Clarinets for Conservation in Saratoga Springs April 19

Last year at Saranac Lake's BluSeed Studios, my daughter and I went to see a concert that blended beautiful music with the origin of the clarinet. Since my daughter is just learning to play the clarinet, it seemed like the perfect way to strength her love of playing. It did so much more, for both of us.

With world-wide trading at our fingertips, eBay and auction houses, it feels like we have lost touch with the beginning of things. We have certainly lost sight of our food source and we've also lost sight of our resources.

An organization based out of East Berne, NY has been working to preserve the wood source of the clarinet, piano keys, bag pipes and more. Since 2010 Clarinets for Conservation has run a program in Moshi working with school children and teaching music, conservation and tree planting. 

Clarinets are made from the Mpingo Tree, commonly referred to as African Ebony or Blackwood tree, also the National Tree of Tanzania. It takes 80 years for a Mpingo to grow to full size, which is only 26' in height. The twisted slow-growing tree has been ruthlessly cut down over the years with no thought for sustainability.

Tanzania is bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi to the south, the Indian Ocean to the east and Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west.

(Fun Fact: Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, is in northeastern Tanzania.)

On April 19 from 3-5 pm Clarinets for Conservation will continue another of their programs uniting music with the origin of musical instruments. Tickets are still available for the Saratoga Springs Soiree For Earth Day  at the Universal Preservation Hall. 
The concert we attended was beautiful as we expected. The interest part was watching my 11-year-old daughter walk away with a new understanding that our natural resources need to be replaced.

Trees need to be replanted and we don't live in a world where garbage is actually thrown away. Garbage is just hidden to be dug up or transported to a new location and Mpingo trees will go the way of the fictional Truffula trees if we aren't careful.

Here is a list of other Clarinets for Conservation concerts. Enjoy!

© Diane Chase is the author of the Adirondack Family Activities™ guidebook series, Adirondack Family Time™guidebooks have easy Adirondack family hikes, Adirondack swimming holes, Lake Placid Olympic activities, Adirondack trivia, Adirondack horseback rides, Adirondack snowshoe family trails and more. Look for the Adirondack family guidebook online or bookstores/museums/sporting good stores. Diane is currently working on the next Adirondack Family Activities™ guide.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Be A Nature Detective: What Tree has Camouflage Bark?

Crafts: Aldo Leopold Bench Plans

Adirondack Treats: Make Your Own Mirror Lake Inn Chocolate Chip Cookies (recipe)