Klarinet Archive - Posting 000194.txt from 2004/10

From: Haschengeliebter@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Clarinet popularity was: Now Opportunity
Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2004 18:43:08 -0400

ok 8 to noon in Ohio is 0800 to 1200 if that helps??? noon is in the middle
of the day not night...we did not stay at the camp...and we were one of the
best bands around...see the diffrence with us and most bands when they switch
people on insturments is we learned how to play them...some switchovers even
had
solos...we have played at many football stadums over the years(NFL and
CFL(??Canada) and at OSU (Ohio) for a drill session and we were invited to
Defiance
band night(don't know if you know but that is a really good band in ohio I
believe they go to macys day parade every year???) the only problem is our
band
was poor...with no funding how do you get out??? there was no "hazing" of any
sort aloud in this band...we concentrated on the music...not eachother...if
someone did something wrong the whole band would ahve to go back and there
was
some yelling and threats made to the ones who messed up a lot...but nothing
was
ever done...we never had someone march with a triangle??? that seems kind of
pointless to me...someone could easily hang a triangle on there snare if it
was
needed THAT bad...auditionswere required for solos in this band...and this
band camp was a month of 0800-1200 we marched lines on the field...I am glad
he
enjoyed it...I enjoyed mine too...we all should...even if it does seem like
hell being told as a story lol...its good to hear he found soemthing he
likes...this band was also located in the corn field (little exaderation) but
we were
in the country...that probably makes the diffrence...well I have to go
now...son wants to play...if i forgot anything please ask me

In a message dated 10/6/2004 6:09:30 AM Pacific Standard Time,
kwolman@-----.com writes:
Haschengeliebter@-----.com wrote:

> our band never traveled with the football team and now I know why...I am
> sorry but WOW that must have been crazy...band camp was from 8 to noon with
30 min
> break...more if the weather was bad...we marched military style...and there
> was not anything aloud as far as picking on anyone or anything...unless then
> were on the wrong foot...no seniority we were to treat each other as
> equals...

What the heck band were YOU in?:-) I think I gave a false impression. The
kids didn't play
from 8 AM until 2 AM. There were sessions in the morning and afternoon, but
in the
evenings...I'd rather not know what they did because I'm still a parent even
if the child in
question is now 23. The freshman were put through a lot of hazing, except my
son got lucky
his first year and was in a bunkhouse with only freshmen, so it was no big
deal. Dunking the
drum major was expected by everyone, including the drum major. There were
stories about kids
being tied up with duct tape but I'm not sure how much of it is true. And
once the band camp
week was past, yes, equality prevailed in terms of treatment, though a
meritocracy-seniority
combination existed about who got to play solo on what instruments. For
example, my son's
oboe-playing buddy on the drum line had to work his way up from triangle to
snare drum over
four years.

> and it worked out for the most part...our oboes are Bb horns when they
march...I
> played the Baritone when I marched...but we had just bought new bell front
> ones...I feel bad for your son and I am sorry he had to go through that...I
hope
> that there are not very many like that around.

Again, it probably came out sounding worse than it was, especially in terms
of the practice
schedule. The fact is he loved it. He didn't quit, he played through the
whole four years.
Yeah, the whole deal, marching in the broiling sun. He gave up the trumpet
only because he
began to write songs. It's hard to sing them with a mouthpiece in your face,
so he bought
himself a used electric guitar, and for his 18th birthday I got him a pretty
good amp. Now,
out of college, I think he can still blow licks on the trumpet, but when he's
not working his
day (actually night) job he plays rhythm guitar and sings in a couple of bar
bands around
Baltimore. He developed a skill in college for writing computer music and
scored a Goucher
production of "The Laramie Project." As for guitar, he is a heretic. While
having a
religious statue of Jimi Hendrix is de rigeur, disliking Eric Clapton is
grounds for
disinheritance:-).

> the board of education didn't fund our band at
> all untill about a year or two ago...and even now...it isnt much compaired
to
> what we need...the band boosters do it all...

I don't know enough about Ohio education to comment, except my girlfriend
lived for years in
Upper Arlington near Columbus, and fought like hell during a contentious
divorce so her terms
let her leave Ohio for New Jersey (home base) with her son, who was then 10.
I don't know if
that is a commentary on what she left or on suburban Ohio education.
Probably the former.

Ken

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