Klarinet Archive - Posting 000658.txt from 2004/10

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Is Clarinet for Girly Boys Only?
Date: Sat, 23 Oct 2004 01:45:29 -0400

At 11:30 AM 10/22/2004 -0400, Ken Shaw wrote:

>At least in England, of children taking up clarinet, girls outnumbered
>boys 77% to 23%. The only more lopsided ratio was for flute, 91 to 9.
><http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3764402.stm>.
>
>Band directors: does this match your experience?

In the bands in the schools I have worked with over the last 10 years, this
is perhaps a MORE even division than normal! Flute, more so in Michigan
than in the St. Louis area, is almost universally a "girl's" instrument,
and clarinet quite heavily so. Saxes divide about 50-50. Brasses lean
toward the male side -- the larger the instrument, the more likely the
player is male. Percussion is also relatively even, perhaps tilting male
somewhat.

Bill Hausmann

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

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