Klarinet Archive - Posting 000406.txt from 1997/05

From: TAN ANN CHYI <annchyi@-----.sg>
Subj: Re: Evil band directors
Date: Wed, 14 May 1997 09:34:32 -0400

BKruse@-----.com wrote:
>
> None of my clarinet teachers ever tried this dumb trick with me so why
> would it be OK for some general-purpose high school band director to do it?
> (My apologies to those of you who are high school band directors.) I
> didn't see the original incident so I may be flying off the handle
> prematurely, but it sounds like a case of boundary violations. High school
> band is rife with possibilities for intimidation and abuse without this
> kind of stuff. Even if the incident in question were staged as a careful
> demonstration with the voluntary consent of the student, it still seems to
> me that it could easily mislead kids into adopting a pinched off sort of
> embouchure (sort of like the complaints leveled against marching band
> embouchures on the recent thread).
>
> Barry
> _____
> Subject: re:scales
> Author: MUS_JCA@-----.EDU at MINDSCAPE
> Date: 5/11/97 8:04 PM
> <snip>
> Now a question: Recently I was annoyed when some band director jerked the
> clarinet that was in the mouth of one of my students, presumably to check
> the "firmness" of the embouchure. This procedure involved wiggling the
> instrument to see if it would remain in her mouth, I guess. The student had
> a look of horror, I was mortified, but I have since discovered this is THE
> way that the area band directors check for embouchure "firmness"--I have
> not in recent memory seen this procedure done, and it has bothered me ever
> since, but I seem to be in the very minuscule minority, even amongst
> woodwind players, when I've expressed my displeasure at this abuse.
> Apologies,if I'm just out-of-it, and this is a standard acceptable practice
> by clarinetists, which is my question: Is it?
> Thanks for your input!-------Julie