Klarinet Archive - Posting 000683.txt from 2004/10

From: "Forest Aten" <forestaten@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Is Clarinet for Girly Boys Only?
Date: Sat, 23 Oct 2004 17:40:43 -0400


Forest, I certainly did not mean to imply that women with children
were *incapable* of becoming professional musicians, in fact women
are very good at multi-tasking. We have plenty of mothers in our local
symphony also. But if you were to sit down and make a list of the
most famous clarinetists of the past 150 years or so, you know it
is going to be predominately men.

I think you just like to argue. ;-)

I was originally responding to Ormond's question:

>I wonder if a 'cross-over' could be documented? More female
>clarinetists during the school years, more male clarinetists during the
>professional years?

I think I agree with Dave Blumberg's answer.

Sue
-------------------------------------------------------
Sue,

You make me smile. Back up a post.

What about your comment "Female hormonal imbalances?"??? What was that all
about? Just curious....
I wasn't aware that because women have different hormonal issues then men,
that this was considered to be an imbalanced state of existence. For both
men and women with hormonal imbalances, there are both holistic and true
medical avenues that can help.

And what does being "famous" have to do with becoming or being a
professional musician? Most professional musicians aren't famous (at all).
You can list me amongst the vast number of professional musicians (as in
most of us) that would NOT be considered "famous". Were you implying that
men want to be "famous" more than women want to be famous?...and that men
prevail in blind auditions as a result of this need to be "famous" thing????

And finally, the "driven male ego" thing...
Not sure what this has to do with becoming a professional musician. In the
woodwind section of the Dallas Opera orchestra....(I guess) we have two very
driven women playing bassoon. Two very driven women playing flute. Two very
driven women playing oboe. One very, very driven woman playing first
clarinet....and me.... ;-) Call me a survivor. :-) All of these women are
incredible players by the way. Most subs are women.
We have a woman concert master....one of the best orchestral violinists I've
ever listened to. Most of our string players in the orchestra are...women.
The horn section is 50/50. Trumpets and trombones players...men. Our
timpanist is a woman. The General Director of the Dallas Opera...a woman.
So...in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, where we have an incredible number of
great musicians because of years of North Texas pumping out wonderful
players (as in lots and lots of competition)....we have a huge population of
women with "driven female egos"????? Right?

Dental school, medical schools....law schools, all admitting about 50/50 now
days.

Argument by example perhaps....

Regards,

Forest

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