International Clarinet Association facts for kids
The International Clarinet Association, or ICA, is a worldwide club for people who play and love the clarinet. Think of it as the main international group that brings clarinet players together. The organization is based in Columbus, Ohio, in the United States.
The ICA does many things to support clarinet players. It publishes a magazine called The Clarinet four times a year. It also hosts a huge annual festival called ClarinetFest. The association even has a special library full of clarinet music and research. Its main goal is to help people everywhere learn more about this amazing instrument.
Contents
The Story of the ICA
The idea for the ICA started back in 1964. The University of Denver decided to hold a big, five-day conference for clarinet players. This event was called the National Clarinet Clinic. A clarinet professor named Ralph Strouf handled the planning, while his teacher, Keith Stein, managed the musical side of things.
The yearly conferences were a big hit. In 1973, the people who attended these events decided to form an official group. They created the International Clarinet Society, and it began publishing its magazine, The Clarinet.
Later, in 1988, the society joined with another group called ClariNetwork International. This merger brought together both student and professional clarinet players. In 1991, the group changed its name to what it is today: the International Clarinet Association.
What Does the ICA Do?
The ICA offers many exciting things for its members and for clarinet fans all over the world.
ClarinetFest: A Global Celebration
The small conference that started in the 1960s has grown into a massive international event. Over the years, its name has changed a few times, but today it is known as ClarinetFest. This festival is a chance for players from different countries to meet, perform, and learn from each other.
Competitions for Musicians
The ICA encourages clarinet players to challenge themselves by hosting several competitions. There are contests for young high school students, players who want to join an orchestra, and artists who are just starting their careers. The ICA also holds competitions for composing new clarinet music and for research about the instrument.
A Special Library for Clarinet Music
The ICA has a huge collection of clarinet music and historical papers. After the society's third president, Jerry Pierce, passed away in 1994, the ICA bought his amazing library of clarinet sheet music.
This collection is now part of the ICA Research Center at the University of Maryland. It has over 6,000 pieces of music that ICA members can borrow. The library is a fantastic resource for anyone wanting to discover new music or study the history of the clarinet.
