The very real challenge of clarinet lessons online

With the lockdown and curtailment of almost all normal activity necessitated by this horrible virus, I have no alternative but to deliver my clarinet lessons online. I have noticed that many well-known names in the music business have taken to providing advice, demonstrations and inspiration to young learners through YouTube and other online platforms. They are to be commended for this: now, more than ever, our students need as much encouragement as they can get to maintain their musical enthusiasms and aspirations. Spare a thought, though, for the regular school instrumental teachers, those who deal with the nuts and bolts of instruction week in and week out; the ones who know that it is not enough to inspire, you have to perspire as well.
Many schools, especially at secondary level, aim to continue education remotely, linking with their students via platforms such as Teams or Zoom. There is much emphasis on maintaining the regular school timetable so that students’ work from home is structured. When I first suggested to my schools delivering clarinet lessons online, via video link, the reaction was close to panic: schools are very sensitive about safeguarding, and this would entail my students and me looking into each other’s homes. It was even suggested that I might simply enjoy a very long paid holiday. This may seem an enticing prospect, but if the instruction I provide is put into suspended animation, it may never be revived: at my schools, the contract for lessons comes up for renewal every September. The safeguarding issue was eventually resolved by using the same platform as the school, accessed through my school email login, and only provided once written consent had been obtained from the parents of each student.
I have stuck to my regular timetable, and online teaching has worked pretty well, barring the odd frozen screen or dropped link. There is a time lag though, so you can’t click your fingers and count to keep them in time. This places extra responsibility on the student to concentrate on rhythm and fluency – no bad thing. I dare say my emphasis on discipline in learning makes me come across as a bit of a fascist – I am not really – but we all know there are no instant results in this business, and our students need all our encouragement to explore and develop.
And the clarinet worksheets available from Plan Z Music, guiding students through the whole process of learning scales and arpeggios, have an important part to play in all of this. For remote learning to work, the student needs to develop musical self-sufficiency. This requires a developed technique and a sound grasp of the navigation of the instrument. The six-day practice plans, which are presented at the end of every stage, fit perfectly into a well-structured learning day.