Klarinet Archive - Posting 000255.txt from 1997/01

From: "Edmund W. White" <ewhite@-----.US>
Subj: Re: Contest music.
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 1997 19:47:08 -0500

> On Sat, 18 Jan 1997 01:27:29 -0600 (CST), Edmund W. White wrote:
>
> >
> > The regional (Northern Illinois) music contest will take place in
> >a month or so, and I was planning on playing an accompanied bass clarinet
> >solo. Yesterday, I was told that my choice of Dolphy's "God Bless the
> >Child" was not a valid solo, and that I would be disqualified
> >immediately. I've performed the piece in public before, and have no
> >problem improvising over it, but the person who informed me of the above
> >isn't a good source of that type of information. What are the standards
> >for soloing in a high school music competition, and does anyone recommend
> >any pieces for the bass?
> >
>
>
On Sun, 19 Jan 1997, R Tennenbaum wrote:

> This is certainly alarming but perhaps you ought to explain a little
> more clearly what happened -- did an official from the competition
> tell you this? If it wasn't an official, is there one who might be
> able to discuss repertoire with you? If you can kick butt on it, I
> would say it might even be worth it to try it -- especially if you're
> allowed another solos in addition to GBTC.
>
>
My band instructor regularly judges these contests, so he knows
the rules. He won't be judging this particular event though. Basically,
he told me that GBTC was not "challenging enough" and that there were
hundreds of bass pieces that could "demonstrate my mastery of the
instrument." He added, GBTC "isn't legal". The guy feels that the
transcription was written without the performer's permission, therefore it
was stolen. He added, "since Eric Dolphy must have taken the framework for
his solo from Billie Holiday, this transcription cannot be allowed in a
contest like this." I truthfully doubt that I would be disqualified
for playing GBTC, but my band director has withheld my contest
entry form until I can come up with a more "respectable" piece of
music.

Edmund White
ewhite@-----.us