The Bass Clarinet Master Course is the only comprehensive digital course covering the A-Z of bass clarinet playing made by 10 of the greatest bass clarinetists out there today!
If you are curious about what it takes to be a bass clarinetist in the top orchestras in the world today -
Want to hear unique perspectives from bass clarinetists who are not only incredible performers but fantastic teachers about the foundations of bass clarinet playing -
Are an emerging professional bass clarinetist, vying for an orchestral spot, or you're just starting to explore the instrument for the first time...
the Bass Clarinet Master Course is for you!
What you get:
Video Lesson Library
Each teacher recorded a video library covering a huge variety of topics shown below. Depending on if you go with the Core of Full course, you'll get 10-25 videos PER TEACHER for a total of 140 to 230+ videos. The videos range from about 3-15 minutes.
Resources
Depending on if you go with the Core or Full course, you'll get 150-300+ pages of downloads! Each lesson comes with printable PDFs, worksheets, resource guides, practice exercises, warm-ups, excerpt tip summaries, and so much more, to supplement the video lessons. There are also a multitude of fingering charts! (Nicolas Baldeyrou really went to town on the altissimo fingerings! Download them below...)
Plus
- Access to our private Facebook group.
- Lifetime access to the course + all future updates AND all future bonuses!
- Discounts on future programs.
YOUR FACULTY
Ron Aufmann
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra since 1986 | Assistant Professor University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music | Bravo Music | Buffet Crampon & D'Addario Artist | Loves cooking, hoppy beer & woodworking!
Nicolas Baldeyrou
Soloist | Orchester Philharmonique de Radio-France | Faculty Conservatoire national Supérieur de Musique et de Danse | Founder Quatuor Vendôme | Buffet Crampon Brand Tester
Lawrie Bloom
Chicago Symphony Orchestra 1980-2020 | Senior Lecturer in Clarinet at Northwestern University | Civitas Ensemble | Chesapeake Music Festival | Buffet Crampon Artist | D'Addario Reed Design Consultant
Ben Freimuth
San Francisco Symphony Bass Clarinetist 2003-2010 | Cincinnati Symphony Acting Assoc. Principal Eb 2011-2020 | Kansas City Principal 2000-2003 | Sun Valley Summer Symphony | Grand Teton Festival | Has two pups named Pepper & Roni and cat, Pizza!
Tzuying Huang
St. Louis Symphony since 2015 | Britt Festival | Ariel Concert Series Artistic Director | Kansas City Symphony | Buffet Crampon and D'Addario Woodwind Artist
Lorenzo Iosco
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra | London Symphony Orchestra | Madrid Opera House | Chamber Orchestra of Europe | Founder and Artistic Director of Ensemble Ubertini | Conductor
André Moisan
Soloist | Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal | Société de musique contemporaine du Québec | Université de Montréal, faculty | Orford Arts Centre | Buffet Crampon Artist | Loves travelling in his camper!
Shannon Orme
Detroit Symphony Orchestra since 2007 | Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra in Japan | Grand Teton Festival | New Music Detroit | 2016 Ford Musician Award for Excellence in Community Service | Can most often be found on her bicycle!
Jonathan Russell
Sqwonk | Bass Clarinets Boston | Composer | Edmond Welles | Arranger | Innovator | Conductor
Amy Zoloto
New York Philharmonic since 2016 | Previously Toronto Symphony & Jacksonville Symphony | Sylvan Winds | Buffet Crampon USA Performing Artist
BONUS: Ted Nelson
Cellist, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Bonus on playing the Bach Cello Suites.
BONUS: Melanie Wong
Independent clarinet repair technician specializing in all manner of clarinet repair and customization. Bonus on Bass Clarinet Repair & Maintenance.
COURSE SAMPLES
These videos were created during the COVID-19 pandemic, so you will see the teachers in their home studios dropping all sorts of wisdom. The videos were produced with your learning as the top priority. Overlays, animations, and accompanying worksheets ensure that you'll walk away inspired and ready to learn.
