Klarinet Archive - Posting 000370.txt from 2003/10

From: "James Lytthans" <lytthans@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Band Directors
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 16:32:46 -0400

I taught middle school (6-8) for 35 years in Los Angeles. My schedule
consisted of five instrumental classes daily: Begriming Winds, Begriming
Strings, Junior Band/Orchestra, Senior Band and Senior Orchestra. My
Beginning Winds class usually had 45 to 50 kids, playing all the wind,
brass and percussion. I usually had 15 clarinets and 10 saxophones to deal
with. The elementary feeder programs were very poor for many years, so I
would teach late afternoon classes from 3:30 to 5:00, three days a week, at
the elementary school across the street, with no pay, no to mention private
sessions with my own students on the other two days. Very few of my
students owned their own instruments, or studied privately, so the
performers in the advanced groups generally had played two years or less.
I usually had very good performing groups, but I envy anyone who is able to
teach just a clarinet class! That would have been a dream....

Being a music department of one was a challenge..... sometimes I felt like
a circus act, working with lions, tigers and bears (oh, my!) in the same
cage.

I am enjoying retirement, but I do miss the kids.

Jim Lytthans
Anaheim, CA

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