Klarinet Archive - Posting 000284.txt from 1998/04

From: Shouryu Nohe <jnohe@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: lesson motivation
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 02:02:48 -0400

Sean Talbot:
<snip! paraphrase: "ed. majors should be completely motivated to improve">

Hmm, but you gotta realize that many ed. majors take a different
perspective on the situation - especially if they come from a program like
mine, where their directors who they want to be like work twelve hour
days, teaching, doing sectionals, staying up late writing marching drill,
etc. A band director like that doesn't appear to have time to practice,
and is most likely never seen performing. In fact, our (Josh and I) HS
band directors did a lot of things - they ran ALL the musical events in
the city: musicals, community band, taught elementary bands, gave private
lessons, you name it. The only time we ever REALLY saw them perform was
during the marching band banquets. They would perform while we ate.
Otherwise, you never really saw them performing.
A student from such a program decides to go music ed., and thinks,
"When am I ever REALLY going to need to play?" The result? They don't
place a lot of emphasis on practice.

Even those of us who DO place a lot of emphasis on practice don't
at times. Generally, I attempt to clock in two hours of strict clarinet
every evening (after the 3-4 hours of various ensemble rehearsals I might
have during the day). As a performance major, I have to have a practice
mentality - if I don't get good, I don't eat after college! (Also, I got
this recital coming up...Dr. Borchert likes to remind me of the
motivational wonders of impending required performances ^_^;;;; )
Nevertheless, there are occasional evenings where I finish my dinner, look
over to my shoes so I can head down to the music building to get my two
hours, and think..."Geez...do I?"
I don't hate practicing (unless it's melodicless music, like Rolf
Rudin or Webern...good music, but tedious, frustrating practice), but
after so much rehearsing and all the practicing, you are SICK of it! You
have to take a night off. Last spring, I was practicing about 4 hours a
day, strict clarinet, for about a period of three weeks. There suddenly
came a point where I couldn't touch my clarinet for about a week unless it
was for required rehearsal (explains that one slump, huh, Dr. Borchert?).
Sometimes it's not neccessarily a lack of motivation...just a
simple case of overmotivation.

Shouryu Nohe
Professor of SCSM102, New Mexico State Univ.
http://web.nmsu.edu/~jnohe; ICQ 6771552
Coffee Drinker, Musician, Otaku, Jesus Freak, Admirer of Women
(Not necessarily in that order)
--------------------------------------------------------------
"We'll locate the Evas in an estimated drop zone. Then, while
maintaining your A.T. Fields, you'll catch it before it hits the
ground." - Katsuragi Misato
"But what if it doesn't fall where you think it will?" - Shinji
"Then there will be a little boom."
"But what if the Evas can't the impact?" - Asuka
"We'll all be blown to the moon."
"What are our chances?" - Shinji
"I've got noooo idea. Not so good, in my opinion."