Klarinet Archive - Posting 000694.txt from 1997/11

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Weber One
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 1997 21:22:29 -0500

On Wed, 19 Nov 1997, Andrew Thompson wrote:

> the band.
> I would also like to describe a situation at the university where I studied
> clarinet. At this school, the Symphony Orchestra was the prized place to
> play. It was reserved only for performance majors, because it was "real
> music" and that was what they were studying for. Most of the profs didn't
> like bands, or band music, and they weren't shy about showing it.
> You can imagine what happened. The bands were awful, because no one wanted
> to be there, because we (I played in the bands) felt left out of "real
> music"

It is a sad but true experience that Andrew writes of. However, I fault
the teacher/conductor of the band area for allowing the situation to
remain this way. A fine musician/conductor who is competent in the area
of wind literature and wind performance would inspire students to play -
sooner or later, the orchestra wind players would "see the light" and add
(not move to) the band to their schedules. If the experience is a
musically satisfying one, the band does not have to be the second best
ensemble.

Roger Garrett
IWU