Klarinet Archive - Posting 000576.txt from 1997/03

From: Peter Stoll <peter.stoll@-----.CA>
Subj: Re: Thoughts on the future
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 18:03:16 -0500

I do a fair bit of solo and ensemble adjudicating in music festivals
around the province, and have heard several stories of school boards
omitting grade 7 and 8 music as a "frill" and patting themselves on the
back for being so fiscally prudent. Makes me madder 'n I'd want to say on
a public forum. Many teachers are perpetuating bands and choirs at this
level ON THEIR OWN TIME, which I find to be an incredible testament to
their dedication. My retort to the arts=frills argument is that school
ought to be more than going to a series of classes for several years, and
I wouldn't exactly call sports the same kind of fostering of mental
creativity as the arts do. Quality of life, not quantity of classroom hours.

P.