today one of them knocked over my clarinet (it was even on a clarinet stand) and incurred damage that prevents it from playing. The good news is that it can be repaired. The bad news is that it has to be repaired in the first place, which costs money, time, and gasoline. The nearest trusted repairman is in South Austin. My preferred place of repair is all the way in Evanston, Illinois, where we used to live. Hopefully this local repair guy will be able to bend the bent rod back into shape without losing the fine-tuning of the Brannen work.
I have been extremely happy with the work that Linda Brannen has performed on my clarinet. I sent it to them when I was in high school and getting serious about clarinet playing and then again two years ago. The level of detail that they took in replacing corks, pads, teflon, etc. is just astounding. I would not be surprised if my clarinet has more precision in its moving parts than my car has in its engine. Well, until today. The sheer ease of playing that clarinet has spoiled me and its all due to the work of the Brannens.
I am sad that another person has to repair it for me now…