Klarinet Archive - Posting 000786.txt from 1997/07

From: benevolent1@-----. Horney)
Subj: Re: Major decisions
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 23:55:11 -0400

Thanks. Some more information (if you can stand it). I currently have
been conducting a beginner band (8th grade, we only start in 7th) and
after my first year, I would not give it up for the world. One
particular concert, the last band didn't finish until 11:06 (I know that
because I had Calculus homework to finish, and looked at my watch
approximately 12 times between the second-to-last band ended and the last
band began their concert) and stayed up at the auditorium until 2:00. I
then got up at 5:30 to tutor geometry to a failing student. I absolutely
thrive in that environment. The rewarding thing was seeing the kids'
faces right after their superior ratings were announced. Their hard work
had payed off, and they were kind enough to let me have a piece of the
preceeding trail. All of the conducting in front of the mirror at 10:00,
the phone calls from students with shoddy excuses for missing practice,
the weirdo looks from parents when I was conducting their "babies," and
the condescending remarks from old judges was worth that one look from a
student. Well, I have rambled on and on when I should be in bed. Thank
you very much again.
By the way, what a cool music staff! (There I go, showing my age,
no adult would use "cool" in an e-mail!)
Have fun!

Sarah
benevolent1@-----.com

On Wed, 23 Jul 1997 23:48:02 -0400 "Michael D. Moors"
<mdmoors@-----.us> writes:
>Sarah,
>
>Here are some questions I ask my own clarinet students: 1. Do you
>like to
>play? 2. Are you thinking of getting a teaching degree because you
>like
>to play? 3. Is teaching something persue to "fall back on". If you
>answered yes to 2 and 3 I would give some real thought to whether
>teaching
>is for you. It is too demanding to "fall back on" and students
>deserve
>someone who loves teaching. The extra hours make it difficult to
>maintain
>your clarinet playing. Worthy of thought: I have a former student
>playing
>professionally that has a degree in library science. Why? Because
>there is
>a library in every major city. Nursing would be another marketable
>skill.
>If playing makes you want to become a music major; take music history,
>theory classes and study with the best clarinetist you can find. A
>performance degree means little. How you play means everything. It
>is
>important to learn the composers and musical time periods.
>
>If you love kids and playing both do what I did. Become a music Ed
>major
>and work! work! work! I was offered my present position the day I was
>schedule to go to Washington to take an audition with a military band.
> I
>didn't know how I was going to answer the phone call. I chose
>teaching.
>Never regretting it. I still play well but am not often am I in the
>shape
>to play up to my potential. It is a good compromise for me.
>
>I hope I gave you something to think about.
>
>Mike Moors
>
>
>
>
> >----------
>>> From: Sarah B. Horney <benevolent1@-----.com>
>>> To: klarinet@-----.us
>>> Subject: Major decisions
>>> Date: Wednesday, July 23, 1997 7:51 PM
>>>
>>> I want to apologize for the quantity (not to mention the
>quality)
>>> of my mail to this list. If you can stand it, I have another
>question.
>>
>>> I want to be a high school band director when I get out of
>>> school, and have some questions regarding not only specific major
>>> options, but also general decisions. I have received many
>suggestions
>>of
>>> what my major should be. My Music Theory (and choir) teacher says
>that
>>> "Performance is the way to go." My own band directors seem to have
>>> differences of opinion- some say performance, some others say music
>>> education (another says that I should forget music altogether and
>go for
>>> the political science degree, only half-jokingly). I was just
>wondering
>>> if anyone had any suggestions. Also, if there are specific schools
>that
>>> you would recommend, I would be open to anything. I live near Fort
>>> Worth, Texas, so University of North Texas is sounding nice, but I
>am
>>> just so confused now.
>>> Thank you so much for your time.
>>>
>>> Have fun!
>>>
>>> Sarah
>>> benevolent1@-----.com
>>
>>
>
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> / O
>Michael D. Moors
>http://edcen.ehhs.cmich.edu/~mmoors/
>