Clarinet Equipment Essentials and Recommendations

Melissa Koprowski is a Vandoren Artist-Clinician. The goal for the Vandoren Artist-Clinician program is to enhance the quality of the music experience through education and the assistance of Vandoren. These highly trained professional educators and performers will engage your students through educational and fun sessions. The clinics they conduct cover a broad spectrum of topics and, based on your input, can be customized to fit the needs of your students. Contact us today to arrange your free Vandoren clinic.

What do you most enjoy about teaching clarinet?

My motivation as a teacher comes from my awesome students. I’m fortunate to teach some amazing students that are passionate about music and becoming the best musician possible. Some of my favorite moments as a teacher are those proud “parent-like” teacher moments. You know the ones when your students figure things out on their own, or come to you really excited about something they discovered outside the scope of their lessons that helps them with an issue in their playing. I always tell my students that my goal as their teacher is to teach them in a way so that they become their own teacher by the time they graduate. When you see a student grasping concepts on their own, taking initiative, and gaining the ability to self-regulate their learning, it makes me excited to see what they will accomplish.

What are your thoughts on equipment for students?

I want my students to use what works best for them. I’m not an equipment “junky” and a lot of my students aren’t always able to buy a professional instrument as an incoming student, but I do feel it is important for them to have a mouthpiece, ligature, and reed set-up that allows them to play with a beautiful resonant sound, clear articulation, and frees the path so we can work on anything and everything in lessons without having to worry about equipment issues.

I’m amazed at how many students (myself included when I first began playing) believe the instrument itself is the most important piece of the puzzle. When I visit middle or high schools I will often ask to borrow the worst (working) clarinet in the group and when I put my mouthpiece, reed, and ligature on their horn they are amazed at the fact I still sound relatively the same.

I should note, my favorite swab is the Vandoren microfiberas I can’t believe how well it wicks away the moisture and it seems to be the swab that lasts forever. I also love the Vandoren hygro reed case, especially in the winter. This was my first winter using it and it was interesting to see it change from red to blue as the dry winter approached. Right as the humidity indicator was turning blue is when I noticed my reeds weren’t responding as well as they use to… I added a little water to the sponge and within 30 mins they were responding back to the way I expected them.

Find out more about Vandoren JUNO reeds, the first reed designed for students.

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