Robert Marcellus: The Art of Clarinet Playing and Teaching

So few clarinetists are found to be an exceptional blend of both performer and pedagogue. Robert Marcellus exemplified this blend to a very high degree. From 1945 to 1973, Marcellus sustained a remarkable playing career as a clarinetist in two of the major orchestras in the United States, in addition to a professional teaching career spanning from 1959 to 1994. This project aims to prove the long-lasting impact of this master performer and pedagogue in the world of professional clarinet performance by means of his teaching. This has been preserved by two primary means, through recorded summer masterclasses held at Northwestern University and the memories of his students through personal interviews. There is an inadequate amount of published materials on Marcellus and his teaching, creating a void that is in desperate need of attention. By collecting and analyzing instructional documents, transcribing audio recordings of masterclasses held at Northwestern University, and conducting personal interviews, I want to help fill this void. By collecting the specific fundamental techniques and pedagogical concepts of Marcellus from primary sources, this project addresses various aspects of Marcellus’s teaching methodology, style, and techniques