Klarinet Archive - Posting 000005.txt from 2000/05

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Gender bias - survey?
Date: Tue, 2 May 2000 07:38:16 -0400

At 02:12 AM 5/1/2000 GMT, Emily S wrote:
>Overall, in my experience of playing in different groups in different
>places, I've found that the clarinet seems to be played more or less
>equally by males and females, at least compared to the bais of some other
>instruments. A while ago I was surfing around on the bulletin board
>archives, and I found an interesting discussion on the "gender" of the
>clarinet itself. One said it was absolutly male, the other said female. In
>my opinion, it is neutral, because it can sound masculin- big, bright and
>strong, or feminin- liquid, sweet and singing. I'm interested to hear the
>opinions of the others on this- it's certainly a discussion worth reviving.
>Another point- in my experience, the groups made up of young people, like my
>high school band or youth orchestra, have mostly female clarinetists, and
>going for the higher positions, like I mentionned before. But take a look
>at the really famous clarinetists....there seems to be more males in that
>domain. Is it because females biologically grow faster earlier on, but
>later on in life, the males are bolder? I realize this is a stereotype but
>there's at least some truth to it.
>
The clarinet's transformation into a "girl's" instrument seems to be
something that has happened only within the last 30 years or so. When I
was in high school, the split was nearly even, and among adult players I
know it remains so. But in schools TODAY clarinets sections are
overwhelmingly female. The reason may be as simple as the size of the case
one must lug around!

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://homepages.go.com/~zoot14/zoot14.html
ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.

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