Klarinet Archive - Posting 000323.txt from 2000/12

From: "Lacy, Edwin" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: [kl] Children, band directors, etc. [was, Legere Reeds]
Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2000 11:07:48 -0500

It is so very easy to take pot-shots (or cheap shots) at music educators.
The original poster seemed quite indignant that a high school band director
did not know who Larry Combs is. I wonder how many clarinet gurus recognize
such names as Harry Robert Wilson, Peter Dykema, H. A. Vandercook, Warner
Imig, Mark Hindsley, Archie Jones, Price Doyle, etc., etc. I even wonder if
the run-of-the-mill clarinet performer can name the principal chair players
of other principal wind players in the major symphony orchestras. And, if
they cannot, does that detract from their ability to do their jobs well? If
the band director was familiar with the name of Larry Combs, would that make
him better able to teach the clarinetists among his students?

That is not to say that there is not plenty of ignorance and even
questionable decision-making to be observed among music educators, just as
there is in every field.

When I read such blanket condemnations of music educators, I tend to feel
especially hurt, because that is how I began my career. It might behoove us
all, especially college teachers, to realize that the music educators are
our bread and butter. Without them, whom would we teach? Typically the
music educator is over-worked, underpaid, and under-appreciated. He/she has
many masters (administrators, parents, even students themselves), much
responsibility, and hardly any authority. The only thing they have in their
favor is their power of persuasion, however effective that might or might
not be.

One of the problem areas is that the personality traits which commonly may
be observed among musicians are not the ones which tend to predict success
as a public school teacher.

I hope that we all will take every opportunity to assist primary and
secondary music educators, and that we will never place ourselves in the
position of being a hinderance to them, or setting ourselves up as somehow
superior to them because of what we perceive to be their lack of
specialized, in-depth knowledge of our particular field of endeavor.

Ed Lacy
**************************************************************
Dr. Edwin Lacy, Professor of Music
University of Evansville
1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
telephone (812)479-2252; e-mail: EL2@-----.edu
**************************************************************

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