Clarinettists

The setting is the Dixon building at the Boundy School of Music, Talbot and Carling St. sometime in the late 50"s. After a clarinet lesson from Phil Murphy, we traded stories about clarinet lessons of the past. I told about a lesson from Bob Anderson where I got caught listening to the lesson before me. My ear was to the door while I was being impressed by the wonderful sounds of teacher and student. The abrupt moment that I was "found out" resulted in Bob introducing his student to me - an older gentleman who was apparently a famous clarinettist. I didn't recognize the name then and I don't remember now. Subsequent lessons found me always arriving early and listening from a respectful distance. The famous one never returned.

At this point Phil told me his Detroit lesson story. While listening to the earlier student, Phil was impressed with the sounds and even more impressed to see Benny Goodman leave the lesson room, clarinet under his arm. Upon returning, early of course, for his next lesson and listening to the exceptional performance of what he thought was Goodman, a diminutive pre teen girl exited the room. Hearing this story, I thought,  "this Murphy guy plays clarinet better than anyone around and his stories are better too."

 Through my teaching years I told my story several times; it taught many lessons. I found, however, that my story with Phil's Benny Goodman ending was far superior to the plain truth. .......... During my last year teaching music at Beal SS, I told the modified (with Goodman) story to a grade 12 music class. After the laughter, a trombone student expounded to the class that the story proved that one need not worry about performing for others because "if a little girl can fool Potts into thinking she is Benny Goodman, then anything is possible" I almost blurted out " no, no, no - that was Phil Murphy she fooled - not me. But, it was too late.

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