Klarinet Archive - Posting 000787.txt from 2001/05

From: "Dee D. Hays" <deehays@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Requirements for a grade - more
Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 17:28:17 -0400

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Hausmann" <bhausmann1@-----.com>
Subject: Re: [kl] School Board

> At 09:12 AM 5/27/2001 -0400, Dee Hays wrote:
> >No one
> >should be required to march, play in pep band, or go to contest to get a
> >grade.
>
> To say that a band student does not have
> to march or play to get a grade is like telling a painting student that
> they do not actually have to produce a work to get a grade, as long as
they
> have learned the techniques. If performing is not something a band
student
> LOOKS FORWARD to doing, he/she should get OUT of band as soon as
> possible! And if maybe they don't care for marching (or whichever), but
> like the rest of it, well, I say "learn to suck it up, kid" and take the
> good with the bad, just like in the rest of life. It will be a good
lesson
> for you.
>

The painting student analogy is flawed. Yes they paint but are not
necessarily required to put the paintings on public display. They get the
grade for painting it not displaying the painting. They are not required to
put on weekly exhibitions of their products with new paintings each week.

There are many types of performing. I am simply pointing out the excessive
amount expected of band students in comparison to any other credit classes
that they are in. Such an amount could very well diminish their development
as a musician and actually reduce their performance capabities.

The system is broken when we look at it terms of overall musical
development. As parents, teachers, and concerned citizens, we need to fix
it. However before it can be fixed, we have to figure out what we want
students to get out of the experience, what is wrong with the current
system, craft proposals to fix it, and very patiently pursue those
proposals.

Also keep in mind that these days, there is no music class available in many
schools other than enrolling in a performing group (band/chorus). General
music has gone the way of the dodo bird. Where are we going to get our
future composers and appreciative audiences? Compositions could come out of
Europe, etc but I doubt if the audiences are going to travel so far.

Also much as I enjoyed marching, it really has little to do with music
education even though you do play while you march.

Dee Hays
Michigan

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org