Klarinet Archive - Posting 000025.txt from 2002/06

From: w7wright@-----.net (William Wright)
Subj: [kl] Just for fun....value of what we do (and more about education)
Date: Sat, 1 Jun 2002 15:49:53 -0400

You have my sympathy about the water heater, Forest. I hate plumbing,
especially clothes washing machines, and I have two awkward faucets to
do this weekend.

<><> It is important to realize that the businessmen working for the
Dallas Opera (board and management) [.....]

Several musical organizations in my town have failed during the last
five years, including our "Civic Light Opera" which had switched mostly
to Broadway musicals before it finally crumbled. I know a couple of
musicians who played in it, and after listening to their descriptions of
the labor & Equity negotiations, my thought was:

Frequently the leaders of such organizations do not have business as
their highest priority. For the sake of ego or "cultural excellence"
or social standing, they sometimes make decisions that affect other
people's careers which a profit-and-loss oriented manager would not
make.

I'm not saying that this is either good or bad, but it's something to
take into account. It's not just a matter of business.

===================================

Concerning the matter of teaching students, I'm sure (I hope) you
understand that I was not disparaging a proper musical cirriculum and
some sense of discipline and motivation; nor was I encouraging outright
'bribery' with candy bars. But somewhere in the background, every
teacher should keep in mind that the teacher is not the sole judge of
what's most valuable, and students *do* learn more when the program is
enjoyable for them.

Cheers,
Bill

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