Klarinet Archive - Posting 000706.txt from 2001/09

From: Eric Dannewitz <ericdano@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] U. of AZ has failed Disabled Concerto Composer
Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2001 03:06:50 -0400

Ok, what does this have to do with Klarinet?

Bear Woodson wrote:

> Well, they've actually done it! In response to hard
> work, and growing International Attention, a composer
> who is in progressively failing health from severe Dia-
> betes, has been failed and forced out of the Graduate
> College and is no longer allowed to be a Music Major!
> Why has the University of Arizona done this shocking
> and unfair thing? It is done as a result of their Head
> Composer, Professor Daniel Asia, who always gives
> poor grades when Doctoral Student Composer "Bear"
> Woodson writes another Fugue, Sonata or Concerto!
> Would you do that if you had a student, who is break-
> ing records worldwide for the quantity and quality of
> his music?
>
> That's the Practice of the University of Arizona in
> Tucson, as following the supervision of University
> President Peter Likins. President Likins has been aware
> of Bear Woodson's pleas for help for the last few years,
> and has refused to do anything other, than further the
> blatantly illegal violations of Arizona State and Federal
> Laws, regarding Disabled Students. Woodson is 47
> years old, is only surviving on Student Loan Money
> and is in failing health, due to advancing complications
> from Diabetes.
>
> Composer Thomas C. Woodson has been "chubby
> and bearded" for many years, ergo earning him the
> nickname "Bear" for so long, that it is almost a legal
> name. Bear Woodson has had works played by leading
> musicians such as Cellist Paul Olefsky, Tubist Roger
> Bobo, Bass Trombonist Douglas Yeo, Harpist Helga
> Storck, the Peabody Camerata, etc. His Trumpet
> Sonata was given its World Premiere at the Beijing
> Conservatory in China on June 1, 2001, by Trumpeter
> Ed Reid and Pianist Dr. Paula Fan.
>
> Woodson doesn't even have a website yet, but via
> several Instrument Lists on the Internet, is getting
> works played in 15 countries around the world in only
> 2 1/2 years! Three CD's of his music have already
> been recorded.
>
> In the field of Modern Classical Music, it is an ex-
> tremely rare to find anyone able to write ONE Fugue,
> Sonata, Concerto, Symphony or Opera. Even if they
> can, it is usually their final Thesis or Dissertation. But
> Bear Woodson has competed SIX Sonatas, worked
> on THREE Concertos, with his Horn Concerto being
> finished in only six months, and all just as his normal,
> daily output! This likely breaks all records, worldwide
> for the last 100 years! But it will never be good enough
> for the University of Arizona, nor Prof. Daniel Asia.
>
> A Sonata is usually a work for keyboard alone, or
> for some instrument accompanied by piano. Bear
> Woodson has written Six Sonatas, just while at the
> University of Arizona. A Concerto is a work for a
> Solo Instrument in front of an orchestra. Woodson
> has begun a series of concertos, that feature each
> instrument of the orchestra.
>
> Professor Daniel Asia immediately gave Woodson a
> Failing Grade for his virtuoso "Ashkenazic Rhapsody
> for Harp" which can be played either by harp alone, or
> with orchestra. This same work has gained high praise
> by leading harpists, including Helga Strock of Munich.
>
> Most Music Conservatories all over the world, would
> kill to have a Composer-Professor, and more so to have
> a Student Composer, who could write more than one
> such work. But this is not true at the University of Ari-
> zona! Although these many rare achievements will place
> Bear Woodson in a permanent place in history, the Uni-
> versity of Arizona seems bent on discrediting and erasing
> all such validity of his works. How do they plan on doing
> this, since Bear Woodson is gaining fame for writing
> several complex, yet highly lyrical Fugues, Double
> Fugues and even a Triple Fugue? Try asking Professor
> Daniel Asia, who has never learned how to write a
> fugue! And yet Prof. Asia actively discredits the many
> elaborate fugues of Bear Woodson!
>
> Bear Woodson grew up moving often all over the
> US and Europe. He dabbled in 8 languages, but now
> can only really get by in German as a Second Lang-
> uage. His music includes homages to many cultures,
> races and people. He hopes to complete several more
> concertos, a few symphonies, and at least one opera,
> hopefully on the Life of Martin Luther King.
>
> In the Fall of 1998 there was a dispute with another
> professor, in which the Music Faculty and Prof. Asia
> learned in detail, that Bear Woodson has Full Disability
> Status, which allows Woodson to write his music at
> home, when driving would be hazardous. Woodson is
> becoming more limited to staying home, as the constant
> dizziness and numbed feet worsen from the Diabetes.
> For Prof. Asia to now pretend that he didn't know all
> of this, looks like he is willfully spitting in the face of
> the Laws. Arizona has put new laws in place in the last
> decade; it is now almost impossible to sue for Discrimi-
> nation against a Medical Disability in Arizona, so Prof.
> Asia can spit all he wants, knowing that he will get
> away with it.
>
> Woodson has talked to dozens of attorneys in other
> states, who warned that due to the fear of going up
> against a major employer, like the University of Ari-
> zona, NO Arizona-Resident Attorney would dare take
> the case. Woodson has also talked to over 140 Arizona-
> Resident Attorneys, who all find convenient reasons for
> not taking the case. What an amazing series of coinci-
> dences!
>
> Every attorney, who lives outside of Arizona has
> also said, that if this story should get published, it
> would result in costing the University of Arizona as
> much as 20 to 40 Million Dollars in lost contributions
> in the coming years. The problem is, most newspapers
> resist printing a story, that hasn't been released by an
> attorney, and no Arizona-Resident Attorney will
> take a case, that could get him black-balled in the
> eyes of the local Good Ol' Boy System.
>
> On top of everything else, a recent diagnosis of
> dangerously High Blood Pressure has further com-
> plicated Bear Woodson's life.
>
> All other possibilities have been tried. This is a
> desperate plea for help from publicity and attorneys.
> Please contact the composer at the information
> given below.
>
> ===============================
> "Bear" Thomas C. Woodson
> 3636 N. Campbell Ave.
> Apt. 3119
> Tucson, AZ, U. S. A.
> 8 5 7 1 9 - 1 5 4 5
>
> Home: 520 - 881 - 2558
> Voice-Mail and Digital Pager:
> 520 - 575 - 2077
> "Bear Woodson" <BearWoodson@-----.Com>
> ===============================
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------

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