Greene County Music Educators Association
Joyfully serving the band and choir students of Greene County Pennsylvania
Programs & Events
Small Ensembles: Clarinet Ensemble
Rehearsals: Tuesdays @ 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM | Waynesburg Central High School Band Room
Instructor: Mr. Jeremy Olisar | jolisar@cgsd.org
Instructor: Mr. Jeremy Olisar | jolisar@cgsd.org
About...
Participation in the Clarinet Ensemble is open to any middle school and high school band student, particularly clarinet players looking to improve their sound, technique, and overall success on their instrument! The group also gives students the opportunity to try out some of the "color" instruments of the clarinet family, such as the Eb Sopranino Clarinet, Eb Alto Clarinet, Bb Bass Clarinet, and Bb Contrabass Clarinet. A variety of exercises and music is selected for the Clarinet Ensemble to rehearse and perform each semester so that each and every student is able to be successful as well as challenged in the group.
Past performances for the Clarinet Ensemble include the Greene County CTC Holiday Luncheon, Waynesburg Holiday Open House, Greene County Museum Christmas Open House, CGSD Community Breakfast, local church services, and GCMEA Small Ensembles Concerts.
Participation in the Clarinet Ensemble is open to any middle school and high school band student, particularly clarinet players looking to improve their sound, technique, and overall success on their instrument! The group also gives students the opportunity to try out some of the "color" instruments of the clarinet family, such as the Eb Sopranino Clarinet, Eb Alto Clarinet, Bb Bass Clarinet, and Bb Contrabass Clarinet. A variety of exercises and music is selected for the Clarinet Ensemble to rehearse and perform each semester so that each and every student is able to be successful as well as challenged in the group.
Past performances for the Clarinet Ensemble include the Greene County CTC Holiday Luncheon, Waynesburg Holiday Open House, Greene County Museum Christmas Open House, CGSD Community Breakfast, local church services, and GCMEA Small Ensembles Concerts.
Remind Messages
While small ensemble information will usually be sent out to participating parents and students through email, sometimes things come up or change at the last minute, making it necessary for parents and students to receive this new information quickly. For this reason, Remind classes have been set up for each of our small ensembles. By signing up for Remind messages through the app, text message, or email, you will be able to receive quick notifications from your small ensembles instructor(s) with important reminders, when practices are canceled or rescheduled due to conflicts or weather, etc. No phone numbers or email addresses are ever exchanged or visible to the instructors or other parents and students. Click on the button bellow for information on how to sign up for Clarinet Ensemble Remind messages.
While small ensemble information will usually be sent out to participating parents and students through email, sometimes things come up or change at the last minute, making it necessary for parents and students to receive this new information quickly. For this reason, Remind classes have been set up for each of our small ensembles. By signing up for Remind messages through the app, text message, or email, you will be able to receive quick notifications from your small ensembles instructor(s) with important reminders, when practices are canceled or rescheduled due to conflicts or weather, etc. No phone numbers or email addresses are ever exchanged or visible to the instructors or other parents and students. Click on the button bellow for information on how to sign up for Clarinet Ensemble Remind messages.
Resources
Note Reading: Do you have trouble reading your treble clef notes? Then this is a good place for you to start! You can print off your own note reading flashcards to help you study the names of the notes on each line and space, AND you can test your knowledge with a fun online note reading exercise game!
Note Reading: Do you have trouble reading your treble clef notes? Then this is a good place for you to start! You can print off your own note reading flashcards to help you study the names of the notes on each line and space, AND you can test your knowledge with a fun online note reading exercise game!
Fingering Charts: Are you a master at reading notes but have a hard time remembering what fingers to put down on the clarinet for each one? Well, here are some tools to help you along the way as you work on memorizing your clarinet fingerings! Keep in mind that ALL clarinets use essentially the same fingerings for each note, with the one big exception being that the Bass Clarinet (as well as the Alto Clarinet and Contrabass Clarinet) have an extra low note - low Eb!
Exercises
Exercises for Clarinet: These exercises will assist you in learning good fundamentals of clarinet playing while working on embouchure, tone production, finger placement, and note reading.
Exercises for Clarinet: These exercises will assist you in learning good fundamentals of clarinet playing while working on embouchure, tone production, finger placement, and note reading.
Treasury of Scales (TOS): These scale chorales will help you to practice good tone production on the clarinet, as well as note reading and correct fingerings if you are working on those things as well.
Section 9 - Fundamental Rhythms: This progressive series of one-measure rhythms will help you become a more confident and successful rhythm reader! Play them all on your favorite note or use a scale that you are working on, changing notes every measure.
Listening
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"Colors of the Wind"
Music by Alan Menken, arr. Elliot Del Borgo |
"Hunting Song" (from Der Freischütz)
C.M. von Weber |
|
"Träumerei"
R. Schumann, arr. Béla Kovács |
"Ave Verum Corpus"
Camille Saint-Saëns, arr. David Schorr |
About the Instructor...
Mr. Jeremy Olisar recently received his Master of Arts in Band Conducting from the American Band College of Sam Houston State University. Prior to this, Mr. Olisar attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, graduating with university honors in August 2007 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in clarinet performance and minors in music education and conducting. In December 2007 he additionally completed his certification in music education in the state of Pennsylvania for grades K-12. In September 2007, Mr. Olisar began his teaching career as the band director at three catholic schools within the Diocese of Pittsburgh. For one year he worked with students in grades 4 through 8, directing beginning and intermediate group instrumental lessons and concert bands. That same year Mr. Olisar started as an adjunct faculty member at Waynesburg University, being hired as the Lecturer in Music for Woodwinds. Over the years his responsibilities have included teaching flute, clarinet, saxophone, and bagpipe lessons, instructing various woodwind ensembles, and assisting with the WU Symphonic Band and Pep Band. Most recently, he became the director of the James D. Randolph Kiltie Band and the WU Jazz Ensemble. In August 2008, Mr. Olisar was hired as the band director at West Greene Middle-Senior High School and was responsible for directing the middle school and high school concert bands, high school jazz band, and marching band for grades 7-12. Teaching responsibilities also included life skills in music, advanced music, and general music classes for grades 6-8. In August 2009, Mr. Olisar also became the choir director and was additionally responsible for directing the middle school and high school choirs. After a 6-year tenure in the West Greene School District, Mr. Olisar continues his work at Waynesburg University, is an Assistant Band Director in the Central Greene School District, and subs and works with several other public school band programs throughout southwestern Pennsylvania. He also enjoys the recreational activity of geocaching!
