Chart Your Own Course: Tips on Finding Your Own Musical Voice

Music is a very personal experience that evokes an emotional response from both performer and listener. So how does a musician find their own unique musical voice? Unless you are a composer and create new music, you are a re-creator and will be reading notes written by someone else and likely played before by others. In the case of milestone repertoire, you may be one of the thousands of musicians who have performed a particular composition. For a clarinetist, a quintessential example would be the Concerto for Clarinet K. 622 by Wolfgang Mozart, written in 1791 for clarinetist Anton Stadler. This monumental work has been steadily performed since the first performance by thousands of players for over two centuries! So why should it be played again?

Firstly, it is a masterpiece written by a genius. Secondly, each player can bring something new and fresh to their interpretation.

Where Does the Sound Begin?

I always ask my students – where does the sound begin? Inevitably I get answers like: the reed, with air, in the abdomen, the oral cavity, etc. I then explain to them that the first step to finding your own voice is realizing that the sound begins in your imagination. Hearing in your head the color and timbre of the sound you wish to sing out of the instrument. Not to rely on the external equipment to define the sound. Certainly having a fine instrument and related equipment cannot be underestimated, as it enables a player to fully realize what is flowing from their imagination. When the sound is starting to truly be defined, that is when the choice of how to interpret the musical nuances – tempo, dynamics, articulation, rubato, style, and mood – begins.

Students should not simply imitate what they have heard on recordings, but prepare a work in their own individual way, making their own decisions regarding the phrasing and nuances. A fine recording can serve as a model of excellence and inspiration, but what makes music interesting to listen to is the way each performer sings the melody and hearing the way they have chosen to tell the musical story. Experiment in practice sessions – try various ways to play the same phrase – be brave, be creative, and be convincing!

All Genres of Music

I advocate listening to great performers (on all instruments not just your own) and all styles of music. Listen to how the great performers personalize the music and make it sound both spontaneous and effortless. Strive to play the music as you imagine it should sound. Your audience will perceive your honesty and enjoy the performance in a way that would not be possible when simply hearing an accurately executed and musically detached performance.

Musical interpretation is a lifetime study and an imperfect science. The exploration and shaping of the musical lines that comprise a particular work is one of the most interesting, exciting, and gratifying aspects of being a musician. This important and lengthy process evolves gradually over time. Listen to your inner voice and reach deeply into your heart and imagination to bring new light and heights to your performance. As they say in Star Trek, “to boldly go where no one has gone before.”

About Mitchell Estrin

Mitchell Estrin is Professor of Clarinet at the University of Florida and Music Director and Conductor of the University of Florida Clarinet Ensemble. He was the past President of the International Clarinet Association and author of the biography Stanley Drucker Clarinet Master published by Carl Fischer. Estrin performed as a clarinetist with the New York Philharmonic for over twenty years in hundreds of concerts and on 19 tours. As an international concert artist, he has performed in 37 countries on 4 continents. As a studio musician, Estrin has recorded dozens of motion picture soundtracks for Columbia Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures, MGM, 20th Century Fox, United Artists, and Warner Brothers on feature films. They include Fargo, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Interview With a Vampire, Home Alone 2, Pocahontas, Doc Hollywood, Regarding Henry, TheUntouchables, and more. His television credits include recordings for ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, HBO, TBS, and ESPN. Learn more about Mitchell Estrin.