What EXACTLY is in this course?
Each of the 10 teachers covers the majority of the fundamental topics, plus a potpourri of excerpts and other topics that are at the core of their interests. It's unbelievably comprehensive.
CORE STUDY
- A little history
- Advice for beginners
- Putting the instrument together
- Finding an instrument
- Practice Essentials
- Study Methods & Materials
- Repair
- Approach to form and posture
- Hand position, Sitting position, Standing position, Height of Instrument and Chair, Comfort
- Embouchure
- Articulation
- Air Support/Concept
- Sound Production & Tone
- Intonation
- Warming Up
- Multiple bonus videos
FULL STUDY
- All of the above
- Transposition
- Reeds
- Reading Bass Clef
- Advanced & Extended Techniques
- Upper altissimo
- Alternate fingerings
- Multiphonics
- Slap & flutter tongue
- Circular breathing
- Overtone harmonics
- The Role of the Bass Clarinet in Orchestra
- Performance Mindset
- Creating a Career outside of Traditional Pathways
- Starting your own Groups and Organizing Events
- Recording and Listening to yourself
- Auditions
REPERTOIRE
Included in Full Study
- Berg Violin Concerto
- Khatchaturian Piano Concerto
- Grofe Grand Canyon Suite
- Mahler Symphony No. 1
- Mahler 6
- Meyerbeer Les Huguenots
- Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2
- Ravel Daphnis Suite 2
- Ravel La Valse
- Schuman 3
- Shostakovich Violin Cto 1
- Shostakovich 7
- Shostakovich 8
- Shostakovich 11
- Strauss Till Eulenspiegel
- Strauss Don Quixote
- Strauss Der Rosenkavalier
- Stravinsky Rite of Spring
- Tchaikovsky Manfred & Nutcracker
- Wagner Tristan Act 2
- Verdi Aida Act 2
- Bach Cello Transcriptions
- Chamber Music
- Selecting Transcriptions & Resources
- Repertoire Resources
Click the button below to get all repertoire performed in the live masterclasses.
Masterclass RepertoireLIFETIME ACCESS + UPDATES!
You will have lifetime access to these videos, plus any updates that are made in the future! What does that mean? If we release any updates to the course, you’ll get them. If we have any future additions to the course, you’ll get them. If Lawrie Bloom decides to do a special bonus on auditions (rumor has it he may be considering this), you’ll get it. You’re part of the DCA bass clarinet family forever, and we do not take that lightly!
The Bass Clarinet Mastercourse is the only program of its kind that will...
1. Give you a comprehensive course from the ground up from different professional perspectives
2. Help you create (or re-create!) a solid foundation of bass clarinet skills, from basic concepts of posture, support, form, and articulation
3. Provide lessons on the technical aspects of air, tone, intonation and embouchure, plus transposition, reading bass clef, and reeds
4. Guide you through advanced and extended techniques, like approaches to the upper altissimo, alternate fingerings, multiphonics, slap and flutter tonguing and circular breathing
5. Show you how to create a smart practice schedule, and give you recommendations of must-have study methods and materials + warm ups.
6. Give you a clear path toward a positive performing mindset, from physical flexibility to mental flexibility, in the practice room and on stage
7. Cover 23 of the most frequently asked orchestral excerpts, plus solos, transcriptions, chamber music... and more!
8. Leave you with a library of over 240 videos in the Full Study for you to watch and access anytime!
Ready to take an in-depth course about all things bass clarinet? Are you feeling stuck and uninspired as you work toward all the auditions coming up (yes, there are no less than 5 openings)? If so, this is the course for you!
Here's what the course path looks like:
Get immediate access + learn at your own pace
You can participate from anywhere, anytime, in pajamas or concert black. You'll get immediate access to all of the course content. Go through it all binge style, or work through it over 6 months. There is no behind in the BCMC!
