Student comments on the experience of studying in my studio at Indiana

Rebecca Allen - PD, '03.
I just graduated from IU, having studied with Howard Klug while earning my Performer Diploma in clarinet. I highly recommend Mr. Klug as teacher because of his passion for, and commitment to helping every one of his students excel. I especially appreciated two aspects of studying with Mr. Klug: one was I always felt welcome to speak my mind and be myself in the studio, and the other was his innovative approach to pedagogy; including a continuous barrage of new materials and creative efforts to keep us interested in the various aspects of learning clarinet. As an example of the latter are the group lessons that I very much enjoyed! These are relaxed in nature, as we all learn the same exercises and etudes and play them for each other, but it was an amazingly helpful supplement to the traditional one-on-one lesson format. I will be going back to the hefty "group lesson notebook" for years to come! It was a great pleasure and a privilege to study clarinet with Mr. Klug, and I am very proud to be a new lifetime member of the elite ‘former Klug student' group of clarinetists out there, many of whom are currently enjoying successful careers as professional musicians.

Julian Bliss - Artist Diploma Student (2000-2002, from the age of 9 to 11, Citizen of Great Britain)
The time I spent at Indiana University was very happy. The campus at Bloomington is wonderful--the facilities un-rivaled. Mostly I enjoyed the access to some very remarkable professors in every field of music. I enjoyed
sitting in on various master-classes, and mixing with students on all instruments. Jazz was one of my favourites, along with conducting and chamber music. The Klug studio was an extremely amazing learning experience. Opportunities to explore all aspects of clarinet playing, with a professor who knew how to put you straight! The Klug students were only supportive and helpful, a weekly master class to catch up on what everyone had been doing. There was no slacking in Professor Klug's studio. Plenty of hard work and rewards! IU was so amazing that in my second year there, I became a student ambassador. I would recommend the Klug studio at IU to any serious clarinettist, and I would recommend IU to any serious musician.

Nicolas Del Grazia – D. Mus '04, Assistant Professor of Clarinet, Dennison University (Citizen of Great Britain)
I came to study with Howard Klug as a doctoral student, having already studied with many excellent teachers in excellent music schools, being already familiar with much of the standard repertoire for the instrument, and having already spent a few years in the music profession. Within a few short weeks, however, I realized that never before had I encountered a teacher who had such a clear and thorough understanding of how to actually play the clarinet with real, usable information about the embouchure, breathing and fingers which went far above and beyond the "conventional wisdom" of clarinet technique. I suddenly realized that what I and everyone else had assumed were simply limitations of the clarinet as an instrument (or the fault of the reed!) were actually the result of imperfections in my own technique, and that here was a teacher who knew exactly what was happening when I played, and precisely how to fix it. Studying with Howard Klug forever changed my perception of what was possible on the clarinet, particularly in terms of beauty and evenness of sound and control of registers. He demanded from me a higher level of perfection than I had ever thought could be attained and, moreover, is a player who regularly demonstrates this level of artistry both on the concert platform and in actual lessons. As an older student, he usually made me feel free to express my own ideas regarding interpretation, since what I gained from three years in his studio was finally the ability to make any number of interpretive decisions without ever being hampered by limitations of technique. Studying with Howard Klug gave me the freedom to play music which comes from a complete understanding of and control over one's instrument, and for that I will always be grateful.

Kristin King - Junior BM
In my time at IU, I have learned so much from Mr. Klug. He knows what each student is capable of, and he will accept nothing less than their personal best each week in lessons. Mr. Klug has always pushed me to reach for high goals. Whether by encouraging me to dig deeper into a piece of music, or by choosing a new piece that is just a little above me, he motivates me to strive for new levels of excellence. Mr. Klug also insists upon diversity in one's playing. Though I've worked on standards such as the Mozart Concerto and the Brahms Sonatas, I've also played difficult, modern exercises such as the Lefkoff 20 Rhythmical Etudes. We work extensively on technical patterns, etudes, orchestral excerpts, solo repertoire, and learning auxiliary instruments. Musicians seem to constantly be talking about the "cutthroat" nature of our field. I've heard stories of friends torn apart by auditions and roommates forced to move out because they could not stand to live with another musician. When I hear stories such as these, I can't help but laugh. In my time at IU, I have never once experienced anything like what I have just described. At Indiana, the clarinet studio is both friendly and supportive. Whether it is playing excerpts for each other before auditions, congratulating someone after their senior recital, or simply stopping by a clarinetist’s practice room to say hello, the clarinet students never fail to make you feel at home.

Leigh Lafosse - Second year DM student - She is a current clarinet AI
Indiana University undeniably provides an amazing education for any musician, but clarinetists who find their way into this program are blessed with possibly the best preparation, education, and overall experience that any music school could hope to offer. The brief time that I’ve spent learning from Prof. Klug has been the most intense and ultimately the most valuable fragment of my education. Whereas I regret that my time under his guidance has been short, I can honestly say that I’ve learned more in the few months that I've been in his studio than I could have imagined when I came to IU. His studio is, not surprisingly, composed of the most amazing set of diverse, devoted, and supportive individuals - truly more that any teacher could hope for. The fact he is able to draw such loyal students onto his clarinet thrill ride through life speaks volumes to describe the depth of person, the level of artistry, and the powerful teacher we all know and love as Prof. Klug.

David Shea - D. Mus. '96, Assistant Professor of Clarinet, Texas Tech University
Mr. Klug is one of the great teachers of our time. Even after decades as a master teacher and as a performing artist, he still has the drive and passion to excel and push the boundaries of our craft. Those of us who are former students will always be his students, because we continue to learn from him long after our studies are completed, plus he won't slow down and give us a chance to catch up. Mr. Klug is a demanding teacher who only accepts those who wish to be great clarinet players and teachers. If one is motivated, works hard and produces, one will receive an experience that will be sincerely cherished throughout an entire career. During my five years of study with him, I felt that I left every lesson feeling like I could do anything. A few days later in the practice room I would usually come crashing back to my reality, only to be lifted up again at my next lesson. It was truly an amazing experience. Now ten years later, I am constantly amazed how each new insight and revelation I seemingly discover on my own, can in retrospect, be traced back to my studies with Mr. Klug. This is a testament to the depth of knowledge students receive while being in his studio. One spends a lifetime discovering and re-discovering the full meaning of this experience which is something truly remarkable. I am truly grateful for my having the opportunity to study with him and for the continued support he has given me throughout the years as I build my career. Thank you Mr. Klug!!