Klarinet Archive - Posting 000097.txt from 2004/10

From: "Forest Aten" <forestaten@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Clarinet popularity was: Now Opportunity
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 2004 12:11:17 -0400


Although I'm coming to this discussion late, one thing I keep hearing in
regards to the situation in the US is the lack of opportunities in HS for
clarinet players outside concert band or specifically the lack of clarinets
in HS Jazz Band/ensembles.
Peace Benny.

Best
RW

RW,

What "concert band".....do you mean the organization that works on three
concert tunes (the same three tunes) for contests for the (entire) spring
semester? ;-)

Music administrators and educators have plenty of 'opportunity' to teach
music....many choose to do something other than.....

They choose to march, half a year; march, march, march. Hut 2 3 4 ....
Clarinet popularity? You don't need clarinets in a marching band. They don't
peel paint off of the bleacher seats. As long as marching band is king, band
directors will be looking to fill the band with brass and percussion
instruments. They can make due with the marginal number of woodwind
instruments for concert season.

And when the kids that have real interest in music education (the best
players in the band usually) quit....
These kids are often called names by other kids and by rabid "marching band
parents". "Quitter, wimp, lightweight, selfish, can't take it, don't care
about the rest of us"....etc.

"Oh, but how valuable the lessons learned"...makes me gag.
"Oh but it's fun"....makes me gag even more.

In Richardson, Texas (RISD) the kids involved in band are REQUIRED to march.
If you don't march, you don't play in concert band, orchestra, jazz band,
music theory (marginal class anyway), no contests, festivals...on anything
else that might allow you to participate in music education in the schools.
The excess in this marching band effort in the U.S. is out of control. It's
one of the primary issues related to failing music programs. Many educators
are failing to really do their job...the job of teaching music. The job
defined clearly by the formal curriculums of the school districts.

And...

The money. Where's the money? Where does it come from. Where does it go.

Forest Aten

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