I’ll be honest: I’ve never thought of the clarinet as a sexy instrument. In school I played the drums. My second choice would have been the saxophone. Clarinet was far down the list, with maybe only the flute coming after it. I always thought of it as pretty, but quiet. Classic and solemn, not fast and hard core.
All of this changed during the U.S. Air Force Band concert I went to on June 27 at the WWII Memorial in DC. I think if my 5th grade self would have seen the concert, and particularly the clarinet solo performed by a friend of mine, she would have begged on hands and knees to be deemed worthy of playing the clarinet.
I felt it was the least I could do to make a short video of the performance. I have to say it was a lot harder in some ways than other videos I’ve done, I think because this time the focus was on the music and not the visuals. So it turned out a bit choppy, but hopefully it’s good enough to give you a taste of my friend’s mad clarinet skills:
The 1st draft... 
Wow! That was fantastic! I only wish my Dad, a WWII soldier, could have heart the concert in that setting. He would have loved it! I’m sure he was giving a standing ovation from above. And, probably doing a little dancing too!
I know he was watching! And probably telling me to pick up my feet…
Awesome! I agree with your hierarchy of cool instruments, and this guy definitely moves the clarinet up on the list in my mind.
Seriously I had no idea a clarinet could do that.
As soon as I pressed “enter” to tell you I couldn’t get it to work….. IT WORKED. He’s just freaking terrific. I’d do a share on this in a New York minute if it didn’t end with a Tobey Keith song. A really great musical display run aground by a…. oh, never mind.
I’m glad you enjoyed it – he was incredible!! And Tobey Keith was not involved – that was the Air Force Band and Choir playing and singing Lee Greenwood’s song at the end.
Can’t get it to work, my dear.