Klarinet Archive - Posting 000261.txt from 1996/07

From: Mark Charette <charette@-----.COM>
Subj: How this list is costing me big bucks ....
Date: Sat, 13 Jul 1996 10:00:15 -0400

Yes, it's true. Over the next number of years, this list will cause
me to spend untold numbers of dollars. And I thank all of you for it.

I joined this list late last December as an interested party; interested
in clarinet because my son had been playing clarinet for a few years
and seemed to be progressing pretty well. However, I had no knowledge
of the requirements of the instrument, questions on why I had to keep
buying reeds (tales of "there's only a couple of good reeds in a box
of 10" sound mighty suspicious to a dad), and details of maintenance.
This list seemed the perfect place to get biased info, but biased by
experience, not marketing hype.

Since I believe in encouraging art appreciation, I innocently asked
about music camps. I was inundated with recommendations - and people
actually spent time and money faxing and mailing me brocures and
info. One person copied the entire list from a magazine and mailed it
to me at a cost to them of over $5.00 - I couldn't believe it!
My son and I spent a lot of time perusing over the brochures, trying
to fit the camp dates into his summer schedule. He decided on Blue Lake
for this year.

While running through all the mail, bioth electronic and "snail",
the Interlochen Music Camp came up again and again. While the dates of
the camp didn't coincide with his schedule, it piqued his interest.
I had heard a long time ago of the camp, so we investigated. I found
out that Interlochen had an Academy now, with an extensive music
program. I asked him if he'd like to visit the Academy, and he thought
it'd be a nice idea. I set up an audition and a visit date at short
notice, and we drove up (Interlochen is only about 3 1/2 hours from
where I live). I figured that going with almost no notice would be
best, since there wouldn't be time to set up anything special to
impress prospective students.

My son and I arrived in the early evening, and were amazed at the kids
there - playing instruments outside without embarrasment or teasing,
singing, and all in all having a great time (I'll never forget
a pair of boys on top of the dance building, one playing trombone and
the other playing a pretty mean "air bass"). We went to a senior cello
recital, the cellist playing a Hindemith sonata, and ending the
recital with a Billy Strayhorn piece on cello, accompanied by a friend
on the piano. A nice ending to a hectic Friday.

My son auditioned the next day, was shown around the campus, and we
started home. I asked how he liked it - he didn't really answer (as
teenagers are wont to do). I could tell he was impressed, though, and
he did talk about how the "clarinet people" were all friends, no matter
what chair they had, and the formal and informal music making that
was going on. He had sat in on a music theory class, and heard a few of
kids' perform their own sonatas. Pretty heady stuff for a 15 year old.

A few days later, I asked again how he liked it. He wanted to know if he
had any real chance of getting in - the cost and standards are high and
he didn't know if I was serious about letting him go there. I said
we'd figure out how to pay if he REALLY wanted to go. We started the
application process, and, as of two weeks agao, he was accepted and
this week we started paying the money.

If it wasn't for the wonderful people on this list, I never would have
considered putting my son in a fine arts school. I now have bills that
I couldn't have imagined seven months ago, either, along with a
separation from my son 3 years earlier than expected. My son will
be majoring in clarinet, along with continuing (more or less minoring)
his piano and taking a full academic load.

We thank you all. I'll continue and learn from the great folks on this
list, and contribute as I can as I go along.
--
Mark Charette "Don't crush that dwarf, hand me the pliers"
charette@-----.com - Firesign Theater