Klarinet Archive - Posting 000697.txt from 2004/10
From: Adam Michlin <amichlin@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] RE: klarinet Digest 22 Oct 2004 08:14:59 -0000 Issue 5597
Date: Sun, 24 Oct 2004 11:13:55 -0400
At 04:32 PM 10/23/2004 -0400, Patricia A. Smith wrote:
>Something I just had to bring up also, is that most of the time, teachers
>teach to their strengths. It never ceases to amaze me these days just how
>many band directors are trumpet player or percussionists, with the stray
>trombone player thrown in for fun. I have seen few to no hs band
>directors who play clarinet. This might be something people want to look
>at as well.
The thing I dreaded the most about high school band was simply: marching
band. Playing the clarinet in a marching band was just NotFun<tm>, at least
for me. Brass players and percussion players tended to have a blast (pun
very much intended).
Good programs prioritize their wind ensemble/concert band program. Too many
programs prioritize their marching band program. I know of plenty of
woodwind players teaching the former programs and very few woodwind players
teaching the latter.
I think the following sums it up well (from
http://www.boomwhackers.com/wmi.html, something I was reading recently for
entirely different reasons):
---
Craig grew up in Iowa in a time when learning music in school was
commonplace. His first "serious" instrument was the cornet, and he
switched to French horn in junior high. As a young teen, he learned to
play rhythm guitar and did the local-yokel rock band thing, also picking up
the keyboard on a self-taught basis (but never getting very skilled with
it!). When he entered high school, the school insisted that he play French
horn in the marching band if he was going to play in the orchestra. He
protested that it was hard enough to play the French horn sitting still,
let alone marching on the field, and refused to play in the marching
band. Since the horn belonged to the school and they insisted that he play
in the marching band or not play at all, that was the end of Craig and the
French horn.
---
I would love to hear from the clarinet players who enjoyed playing the
clarinet in marching band. To me it was a miserable experience for exactly
the reasons described above (admittedly, I did own my clarinet which is
probably why I am still playing unlike Craig). And please, I've heard all
the wonderful stories about leadership and friendship and camaraderie. I
want to hear about enjoying the act of playing a reed instrument on a cold,
often wet, field while simultaneously trying to dodge the rest of the band.
Sounds like a great video game, but not such a pleasant musical experience.
But I'm not bitter. Honest!
>band directors created equal. I think you make a good point here (even
>if I don't like K622 with a beat! ;-) I will say this - most of us, at
>one time or another, NEEDED A BEAT when we practiced the doggone
>thing! Vive la metronomie! :D
Now there's a beat we can all agree with!
-Adam
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