I have developed a class of students which at a casual glance might seem random. But that would be too casual a glance. It is true that at any given time I have had students who are (or are about to be) very accomplished professional players, other students who are gifted semi-professional players, and also some students whose varied involvements and backgrounds would probably best define them as dedicated avocational players, young and old.
In other words: everything from students who are scary-good, to students who play fairly well or very well, to students who have been, at the outset with me, early-stage players.

But if you take a good look at this group, it is not at all the hodgepodge that it might seem to be. Because, irrespective of a particular student’s level of accomplishment at a given moment, the common principle that distinguishes them and makes them my students is that they all care to know what makes it real.

They know that—somewhere out there within the deep blue sea of acoustics, physical interface with the instrument, artistic instinct— there exists real clarinet playing and real musical art to know about, and that they would like to have as much of that as possible available to them in their own lives.

If they have that desire, they can most certainly be my student.

And if they have that desire, I don’t care how they play on Day One.

I only care that they want to find out what is best for their own playing in all the days to come—that they want to discover for themselves what is genuine. Getting people moving in that direction is what my teaching is all about.

And in fact, whether it’s at a Conservatory or in an avocational practice room, wanting to get it for its own sake is basically the only way this whole thing ever actually flourishes. The context is secondary. The intent is the active ingredient. That’s the reason I like to work with people who are moved to understand how optimum playing really works and what music really is.

So. That describes those I teach.

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And this describes how I teach:

I meet every student exactly where they are at this moment.

But I never condescend. In other words, I never assume that certain students are in some way limited or need to be taught in some limited way.

On the contrary—I grant that every student is deserving and able to receive everything I have to give from the clearest perspective with which I can possibly manage to give it.

And at the same time, I am completely comfortable with the fact that differences in individuals will make it so that some of them will be able to manifest those understandings more fully or more immediately than others. This does not matter in my eyes.

What matters to me is only that it goes on mattering to them to care about their own fullest possible potential.

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