Klarinet Archive - Posting 000312.txt from 2004/10

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Differing skill levels
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 2004 00:56:43 -0400

At 08:24 PM 10/9/2004 -0400, Ginny Scarfino wrote:
>Many community bands in my area are funded by their town, or city, and the
>reason for the towns and city doing so is that they expect the band to play
>for the community at no charge. I played in one community band for over 12
>years, and in that time they never put on a concert where the audience had
>to pay. They did about 20 concerts a year, all of them free. The city
>provided the rehearsal space, paid the conductor, and gaves us a small
>budget for music.

In Michigan I played in two community bands. One charged the members
$10/year to belong, charged for concerts, and used the money to fund
operations (music, conductor pay, etc.) and music scholarships to local
students. It was a strictly amateur, no audition group with highly
variable competence, but most players were the sort who did not practice at
all between rehearsals, although they SHOULD have. Rehearsal space and
concert venue (and large percussion instruments) were provided by a local
high school at no charge. Rehearsals were weekly, concerts 4 to 5 times a
year. Over the years I moved around in that band as needed, from clarinet
to tenor sax to bass clarinet and ultimately to alto sax. (I used to refer
to myself as their "utility infielder.")

The other group was a summer band that was funded by an endowment left more
than 75 years ago. Players were paid $110/week for two rehearsals and a
concert, with a new program each week for the eight-week season. Concerts
were FREE to the public, played in a park. The players in that group got
in by recommendation of other members, teachers, etc., rather than actual
auditions (I played for one of the directors in a couple of pit orchestras,
and he invited me in, on clarinet). Rehearsal space was rented, and the
band owned its own percussion instruments, music stands, chairs, etc. That
group was at a MUCH higher level. SOME of the first chair players in the
first group were of a calibre to play in the second group (and a couple of
us did). That band was a lot more work, but the challenge made me a better
player. Still, I don't think I would have wanted to work at that level all
year long AND keep the day job! The first group was more relaxing even if
less satisfying musically.

Bill Hausmann

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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