Klarinet Archive - Posting 001218.txt from 1999/03

From: edward farmer <efarmer@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Instant Sax (med) what does the stundent want??
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1999 23:51:58 -0500

Hello list,
Now that these subjects ( doubling saxophone in a orchestra/
switching a sax student to clarinet ) has come back from the flood of
tuner posting: I saw/heard the Detroit Symphony Orchestra on Friday and
for the encore they needed a soprano sax and they used their
contrabassoon/bassoon player Marcus Schoon, but I didn't ask him how
long it took to learn it or which one he started on.... I've seen him
play tenor sax as well. The best part was when he stood for the "solo"
bow afterwards and he picked up both the sax and the contrabassoon for
the bow ( he had played both in the piece ), well it got a laugh from
those of us who could see him... guess you had to be there. But I've
also seen them bring in saxophone players for major parts. They also
have a bass player that doubles on keyboard when needed. So it is done,
and with funding cuts, will be done. Sad but true.
But this also started with a teacher questioning keeping a "great"
student on the saxophone vs clarinet. My feeling is: what does the
student want?? I've seen too many kids get switched from one instrument
to another just because the band needed more of the 2nd instrument.
Oddly the band director can often get one of the better students (on the
1 st instrument) to switch because they are:
-the better musician
-more willing to do the work
-have parents willing to buy/rent another instrument
-willing to get private lessons
-more pliable to the band directors will
actually a combination of all of the above ( and others). The problem is
when a person gets switched from an instrument they love to one that
they don't and that doesn't fit their personality, they are more likely
to drop music altogether. Yes, I know that some are switched to an
instrument they love from one they hate. I do think that each instrument
attracts similar personalities, look at the people around you in bands
and look at how similar people in each section are in many ways. Trumpet
player _tend_ not to be shy or quiet... even the female ones. Too often
kids play the instrument left over from a older sibling or parent, when
they really want to play something else - and then the parent wonders
why the child won't do the work. I know we can't have bands made up of
34 flutes and 1 clarinet, but sometimes the wrong person gets switched.
It is important to _want_ to do it. Just something to think about when
this ( switching )comes up. Thanks Edward

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