Klarinet Archive - Posting 000154.txt from 2001/01

From: "Tim Roberts" <timr@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] community bands & clarinetists
Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2001 17:37:11 -0500

On Thu, 04 Jan 2001 00:07:47 -0600, "Diane Karius" <Dkarius@-----.edu> wrote:
>
> With that in mind, I'll pose the dilemma I find myself in: I am
>section leader/solo chair in a community band (75 piece, no auditions, 6
>or 7 soprano clarinetists, no regular bass or Eb). I planned to
>implement a rotation order for the section, with the caveat (at the
>director's request) that anyone who didn't want to move didn't have to.
>When I raised the idea with the section, people were lukewarm. By the
>next week, the three clarinetists who play second decided they didn't want
>to move and the people who play third said they would do it only if I said
>to (only myself and the other first clarinetist are willing to move).
>With only the 6-7 of us, the refusal of the second section players to move
>effectively torpedos the whole plan - neither of the thirds believe they
>can play first so they don't want to move there.

This is a difficult problem. I, also, am section leader in a community band.
We run between 6 and 10 clarinetists in a 50-piece band.

The way I see it, we're primarily there to have a good time. (We do not
charge for our concerts.) I want people to play what they are comfortable
playing. So, when handing out music, I decide how many of each part we'll
need, then I hand the stack down the row and let each player take whatever
part they wish. We don't have a "first folder" and "second folder" concept.
A given folder might have an eclectic mix of 1st, 2nd and 3rd parts (and 4th,
if we're playing Grainger).

Now, in practice, most players gravitate to the same parts each time. The
junior high kids grab the 3rd parts, and I think that's OK. I occasionally
prod them into the higher parts, and as their confidence builds, sooner or
later they will WANT the higher parts. When we sightread something, I'll
often see part switching going on behind me, and that's OK, too. The star
players are generally pretty good about sharing 1st and 2nd.

The only time this breaks down is with the "difficult" personalities. I have
one particularly obnoxious player who thinks they are much better than they
really are. So, I get to practice my diplomacy.

At least I can be thankful I don't have NINE obnoxious players...

Anarchy? Maybe, but I get a lot less grumbling than when I assigned
everything. Grumble reduction tends to be one of my primary motivators.

--
- Tim Roberts, timr@-----.com
Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.

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