Klarinet Archive - Posting 000138.txt from 2001/01

From: <rkabear@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Re: [Re: [kl] community bands & clarinetists]
Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 23:42:44 -0500

I have a possible reason for the lack of people playing in community
bands...and it's not necessarily the lack of variety, nor the lack of tal=
ent
in the surrounding area.

I stopped playing in community bands because there is no advancement with=
in
the sections. I know quite a few other post-grad people, who would enjoy
playing in community bands, even if they are full time music professional=
s.
Most of those that I know personally agree with the premise that if there=
is
no advancement possible, there is no driving force to play those old tune=
s
over and over again.

I especially dislike playing behind someone who plays BADLY, but has the =
chair
because of their time in the band. I really believe the only way to keep =
bands
like that fresh is to have chair assignments (or at least section assignm=
ents)
by periodic audition. Parts can be rotated too, for variety. If you left =
a
high school or college band playing at the top of your section, you are l=
ess
likely to play in a community band long-term, if you have to wait for a p=
erson
to die for you to move up. There is no incentive to practice either, thus=

further hindering the sagging performances. =

Any thoughts?

Kelly Abraham
Woodwinds/Computer Geek
New York City
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Marcia S. Bundi" <mbundi@-----.com> wrote:
> This is something that has bothered me for the last 7 years, when our
> community band re-started after a 10 year hiatus. While we have a lack =
of
> musicians in general (we are currently at about 50), the shortage of
> clarinetists is most acute. There was even one concert (quite some time=

> ago), where I was the entire section! We now have 6 sopranos and one
> bass, although not all are completely regular attendees. With the large=

> numbers of people graduating from high school who know how to play
> clarinet, I find this distressing. We are a city of about 63,000, with
> 20,000 more in the surrounding area.

Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=3D=
1

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