 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: AAA
Date: 2001-12-09 18:25
Okey the thing is this. Yesterday I had a lesson and there was some issues. My teacher recomanded to me to participate a competition which is not a big but pretty competitive. He told me that it would be good for me as an experience. I'm a junior and really busy student who is preparing for the college application. I thought it was a good idea, however, so I gave him the application form with fees. And yesterday, he suddenly told me that he was not sure that if I should run the competition. I knew that I was not going to be able to practice much because of many other things that I'm doing, and I'm pretty sure that my teacher also knew that. I did my best to practice the piece that I planed to play in the competition which is Mozart Concerto 3rd movement. I have played the piece several times before and I thought that I could play it in the competition pretty well. The whole purpose that I agreed to participate the competition was to make a good experience. Therefore, I was so mad after he told me that he was not sure that I would participate it. I am still really mad because he was the one who frst recomanded to me to participate the competition. Well..so should I quit now? Even if I cannot practice so much I can still do my best and have a good experience in my high school year But after he said that to me I was so disappointed and I don't know what to do now.
There have been few more problems between I and my teacher. Once I tought that we didn't understood each other very well and told him that I should stop the lesson. He strongly disagreed with that idea and I stayed. But if this kind of conflict keeps going, I'm afraid that I will lose my interest in playing the clarinet.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-12-09 21:43
It seems pretty straightforward, AAA. You either participate in the competition for the (fun) experience, as your teacher suggested, or you withdraw your application and get your fee returned. That will minimize one source of stress so you can concentrate on your college entry studies.
No one here at Sneezy, to the best of my knowledge, knows you or your teacher so we're not qualified to give advice about the situation between the two of you.
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Author: Micaela
Date: 2001-12-10 01:45
You mentioned that you're getting ready for college applications. If you're going to be a music major, a competition could be very good to get you to prepare the Mozart to a high level, most colleges require it on auditions. I feel your stressed-out pain, I'm also a junior.
The matter of you and your teacher is not really something I can comment on.
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Author: KevinS
Date: 2001-12-10 04:29
AAA,
Though I don't know you, nor do I know your teacher, I think your teacher may be looking to help you avoid a feeling of "failure" should you not play The Mozart well in your competition.
The piece is deceptively simple when you look at the notes on the page. However, it is such a well known piece of the repertoire that judges can be extremely critical. I see you're practice time is limitied before the competition. If you're not prepared, you run the risk of not playing the piece well. You'll probably feel bad and your instructor will feel bad for you (if he/she has an ego, may even think you're making them look bad in the eyes of the judges).
I don't know if I would quit. If playing The Mozart is what you want to do, maybe you can adjust your practice schedule to allow for more work on the difficult portions of the peice. Another option could be to work up a piece that you could play well and not be judged so critically. It would still give you an opportunity to experience the competition, which will help prepare you for many things in your future.
Try discussing the issues you have with your teacher. Also let him know that the apparent lack of support is discouraging to you. If you get no response, or are dissatisfied with the outcome of the discussion, then think about getting a new teacher. Sometimes our disagreements are really just poor communication.
Wishing you luck in whatever you choose,
Kevin Stockdale
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Author: lynn
Date: 2001-12-10 11:14
If you continue to have problems with your teacher, you are afraid you will "lose interest in playing the clarinet"? Let me ask, are you planning to be a music major?
Lynn
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