Klarinet Archive - Posting 001103.txt from 2000/04

From: Christopherhill@-----.net (Christopher Hill)
Subj: [kl] challenging/seating
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2000 23:51:26 -0400

In the Municipal Band that I conduct, I've arranged it so that not only
do the principals of each section get paid more; the principal seconds
and thirds get extra, also. It's not a big raise, but it helps everyone
realize that all parts are important. I also try to seat by strengths
when possible. For example, a clarinetist with a particularly strong
lower register is an excellent candidate for principal third. This saved
the band once when we had a third clarinet section made up of the
principal player, a weak player, and two subs. The piece we were playing
had a passage where only the third clarinets were playing, and since we
only have one rehearsal for a week of concerts, the subs and the weak
player were unsure of themselves and didn't play. The principal third
prevented a meltdown by playing out confidently. (It ended up being an
unaccompanied solo!) As a thank you to her, I asked her to play a solo
with the band, which she is excited to do.
The overall blend of the band is improved by having strong players on
all parts.
Chris

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