Klarinet Archive - Posting 001048.txt from 2000/04

From: "Ray S. Whitmore" <ray@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Community Bands
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2000 19:10:38 -0400

Well, George, I just past my 40th high school reunion and also don't
remember any competition. The high school band director simply sat each
player according to his perceived order of ability (and seniority). Thus,
the seconds were always weaker and the thirds were non-existent. This was
true of all the sections.

I know our local high school band members are encouraged to challenge
frequently. That must really leads to stability in the section.

Ray S. Whitmore
COmputer COnsulting Associates, Inc.
730 Hebron Avenue; PO Box 342
Glastonbury, CT 06033
voice: 860.657.2210
fax: 860.659.0787
e-mail: ray @-----.com

-----Original Message-----
From: George Kidder [mailto:gkidder@-----.org]
Subject: RE: [kl] Community Bands

At 09:23 PM 04/23/2000 -0400, Ray Whitmore wrote:
>Clarinet sections always sound better when there is at least one strong
>player in each section. I would rather see the 3 strongest players sit
first
>chair on each part.

This is equally true of clarinet sections in high school bands.

>Unfortunately, there is a prestige to playing first and
>a stigma attached to sitting in the seconds and thirds. Probably a hangup
>left over from high school band.
>
The hangup, as I see it, is fostered by the view that we must have
competition for everything - hence the elaborate competitive seating system
which seems to be in vogue for school bands. IMHO, this does not produce
either the best music for any given performance, nor a healthy attitude
toward the music. I believe that the challenge should be to play as well
as possible, not to play better than your neighbor. Let the director
assign seating according to the needs and abilities - certainly in the
usual band arrangement, the director can quickly identify the problems in
the clarinet section which is right under his nose.

I don't remember this pernicious competition from my youth (say 50 years
ago). Was it present in some places, and I just missed it?
-----------------------
George Kidder
MDIBL
gkidder@-----.org

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