On Sunday, Jan. 14, the graceful melodies of clarinets filled the Fred Fox School of Music’s hallways.

The school held its second annual Clarinet Day, in which students and community members of all ages, ranging from gradeschool to elderly, partook in the festivities. The event began at 10 a.m. and lasted until 5 p.m. Hosting approximately 10 separate activities and classes.

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Sophia Rechel, a fifth-year University of Arizona senior, worked the registration desk during Clarinet Day. Rechel said the event has a positive impact on the Tucson community because it brings together clarinet players of all ages. 

“I think what makes it special is that it’s available to every clarinet player,” Rechel said. “It doesn’t matter what level you are, you’re able to participate and play and be surrounded by good musicians, and that makes you a better musician in general.”

Clarinet Day is an important opportunity for elementary, middle and high school students looking to be accepted into UA’s clarinet program, according to Rechel.

“I just talked to [a student] and they definitely said that they’re trying to get their foot in the door with getting into the studio, so I think it’s a good opportunity to see how professional musicians work,” Rechel said. 

The event is  considered a significant networking opportunity for young students because it allows them to get to know Dr. Jackie Glazier, who is a current clarinet professor and the host/founder of Clarinet Day.

Clarinet Day is distinguished from other music events because each year, the event features a special guest artist. 

This year, the artist was former principal clarinet of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Gunn. Gunn instructed three students during a master class at the event. 

As a close to the event, Gunn performed a presentation of works from Debussy, Bach and Gershwin with Rex Woods, a professor at the Fred Fox School of Music, along with an appearance from Glazier. 

Classes offered at the event ranged all the way from beginning choir to advanced. This year, approximately 75 students and community members signed up to participate. 

One of the courses offered, “All State Etudes,” focused on educating high school students about how to prepare for their audition for the All-Region Band, which, according to Rechel, is one of the most prestigious bands available to high school students. 

An earlier clinic, “Upgrade Your Sound,” was geared more toward beginning artists and went over basic and fundamental techniques. 

Attendees could also purchase clarinet accessories such as cases, reed guards, mouth-pieces and even clarinets. 

One of the companies selling these materials was Instrumental Music Center (IMC), a locally-owned music shop in Tucson. 

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Philip Dunitz, office manager at IMC, has attended Clarinet Day on behalf of IMC for the past two years and said the event is beneficial for business, students and the community as a whole.

“It’s great for the UofA because it gets the kids into the music school, for them to interact with the professors and see if this is somewhere they want to go for college,” Dinitz said. “For the community as a whole, it’s really cool … This is probably the largest selection of intermediate and pro clarinets that Tucson can ever see.” 

IMC featured approximately 10 instruments from brands including Yamaha, Buffet and Backun. 

Another retailer, Olivas Music, located in El Paso, Texas, also featured some of its instruments and accessories for sale at the event. 

The owner of the store, Jimmy Olivas, drove four hours to attend and said the event is “a great opportunity for students to become more familiar with different kinds, models and accessories while also providing good exposure for businesses.” 

The Fred Fox School of Music also hosts special event days for other instruments, such as Saxophone Day, which was held this past year on Nov. 5, 2017.

The Fred Fox School of Music’s Clarinet Day runs yearly in January and is open to all members of the community looking for musical inspiration. 

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