Since I never had a formal higher education, I have always felt myself to be free from academic and typically thought-of-as-correct ways to play the instrument. After a long period of processing and searching, I came up with my own style of playing. 

Although at first I hesitated to accept this teaching position, I soon realised that it would be a great opportunity for me to start building my own school of clarinet playing. The challenge was too exciting and complex to let it get away.

No help came from many of my colleagues in Germany. I was surprised (and later quite amused) to discover in the newspapers that the clarinet section of the Berlin Philharmonic had started a petition calling for my hiring as Professor in Trossingen to be rescinded.  Looking back I can say that this was probably the moment that I decided to take the job. I will not answer here the factual errors and the paranoiac beware-of-the-dangerous-Satan’s influences atmosphere in the petition. You can judge for yourselves by clicking here Chen Halevi's Petition.

I can happily say that the young generation in Germany did not take the friendly advice given to them and that they are now coming to audition for my class in great numbers. Currently half of my students use the German system – much more than almost any professor who signed the petition. (The average numbers in German universities are 25 percent German system and 75 percent French system.)

But a particular system of clarinet is not what I am looking for. Excellence is.

My goal is to make a class for the very best. Not that I have anything against music education for all, it’s just that I prefer to teach and advise the best of the best. I realize that this is not very popular way of thinking in today’s world but I feel that this is where I excel, and that this is where my influence could be most decisive. It is different when I give master classes; there I try to pass my love and passion for the instrument to whomever wants to listen.

The class in Trossingen is considered to be one of the top and there is a feeling that this is where things are ‘happening.’ I personally am very content with how things are developing. Not bad for a new class started only few years ago.

My teaching method focuses on six topics grouped into two different categories. The first category (there is always something of a false classification here) is technical, and includes scales, etudes, and orchestral excerpts. For me, this aspect of study is very important, and I always insist on going back to the basics and improving our technical skills. This is the way I work myself. The second category of study is musical and includes three pieces from different epochs, which we work on at the same time.  Modern music is obligatory! Playing old instruments is Obligatory!  All students also participate in the Orchestra and play masterpieces from the chamber music repertoire.

Here’s a photo of my class after a class concert and lots of Italian wine....