He performed with that group from 1926 to 1932,[3] but was reportedly not offered a contract renewal because conductor Serge Koussevitzky disapproved of his practice of playing on a metal Selmer instrument instead of one made of the more traditional grenadilla wood.
[2][4][5] One anecdote about his dismissal records that he responded to praise on his performance in a rehearsal by waving his instrument in the air, which "enraged" Koussevitzky.
His pedagogical approach was notable for advocating a double-lip embouchure, which was less common than the single-lip variety but was credited with reduced biting and increased fluidity of tone.
He is known as a founder of the "American" school of clarinet and is credited with having a significant influence on the development of performance practice in the United States.
[2] His son Armand Hamelin, born 1907, played bass clarinet in the Boston Symphony for the last two years of his father's tenure there.