Klarinet Archive - Posting 000152.txt from 2004/10

From: Diane Karius <dikarius@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Clarinet popularity
Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2004 00:45:43 -0400

Tim: I'm also section leader in a community band with
the same mix of issues - no auditions, radically
different skill levels, various perceptions of skill
levels, continual flux in numbers.

The solution I've used for the past three years is to
rotate the section after every concert. As Kelly
said, the strongest players are on the 2A and 3A
stands (as section director, the conductor says I play
the 1A, but I can occassionally let someone else fill
that with the conductor's blessing by covering the Eb
plart). I'm "heavy handed" about it - I tell them
what section (first, second or third) they'll play as
well as who will play the "A" folder - as you note,
there are individuals who will assume what they should
play (in either direction).

I tried making the rotation voluntary but the entire
second section refused to move. The next year I just
did it. I keep track of who played what on my own so
that everyone who can will play first, but I only
announce the rotation at the first rehearsal after the
concert.

Diane K.

Tim Roberts <timr@-----.com> wrote:
This is a very difficult situation to handle in a
reasonable and fair way.

I've considered the challenge-for-chairs thing, but I
don't know how we
would even run auditions. Where do you get an
impartial judging panel?
The typical community band doesn't have a cadre of
professional
musicians to draw upon for something like that. Do you
leave it up to
the director? That's enough pressure to cause an
ulcer.

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