Symphonisches Blasorchester Parsberg – 2009 Tour “Soft-Pop, classics, soundtracks and more”

So far, one of the hardest parts of moving to Germany has been finding a clarinet performance outlet. Of course, we moved to one of the few countries in the world that plays a different system of clarinet. I know you must be thinking, “What? A clarinet is a clarinet,” but it’s not. There are actually three common clarinet systems with different fingerings. In the U.S. and most of the rest of the world, we play the Boehm system. Here in Germany and other German-speaking countries, they play the Oehler system, which has more keys and a different size bore. (While this topic may be “boring” to some, the bore is actually the interior chamber of a wind instrument that creates the sound.) The third system is the Albert system, which is primarily used in Eastern European countries, jazz, and Klezmer. The point of this mini lesson in clarinet systems is that I can’t perform with any “serious” groups because I play the wrong system of clarinet. Orchestras in Germany insist that the Oehler system is played. Luckily, the community group in Parsberg doesn’t care about this, so I have been playing with the Symphonisches Blasorchester Parsberg (SBOP) this fall.

This group is a typical community band. There is a wide variety of ages represented from high school students to retired adults. They don’t worry about intonation as much as just playing the right notes & rhythms. The group is unique because of the primary conductor, Chris Wittl. There is no way that I can fully describe him or his conducting in this blog post, but I’ll try! First, he dances on the podium. Not just swaying to the beat or nodding his head, but full-out dancing and jumping. Second, he conducts with his left hand. Apparently no one has ever told him that you always conduct with your right hand. Minor detail, but I didn’t even notice this for several weeks because I had a hard time watching him without laughing at his dancing. Finally, he has an interesting sense of fashion, which I will describe later.

While performing with this group isn’t the most challenging musically, it is challenging linguistically since the rehearsals are all in German. I have sat through enough rehearsals that I have a good idea of what is generally going on. I also know my German numbers pretty well so I can find the measure where they are starting. And when there is something I really need to know, I ask Nina who sits next to me. (Nina is my clarinet student and she is fluent in German since her father is Austrian.) I hope that eventually I will be able to understand what the conductors say in the rehearsals!

Every November, SBOP prepares a concert and tours the area. Beginning Saturday, October 31^st, concerts were presented each Saturday in Neumarkt, Regensburg, Parsberg, Erbendorf, and Berching. I was able to play in the first three, but had to miss the last two while I was back in the U.S. for Thanksgiving.

This year the tour was billed as “Soft-Pop, Classic, Soundtracks & more.” Most of the pieces featured one or a combination of up to four soloists. I will let you judge the program for yourself:

• New York, New York
• La vie en rose
• Beyond the sea
• Wiener Blut
• What a feeling
• Hot Latin
• Hand in Hand – Soul 1988

  Pause (Intermission)

• Also sprach Zarathustra
• Electricity
• Ne partez pas sans moi
• Schindlers Liste
• Stronger every minute
• Pop looks Beethoven
• Cream of Toto (I Can’t Stop Loving You, Africa, Rosanna)
• It’s raining men
• Thank you for the music

  Zugaben (Encores)

• My way
• Heal the world

I did find it interesting that the only German pieces were instrumental. Wiener Blut was a collection of waltzes by Johann Strauss. Also sprach Zarathustra (the opening motif used in 2001: A Space Odyssey) was written by Richard Strauss. All of the vocal pieces were sung in English or French. It was a very long concert, lasting about three hours. Brandon attended the concert in Parsberg and only made it through with the help of four beers! But he did get some fun videos. I highly suggest that you check out the links above.

Now back to the conductor’s fashion sense. At the first concert, he changed clothes between almost every piece! I don’t think I can remember them all, but he wore a black suit with a white t-shirt for New York, New York. For Hot Latin he wore a white suit. For Also sprach Zarathustra he wore tails with no tie, but a white shirt with music notes embroidered on the collar. And by Cream of Toto, he was wearing a red suit! I would expect the female vocalist to change dresses, but I was completely unprepared for the conductor to change between pieces. It certainly added to the entertainment!

Even though the tour is over, I am going to try to keep playing with the group. It should help my German and provide even more interesting experiences!!

Check out more pictures at the SBOP website.