Genessa West
At Junior Guildhall I studied the clarinet with Glenn Martin, another Yona pupil, so my path was already set to wish to study with Yona at Guildhall proper.
I had the honour of being the first Graduate Course student to study with Yona, before then he had only taught clarinettists on the Performers’ Course. Yona heard me play for the first time in the Concert Hall of the old building. As I was playing he walked towards me and told me to carry on. I was totally mesmerised by him and utterly terrified! I was like a rabbit in headlights! He grabbed my upper lip, peered in at my teeth and said
“I think it shall work”
That was my audition over! There followed a baptism of fire, namely playing at the master class on Saturday. I think I can honestly say that I was terrified of Yona. I admired him immensely and took everything he told me totally to heart, but comments like
have stayed in my mind forever!
One master class Yona asked us all how we would play the Bb at the start of Weber 1. He went round all 15 of us who were there pointing and each person played Bb. I was in the first year, it was about my 3rd class, I was stuck in the lower register playing Kroepsch and I was about number 13 to play. I did the most enormous squeak! Yona just pointed to the next person without batting an eyelid while I quietly died of sheer mortification!
After Guildhall I went to Bulmershe College where I did my PGCE. Since then I have taught for various education authorities.
In 2009 I was granted ill health retirement due to my chronic back condition. I had major spine surgery in 2008 but this didn’t have as positive an effect as had been hoped.
I still play as much as possible. I play clarinet quartets with some ex colleagues and one ex pupil. Sadly they are much busier than I am as I would like to play more regularly.
Student of Yona Ettlinger: 1976 – 1979
I had the honour of being the first Graduate Course student to study with Yona, before then he had only taught clarinettists on the Performers’ Course. Yona heard me play for the first time in the Concert Hall of the old building. As I was playing he walked towards me and told me to carry on. I was totally mesmerised by him and utterly terrified! I was like a rabbit in headlights! He grabbed my upper lip, peered in at my teeth and said
“I think it shall work”
That was my audition over! There followed a baptism of fire, namely playing at the master class on Saturday. I think I can honestly say that I was terrified of Yona. I admired him immensely and took everything he told me totally to heart, but comments like
- But Genessa why do you make mistakes?
- You can make a beautiful sound why don’t you use it?
- But why do you play on such a reed? It is not possible to play on such a reed!
- The F was too sharp, the B was too flat, you changed your embouchure between the B and the D. Now try it again.
have stayed in my mind forever!
One master class Yona asked us all how we would play the Bb at the start of Weber 1. He went round all 15 of us who were there pointing and each person played Bb. I was in the first year, it was about my 3rd class, I was stuck in the lower register playing Kroepsch and I was about number 13 to play. I did the most enormous squeak! Yona just pointed to the next person without batting an eyelid while I quietly died of sheer mortification!
After Guildhall I went to Bulmershe College where I did my PGCE. Since then I have taught for various education authorities.
In 2009 I was granted ill health retirement due to my chronic back condition. I had major spine surgery in 2008 but this didn’t have as positive an effect as had been hoped.
I still play as much as possible. I play clarinet quartets with some ex colleagues and one ex pupil. Sadly they are much busier than I am as I would like to play more regularly.
Student of Yona Ettlinger: 1976 – 1979