Klarinet Archive - Posting 000673.txt from 2004/10

From: X-MailScanner-raycraft@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Is Clarinet for Girly Boys Only?
Date: Sat, 23 Oct 2004 15:45:46 -0400

> There obviously is a big change in the ratio after
> college and I think it probably has something to
> do with the fact that women start having babies and
> their priorities are with their children/families?
>
> Sue
>
> As apposed to what? Don't the father's priorities change as well "after
> women start having babies" and aren't men just as focused on
> children/families when the baby arrives.....?????

> Forest

Of course men are focused on their families, Forest, but not
in the same way. Agree with it or not, it still remains that the
guys tend to focus more on *supporting* their families, and
the women, even those who work (and most of us do) are
the ones that end up with more of the responsibilities of the
kids/household, especially when the kids are young.

I realize things are changing somewhat in modern times, and
there are couples who try to split the work more evenly.
But I still doubt that there are too many husbands who would
be willing to take on the majority of the responsibilities of caring
for the kids/running the household while their wives pursue
a career as a professional clarinetist. Not to say that it does
not happen, but it is certainly not common.

And by "professional" I do not mean playing in local groups.
There are plenty of us who do that.

I am talking about the kind of demanding, full time practice/
rehearsal/travel/performance/recording schedule that would
really take away from spending time with your family. There
are just not that many women who *want* to be away from
their families for that amount of time in the first place, and not
too many husbands who would go for the idea of having their
wives putting that amount of time/energy into it either.

I suppose we would have to survey several hundred people
who played clarinet in high school/college, who originally
thought they wanted to pursue careers as professional
musicians and ask them why they decided against it.
I realize the competition is fierce and there are both men
and women in this "drop-out" category. And plenty of us
had parents who discouraged us against going into a musical
career in favor of something that would be more of a
"sure thing".

But the fact remains that the ones that stick with it until they
reach the top are mostly (not all, but mostly) men. So why
do more women drop out than men?

Female hormonal imbalances?

Or is becoming a "famous musician" more of a driven male ego thing?
You tell me.

Sue

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