Quintet Attaca - Woodwind Chamber Camp

This week, I went to a woodwind chamber camp directed by Quintet Attacca. Quintet Attacca is a woodwind quintet who are the 2nd woodwind quintet to ever win the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition. They are incredible musicians, great teachers, and really nice people. This is my second year going to their woodwind chamber camp. Both years, I had a great time.

This year was different than last year, because there were more kids there. I played in a quintet and a large chamber group. We performed a Beethoven woodwind quintet (Op. 71) and Gopak by Mussorgsky in my quintet, and we performed 2 movements of Gounod's Petite Symphony in the larger group.

I really enjoyed being a part of this. The coaching was really good, and the other kids were very nice. I hope I can go back next year, because it was such an amazing experience -- even moreso than last year.

Thanks, Quintet Attacca!

Knee Injury and Quintet Camp

Knee Injuries Make Time for Clarinet Practice

Last week, while I was playing soccer, I injured my knee. I dislocated my patella. It was the last game of the season, and my team had won ever game so far. I scored a goal and had an assist in the first half, and I was really excited about playing soccer because I had been watching World Cup.

But then it happened.

I was tackling another player, and stepped wrong and slid. My knee hurt, but I was wondering why. I just fell over! But then I looked at my knee and I panicked, because it was in totally the wrong spot! My kneecap was on the side of my leg! It looked horrible. I tried to unbend my knee, but the pain was unbearable.

They called an ambulance, and I got stretchered off the field and rushed to the hospital. I was in so much pain, they gave me morphine. I thought they would have to do surgery or something to get my knee back into place, but all they had to do was manipulate my knee, and pop! It went back into place. It still hurt a lot, but it nearly as painful once they relocated it.

Now I'm on crutches, and I won't be doing sports for 3-4 months. Oh well, at least I get to play my clarinet a lot more.


Quintet Attaca Camp

This week, I am going to Quintet Attacca Camp in Winnetka at the Music Institute of Chicago. It's a woodwind quintet camp, which means that there are oboes, clarinets, bassoons, french horns, and flutes.

I'm in a quintet with my friend Nathan, and Tom and Tom, a bassoonist and an oboeist around the same age. Our flute part is being played by Jennifer Clippert who is a member of Quintet Attaca. I'm also in a larger ensemble where we're playing Petite Symphonie by Gounod with several members of the Quintet Attacca.

I went last year and had a great time. So far this year it's a lot of fun, but the music seems a lot easier than it did last year. I think that's because I got a lot better this year, and the music isn't much harder than last year. Still it's fun.