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Click the flag below to review the WKA   KLAR/FEST Historical Overview

From a WKA meeting held in Stuttgart Germany, chaired by Sir Neville Marriner, conductor of the Radio Sinfonie Orchester Stuttgart and the Orchestra of St Martins in the Fields in London, Herbert Gruber and Dirk Altmann, solo Clarinetists in the Stuttgart Radio Orchestra, Mike Getzin, Jean-Marie Paul, Publisher of the French Clarinette Magazine and a Publishing Consultant for Vandoren Paris, Nicole Duenner from Switzerland, Lazlo Horvath, solo Clarinet and Conductor of the Hungarian Radio Orchestra in Budapest, and other guests.  Meeting held in January 1988.

After several years of planning, and months on the Internet, the question comes up:  WHY A WKA?   WHY WOULD I JOIN WKA?  It would take a lot to explain the reasons.   A brief summary is included in the Historical Overview found on the site.

          The Internet makes communicating with people throughout the world easy.  The powers of multiple influences have a pressing power on all people and organizations, including corporate sponsors, and as well as, their own members.

            In the music world, there are myriad’s of organizations, with many ideas and philosophies for their members.  Each organization is formed to serve their members interest.  WKA’s idea is to connect these organizations via the Internet to form an Alliance for these organizations and members to communicate with each other. This is common among associations involved in Music Education, Organized Labor, Military Associations, and the like.

           In 1988, the WKA was organized to integrate music organizations to work together as Alliance Partners to announce Festival Programs, support each other’s programs, and make for diverse communications and truly Internationalizing the Music and Clarinet fields.  The field includes Clarinet organizations, groups connected to Music Education, Music Festivals, Jazz, Technologies (computer, software, Internet), and other support groups.

        WKA’s purpose is to promote the positives of other similar music groups.  Many organizations and their Conferences are listed/linked in the WKA Web Pages. These lists of organizations and linkages are intended to positively promote their programs and benefit them.  Industry sponsors have given financial support and exhibitions at various conferences to help benefit the organization.

          The WKA is about positive and pro-active change. 

People join organizations for various reasons, most important to be informed about what is happening ‘NOW’ in the international clarinet world and have a means to effectively communicate their ideas, concepts, and be a real part of the clarinet field.  In comes Internet-interactive.  With the membership comes the access to immediately contact WKA and other members on-line, and effectively move ideas, programs, and be ‘open-sourced’.  

           In 1999, a new book by Bill Gates entitled ‘Business at the Speed of Thought’ was written explaining the now trends in business computer automation, internet/e-mail communication, and how total business practice protocols are quickly changing the world.  With paperless efficiency, major decisions and operating business procedures are changing all levels of interaction.  This is a must have book to read and learn.  WKA is organized with these ideas in mind, as the Web Site interaction will certainly be more effective in keeping everyone up to date about all activities as they become entered in.

          Checking the WKA site frequently is a must.  In regard to Music Conference or Congress events Internationally, WKA can promote future programs.  Members only, with logon and passwords, have access to Web core page benefits, many of which can make an impact on personal or organizational decisions.  Posted articles and the ability to e-mail communicate directly from the page, benefit professors, students, professional musicians, and others with an interest in the music field.

          In past years, when Festival and Congresses were organized, with all the great artists, programs, competitions, logistics, and sacrifices, one wonders who are really the very special people- the faculties, the contest winners, or the ‘organizers’?

          It takes special caring people who love others and their profession to endure the arduous prep-work to make a Program successful, with all the high risks of making the Festival happen.  In addition, advocates who design and publish resource web sites to inform everyone interested in the field deserve credit as well.   Stress and anxiety about too many things, particularly making budgets balance, are very serious issues no one wants to be burdened with. Too little appreciation is given to these people.   These unsung heroes are the very people WKA wants to bring recognition and assistance to in having future programs organized and fulfilled.

              As this is now the 21^st Century with all the technology of communication available to all of us, WKA will change to the benefit of the grass-roots member.

The member benefits offered by WKA will revolutionize organization relationships  just by the e-mail asset available to all. 

FUTURE PLANS

Encouraging members to submit articles and information for publication

          - Information on music colleges and universities.

          - Information on worldwide festivals and congresses.

          - Chat line.

MEMBERSHIP IS FREE AND WILL ALWAYS BE FREE TO ALL INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS 

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Revised: August 29, 2010