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Re: Chairs, and why they bug me.

Author: Matt74
Date: 2018-01-27 05:00

I agree with everyone’s advice on not letting this sort of thing bother you. It’s absolutely true.

On the other hand, I think recognition of that sort is a big deal when you are in school. I transferred schools just before my senior year due to a move. I was the best alto sax. That may not be saying much. :^P Nonetheless, I was second alto in the Jazz band because someone had been playing first and the director didn’t want to shake things up. It didn’t bother me because I had an inferiority complex. I believed they were better than me, and I didn’t deserve it. I had to do some creative justifying to come to that conclusion, but that’s what I thought. The band director made up for it by giving me a feature piece, but it wasn’t a perfect solution. He really should have given me 1st.

This situation is different than J-MB’s, but the principle is the same. At different times we are judged, and judge ourselves, by various forms of approval and status. It gives us confidence, establishes our “resume”, and it naturally bothers us when our accomplishments are overlooked. Chair placement is kind of like a job title or salary when you are in school.

It is a signal that you are, or are not, “good enough”.
It’s a way of measuring yourself objectively, which is hard when you are less experienced.
It is an important form of status.
It can be important later (like college admissions).
It can build confidence.
It can make you a better player by giving you more responsibility and experience.
It is an needed opportunity for growth.
It teaches leadership.

Now, if you are a good player, you are good anyhow. You have to do it for it’s own sake. And, in the larger scheme of things where you sat in school is a chair in the band room. That said, I think it is important that people are recognized for their hard work and achievement. It’s not about making everyone feel special, but about doing the right thing. I suspect very few of us are totally dispassionate about what chair we hold!

I STILL feel uncomfortable claiming the first part! Maybe I wouldn’t be so timid if things had been otherwise in highschool. It could have been a very positive experience for me. It’s all irrelevant now, but more assertiveness and competitiveness, not to mention confidence, would have been a great asset in college.

J-MB, I suspect you may be worrying about it so much that it has become counter-productive, and the advice to not let it bother you is good advice. Just focus on the music and enjoying playing. Use it as motivation. I also understand why placement is important to you, and I think it does matter.

- Matthew Simington

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Chairs, and why they bug me. new

J-MB

2018-01-25 01:12