Klarinet Archive - Posting 000922.txt from 1998/03

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: A conductor who doesn't "believe" in chairs
Date: Sun, 15 Mar 1998 11:39:53 -0500

At 11:31 PM 3/14/98 EST, you wrote:
> I'm in high school and my conductor says that everyone should be able to
>play 1st 2nd or 3rd parts and it would be great if everyone would play a
>variety of each. This leaves each section to decide for itself who plays
first
>part. In most sections this works out well, but my clarinet section is not
>most sections.
> Since no one else in our section has ever expressed any interest in
>taking first part (all other sections have had different students ask for it
>at different times), my stand partner and I have always taken first part. No
>one seemed to mind since they were having trouble with the second and third
>part.
> Recently, I've discovered that the two clarinets who have been in long
>time competition with me and my stand partner are furious with us for not
>giving them first part. The question is:
>
>Should we have assumed that these two players wanted to play first part (even
>thougfh they seemed perfectly happy with second), or should we have waited
>until they asked for it?
>
With the opportunity to play first parts so clearly offered to them, their
failure to seize it gives them no right to be "furious." But if you made
the kind gesture of offering the parts, whether or not they accept, it
would certainly reflect well upon you and make them look petty if they
continued to complain.

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.