Klarinet Archive - Posting 001326.txt from 2000/10

From: rgarrett@-----.edu
Subj: Re: [kl] A curricular issue
Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2000 09:36:28 -0400

At 07:15 PM 10/27/2000 -0700, you wrote:
> The word "competition" keeps coming up. Excessive competition
>breeds misfits, paranoia, depression and "ends justify the means"
>thinking.

Bill,

Competition, in the way I am using it, is just competition to get into an
ensemble. Nothing else.

> Art (of any sort) is just as much for the sake of exploration and
>discovery and fulfillment and pleasure as it is for the sake of winning.

One of my positions as a conductor in our school is to have the best
musicians in the ensemble (that was already pointed out) - this is because
the ensemble serves a different purpose than to teach a person to play
their instrument. It serves most degree programs in the liberal arts
school. We don't promise any specific ensembles to students - we promise
an ensemble experience - primarily because what is curricularly involved in
the ensemble experience is more important than how to play in tune, or how
to tongue short notes on the instrument. Therefore, I owe it to all the
other students in the ensemble to put the best quailified players in the
ensemble. I determine that by who plays the best auditions. It is similar
to who has the best interview for the band job at the local high school,
and it is similar to who has the best audition for the local symphony (or
major symphony). It is similar to who gets into a graduate program and who
does not. It isn't depressing so much as it is realistic.

The idea that ensemble is being used for exploring art is interesting to
me, but it is something that comes about indirectly. The conductor/teacher
knows what the curriculum is he is teaching - it is the students job to
learn that. It may seem like exploring art, but in a sense, it is learning
art.

> Sometimes the emphasis on competition seems especially ridiculous
>to me when I ask myself: "What are they competing for? The right to be
>underpaid?" -- which is generally true of both the arts and education.

I guess you could look at it that way. I see it as competing for a
position I want. That's about it.

> I hope I'm not offending anyone when I say that there is altogether
>too much competition in musical education for my taste. That's not
>what music is about.

I'm not sure what you mean by too much competition in musical education -
could you discuss that a bit? It is interesting to me.

Sincerely,
Roger Garrett

Roger Garrett
Professor of Clarinet
Director, Symphonic Winds
Advisor, IWU Recording Services
Illinois Wesleyan University
School of Music
Bloomington, IL 61702-2900
(309) 556-3268

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