Klarinet Archive - Posting 000272.txt from 1998/08

From: dnaden <dnaden@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Music major priority
Date: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 16:10:07 -0400

Kevin Fay's post opens up a whole new discussion: To whom does a university
music department have to serve in terms of priority (My apologies if poorly
stated).

Based on my limited experience at five different schools (University of
California San Diego, University of Western Ontario, University of Dayton,
Wright State University and Cal State University Los Angeles), that most music
departments give music majors first priority. While this may not seem fair from
those who believe that all musicians regardless of major should have equal
opportunity, the primary mission of any music department is to prepare music
majors to enter the music field to the best of the department's--and
students--ability. In most instances, this means that top performing groups,
such as the orchestra or top wid ensemble, is often restricted to music majors
in order to provide them with as many performing opportunities as possible.

However, some schools, such as the University of California San Diego, have a
combined university and civic orchestra. In such cases, the opposite happens.
Music majors often have only limited opportunities to perform with such groups,
because positions are often filled by community members. Some schools also hire
contract players to fill out university groups and play principal parts, often
at the expense of music majors within the department who are forced to play
second parts, or not play at all.

The bottom line is that no "system" is perfect, and that someone always will
feel as though he/she did not have an equal opportunity. As limited as some
opportunities are, any opportunity is better than none.

David S. Naden, MMus
Cal State University Los Angeles

Kevin Fay (LCA) wrote:

> This pisses me off.
>
> Not that Ed plays bass--but that his school's orchestra is "only open to
> music majors" (unless, of course, they need *him*).
>
> Seems to me that the money that Ed pays his tuition with is just as
> green--he should be allowed to audition for the "normal" clarinet chairs
> just like anyone else. Most schools don't exclude music majors from history
> classes--a fail to see any good explanation for the converse. IMHO, it's
> just too damn bad if the best clarinet player in the school decides to
> declare a more marketable major, they should get the chair if they win the
> audition.
>
> Some pretty good musicians have managed to make it through school without
> being music majors. Charlie Neidich has a spiffy degree in Anthropology
> from Yale (where, incidentally, he was given an award for something like
> "outstanding senior musician" without having taken lessons from K.
> Opperman). Kenny Gorelick, a classmate of mine from the good old U of W
> (Kenny G to most of you), is a CPA--which may help explain why he is, if not
> the most talented saxophone player on the planet, certainly the richest.
>
> kjf
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Frederick S. Sterns [mailto:fssterns@-----.net]
> Sent: Friday, August 07, 1998 7:22 AM
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: Re: [kl] Orchestral bass clarinet excerpts
>
> > Hello all. I've been given the opportunity to audition for my
> >University's top orchestra on bass clarinet (it's only open to music
> >majors, but due to instrumentation problems I can enroll despite my
> >status as an electrical engineering major). However, the orchestra
> >director did
> >not anticipate having a dedicated bass clarinetist audition for his
> >group. Consequently, I have to prepare four orchestral excerpts of my
> >choice to audition with. I've played a good amount of orchestral bass (my
> >focus is jazz) and basinet (bassoon parts), but I've never run across any
> >major bass solos, etc. Truthfully, the only excerpts that come to mind
> >are from Copland's El Salon Mexico and Strauss' Death and
> >Transfiguration. I'd appreciate any suggestions as to what to play. I
> >want to make a good impression because this will be my first taste of
> >university-level playing. By the way, I've heard that there exists a
> >book full of orchestral bass clarinet excerpts. Where can I find it in
> >two weeks?
> >
> >Edmund William White
> >ewhite@-----.us
> >ewwhite@-----.edu
>
> Michael Drapkin's "Symphonic Repertoire for Bass Clarinet" is probably the
> publication you're looking for. I got mine from Eble Music [Iowa City, IA]
> 319/338-0313. Don't remember the price, but it was under $20.
>
> I found their staff to be knowledgeable, helpful, and courtious...their
> service prompt. FSS
> >
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