Klarinet Archive - Posting 000357.txt from 1997/12
From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Student Level Clarinets
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 09:08:57 -0500
I feel Karen is making an excellent point. I failed to make a connection
with what Jennifer wrote earlier....perhaps because she didn't know that
she was implying that small schools are not good schools......so I didn't
take it that way. Still, my university, Illinois Wesleyan University, was
rated by News and World Report as the number one small liberal arts
college in our region for three years running (then they moved us to a
higher bracket and we only came out 14th or so....oh well!).....and they
made special mention of the Fine Arts professional schools. We are 2000
students with fantastic ensembles and teachers. I can't imagine that
Jennifer meant what she actually (inadvertently?) said.........but Karen's
point is important.
Roger Garrett
IWU
On Sun, 7 Dec 1997, Karen A. Martin wrote:
> I went to an excellent high school with a fantastic music program, then
> went to an outstanding college with a great music program as well. Just
> because we were small doesn't mean we aren't good. We are not ashamed that
> we depend on non-majors for our numbers. We still play at a very high
> caliber....perhaps because there are fewer egos around and we can actually
> dig into the music! I do not regret attending Hartwick College and I am
> very proud of my alma mater!
>
> That said....the non-majors had to take care of the instruments and were
> responsible for them. Even some of the music majors had to use school
> instruments for their secondaries. I myself played the school's Eb every
> once in a while. Instruments are taken care of. However, as professional
> musicians (or in your case, a music major), Iwe are more aware of the
> weaknesses of our own instrument than someone who is playing "on the side."
> Those non-majors may not know their instruments well enough to handle
> taking care of one as you or I would. Consider the non-major tuba player
> who may have never owned his/her own instrument! They aren't used to
> having it around all the time, and therefore taking care of it. It's like
> in a phys ed class where you're playing tennis. We don't worry to much
> about the condition of the racquets...we bang them around without much
> care. However, a serious tennis player may shudder at our actions. That's
> why schools buy the cheap racquets for gym class!
>
> ----------
> > From: Jennifer Rose McKenna <jrm0013@-----.edu>
> > To: klarinet@-----.us
> > Cc: klarinet@-----.us
> > Subject: Re: Student Level Clarinets
> > Date: Sunday, December 07, 1997 2:07 PM
> >
> > sorry--i picked i good university and went to an outstanding
> > high school--oh well. Of course i don't thnin its too much to
> > ask that instruments be taken care of..and when they are you
> > can get better ones..try it, it works.
> >
> > JENNIFER Mckenna
> > jrm013@-----.edu
> > universty of north texas
> > clarinet concentration/music ed major
> >
> > On Sun, 7 Dec 1997 12:55:39 -0500 "Karen A. Martin"
> > <kern@-----.com> wrote:
> > > I went to Hartwick College, a small liberal arts school, as a music
> major.
> > > With only 1500 students at the school and only about 50 majors, our
> wind
> > > ensemble was extremely dependent upon non-music majors! In fact, about
> > > half the group was composed of non-majors. In order to keep the
> program
> > > alive, the department must have instruments available for non-majors
> who
> > > may not have the money or need to invest in an instrument of their own.
>
> > > Yes to Jessica, you are spoiled in a way. You go to a larger
> university
> > > where there will be enough majors to fill a group!
> > >
> > > Karen Martin
> > >
> > > ----------
> > > > From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
> > > > To: jrm0013@-----.us
> > > > Subject: Re: Student Level Clarinets
> > > > Date: Sunday, December 07, 1997 10:43 AM
> > > >
> > > > Our university has many musical ensembles within a liberal arts
> setting.
> > > > Several of those ensembles maintain enrollment primarily of music
> majors.
> > > > However, the really talented non-majors also perform - several of
> them
> > > are
> > > > on scholarships that provide for free lessons and a stipend. Beyond
> the
> > > > Full Orchestra, Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble that staff these
> > > students,
> > > > we have a Symphonic Winds (50 piece band) and an 85 piece Concert
> Band.
> > > I
> > > > have had non-majors play bass clarinet in my bands for many
> > > > years.......exactly what are they to use if not the school
> instruments?
> > > >
> > > > Roger Garrett
> > > > IWU
> > > >
> > > > On Sun, 7 Dec 1997, Jennifer Rose McKenna wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > this is strange..i guess i had the wrong misconseption..what
> > > > > is it like else where?
> > > > >
> > > > > jennifer mckenna
> > > > > jrm0013@-----.edu
> > > > > university of north texas
> > > > > clarinet concentration/music ed major
> > > > >
> > > > > On Sat, 6 Dec 1997 23:28:15 -0600 (CST) Roger Garrett
> > > > > <rgarrett@-----.edu> wrote:
> > > > > > You are spoiled. :)
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Roger Garrett
> > > > > > IWU
> > > > > >
> > > > > > On Sat, 6 Dec 1997, Jennifer Rose McKenna wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > sorry, i guess i go to a school where only music majors use
> > > > > > > the instruments..call me spoiled :)
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > jennifer mckenna
> > > > > > > jrm0013@-----.edu
> > > > > > > university of north texas
> > > > > > > clarinet concentration/music ed major
> > > > > > > On Sat, 6 Dec 1997 00:35:41 -0600 (CST) Roger Garrett
> > > > > > > <rgarrett@-----.edu> wrote:
> > > > > > > > Um.....that's not true Jennifer....that's precisely why we
> bought
> > > a vito
> > > > > > > > one piece bass clarinet!
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > On Fri, 5 Dec 1997, Jennifer Rose McKenna wrote:
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > good idea...but usually at the college level you don't have
> the
> > > problem of
> > > > > > > > > not appreciate and taking care of an instrument like youdo
> at
> > > the
> > > > > > > > > elementary levels.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > jennifer mckenna
> > > > > > > > > jrm0013@-----.edu
> > > > > > > > > unversity of north texas
> > > > > > > > > clarinet concentration/music ed major
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > On Thu, 4 Dec 1997, Roger Garrett wrote:
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > I have many students who come to me with new plastic
> > > Vitos....they are not
> > > > > > > > > > any different than their Bundy or Buffet counterparts. I
> am
> > > partial to
> > > > > > > > > > Yamahas however for beginning instruments.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > On a secondary note, we just purchased a one piece
> plastic
> > > vito bass
> > > > > > > > > > clarinet.....for the college....with a good mouthpiece,
> it
> > > sounds very
> > > > > > > > > > good and plays relatively well in tune. This way we do
> not
> > > give our
> > > > > > > > > > beautiful Buffet bass clarinet to a person who might not
> > > appreciate what
> > > > > > > > > > it has to offer.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Roger Garrett
> > > > > > > > > > IWU
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> >
>
