Klarinet Archive - Posting 000997.txt from 1998/07

From: Jack Kissinger <kissingerjn@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: Judging Competitions (was "Pedistool")
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1998 20:00:07 -0400

Roger Garrett wrote:

> Yup! Isn't that the worst part? I always get a cramp by the end of the
> day from so much writing. But I think that many people just get so tired
> of writing the same thing regarding sound production, use of air,
> ariticulation, and technique/hand position (not giving excuses....just
> trying to present a possible reason for not doing their job well).

I believe I saw a suggestion in "The Teaching Professor" that might apply here. The
writer suggested that before he begins grading student papers, he generates a list
of (positive and negative) comments that he expects to use alot and assigns each a
mnemonic code (or perhaps simply a letter or number). Then, when he is reading a
student's paper, if one of the comments is appropriate, he simply inserts the code
at the appropriate point. When he returns the paper, he includes a copy of his
comment list. He claims it greatly reduces (unproductive) grading time without
significantly reducing the feedback he provides. Surely, having judged many
competitions, you can identify alot of frequently recurring comments, no?

> One other criticism is when a judge actually changes dynamic markings or
> adds markings to the score, and then grades a student down for not doing
> that interpretation. I had a student recently do the 1st movement of
> Mozart Concerto (yes, on a Bb - but she's a 7th grader...give me a
> break!), and the judge gave her wonderful comments, a I rating but at the
> lowest score. Her rhythm continues to be unstable at times, but
> everything else went very well. I was surprised that she lost points in
> the area of phrasing - but one look at the score told me all I needed to
> know....that the score had been altered throughout with the judge's
> intperpretation (which I don't agree with) and then the student was graded
> down in that area for not doing that interpretation.

Just another example of why some other list members have already noted that one
should probably avoid playing the Mozart for auditions unless it is compulsory.
EVERYBODY who has a music degree involving lessons on the clarinet has taken lessons
on the Mozart played it for a jury, studied it extensively and (it seems) developed
the attitude that s/he has a direct line to God (or message from God) regarding
exactly how the piece should be performed. (I even know of one principal
clarinetist at a major orchestra who believes that there are some measures that
should be omitted in the first movement because Mozart would have never included
them!) If you don't know that judge's preferences, you come to the plate with two
strikes against you (and the first pitch you see is going to be a slider down and
away).

Good to see you back, Roger.

Jack Kissinger
St. Louis

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