Clarinet Lessons Manchester

Your First Clarinet Lesson at The Music Place

In your first clarinet lesson, your teacher will show you how to put the clarinet together and will show you how to hold it in the right position, so that you’re able to replicate this when you’re practising at home. Your teacher will show you how to put your reed on and how to make a sound, as well as showing you where your fingers need to go.

Be really careful with your reed! The reed is the part of the clarinet that makes a sound and any splits or chips in it will make it much more difficult for a lovely sound to come out of the instrument.

Dawson’s music shop can give you some advice about the best clarinet for you or your child.

Clarinet Lessons For Experienced Players

For a more advanced clarinet player, our Music Place teachers can work with you on more advanced techniques, including sound projection, use of dynamics and playing in the higher register, as well as increasing your finger dexterity and extending your repertoire.

You will be able to work with your teacher towards ABRSM exams, up to grade 8 and you will be able to take your exam here at the Music Place. Make sure you let your teacher know what you enjoy about playing the clarinet and also what you find tricky.

More opportunities for our clarinet students

Perform at Instrumentalist Day or the Music Place Talent Show
Join the horn section of a rock or pop band that rehearses weekly and performs throughout the year
Adult Woodwind Group on Wednesday evenings at 7.30pm
Jazz Summer School in August and Jazz Weekend in March

From learning how to put the clarinet together to advanced techniques – enrol at The Music Place to start making progress!

Top Clarinet Tips for Beginners

We can recommend Dawson’s music shop in Altrincham for help and advice about buying or renting a clarinet.
Start off with a reed that is a strength of ‘one and a half’ – this is the perfect strength to get you going, then your teacher can advise you about changing to a harder reed strength in the future.
Always take extra special care of your reed! It will be really hard to try and play with a split reed so throw out any that aren’t neat and tidy.
Keep your shoulders and your fingers relaxed.
Make sure you press the keys rather than gripping the clarinet.
If your arms or wrists feel sore while playing, stop, have a break and make sure you tell your teacher so they can find a way to help you with this.
Remember to practise ‘a little but often’ – this will make all the difference to your playing.

Meet The Music Place Clarinet Teachers…

Jenny Palfreyman

Jenny studied at the RNCM, Manchester and has performed extensively throughout the UK since graduating. In October 2010 she was the winner of the inaugural Clarinet and Saxophone Soloist Competition and subsequently performed with the Trinity College Symphony Orchestra at the British Saxophone Congress 2011.

Jenny is also a founding member of awarding winning ensemble, the Absolution Saxophone Quartet, regularly performing throughout the country. The quartet has recently been awarded a full scholarship to study on the Postgraduate International Artists’ Diploma course at the RNCM.

Jenny is also a member of the Pasaos Duo, providing workshops at special needs schools, clinics and elderly care homes throughout the UK as part of the outreach work of “Live Music Now!”.

Jo McCallum

Jo studied at the RNCM and now works as a freelance performer, arranger and teacher. She has been a member of the Music Place team for the last four years and helped to set up Music Place Supports, a charitable outreach programme taking music out into the community.

Jo recently managed an Arts Council funded tour of the North West for her own big band project, featuring and promoting Manchester musicians, composers and arrangers.

Lucy and Jo also run Manchester Music Works, an organisation that takes the philosophy of the Music Place out into schools, making fun packed and informative music education available for all children.

Outside of music, Jo does voluntary work for the NSPCC and ChildLine.

Sam Andreae

Educated in Classical Saxophone at The Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester (Bmus Hons) and then in Jazz on the Nordic Jazz Masters program (where he studied in Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway), Sam has a broad range of musical interests and is greatly influenced by the Scandinavian model of music education where musicianship and listening skills are at the core of a pupil centred learning experience.

After moving back to England (and Macclesfield) in 2012 Sam has established himself as a respected creative musician on the Manchester and UK improvised and experimental music scene. Sam has taught saxophone and general improvisation skills at the RNCM, Leeds College of Music, Yorkshire Young Musicians, run workshops in Cheshire and Manchester and held positions with various music services.

He believes strongly in the worth of music as a positive learning force and an enriching experience for everybody of any standard.

Book Your Taster Clarinet Lesson…

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