Ronald Caravan | |
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Born | Pottsville, Pennsylvania, U.S. | November 20, 1946
Genres | Classical |
Instruments | Clarinet, saxophone |
Ronald Caravan (born November 20, 1946) is an American classical musician. He is a clarinetist, saxophonist, teacher, composer, and arranger. [1]
Caravan was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. He earned a Master of Arts in music theory in 1973 and the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in music education in 1974 from the Eastman School of Music. [2] He also earned the performer's certificate on clarinet from the Eastman School (1974).
Most of Caravan's teaching career has been with the faculty of the Setnor School of Music at Syracuse University from 1980 to 2015, where he taught clarinet and saxophone and conducted the Syracuse University Saxophone Ensemble. [2]
Caravan's published teaching materials include Preliminary Exercises & Etudes in Contemporary Techniques for Clarinet (Ethos Publications, 1979) and Preliminary Exercises & Etudes in Contemporary Techniques for Saxophone (Dorn Publications, 1980), both derived from his doctoral dissertation Extensions of Technique for Clarinet and Saxophone (1974), dealing with the study of multiphonics, quarter tones, and timbre variation. Some of his most noteworthy compositions for clarinet or saxophone use these extended techniques although several of his more conservative (and tonal) pieces for the single-reed instruments have gained wide popularity [ citation needed ], especially his four sonatas for soprano (1984), baritone (1989), alto (2004), and tenor (2007) saxophones, which are based on traditional modes or variants thereof.
Caravan produces a line of saxophone mouthpieces generally based on the original mouthpiece design of Adolphe Sax, the instrument's inventor. These are marketed under the name Caravan Mouthpieces, which also includes a symphonic clarinet mouthpiece.
In addition to performing solo and chamber-music recitals on both clarinet and saxophone throughout his career, he has performed regularly with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra (more recently named Symphoria) on both clarinet and saxophone. His saxophone chamber experience includes the Aeolian Saxophone Quartet and Saxophone Sinfonia, including concerts at the 1979 World Saxophone Congress and at Alice Tully Hall (1982).
The saxophone is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to produce a sound wave inside the instrument's body. The pitch is controlled by opening and closing holes in the body to change the effective length of the tube. The holes are closed by leather pads attached to keys operated by the player. Saxophones are made in various sizes and are almost always treated as transposing instruments. Saxophone players are called saxophonists.
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