Klarinet Archive - Posting 000867.txt from 1997/09

From: "David C. Blumberg" <reedman@-----.com>
Subj: re: Julliard book
Date: Thu, 18 Sep 1997 20:44:03 -0400

As far as I'm concerned, there's no room for that sort of crap. Any teacher
who enjoys head games, is maladjusted, and is abusing the student. The
students already have enough problems, - they went into music.

David Blumberg
ps. I have that book too.

Neil Wrote:
An enlightening book regarding the perversity of conservatory culture
can be found under the title, "Nothing But The Best: The Struggle for
Perfection at the Juilliard School" by Judith Kogan. It's published
by Limelight Editions in Manhattan (NYC). The author devotes a chapter
to the psycho-emotional dynamics typical of lessons at the Juilliard
school within the decade or so (80's) leading up to the publication of
her book. Having been to Eastman and known/lived with many students
from Juilliard, Curtis, etc. over the past ten years, I would say that
the unhappy circumstance of extreme fear/intimidation-based teaching is
a present-day phenomenon in no small way. Depending on the person,
this approach can actually produce very good results, stigmatizing
after-effects notwithstanding. I've encountered teachers like this,
and it just didn't make any sense to me personally to endure a battle
of will and spirit in order to grow musically. Different strokes...

Neil