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Stupid Seating

Author: Jacy
Date: 2002-04-11 05:33

Our band director seems to be adverse to holding seating auditions because she thinks it's unnecessary and time-consuming. This system hasn't worked wonderfully well over the past few years, and the Grade 10 and 11 musicians, in particular seem to be rather fed up about this. Here's why:

1. We don't have chair designations for most instruments--sometimes it's good to know your place in the section, but our band director thinks it would hurt our morale.
2. Sectioning is mostly based on seniority--your're in 12/13, you play 1st, regardless of how good you are. I'm not trying to be disparaging here, but some of the Grade 12 kids playing 1st aren't any better than our worst second. It's becoming rather irksome to know that I'll be seated behind people who I'm better than just because I'm younger and our band director doesn't want to audition us. There is, however, a Grade 10 who plays 1st, but he also happens to be the only one who takes private lessons. He is quite good for a Grade 10, but not necesarily leaps and bounds ahead of the other people in his grade that play 2nd. Since his seating is a substitute for seniority, the rest of us Grade 10s will probably be able to get solos ahead of him, regardless of our relative ability.
3. The flute and clarinet sections are the ONLY ones where we have a permanent soloist--every other 1st section plays solos on a rotating basis. Having principals doesn't make much sense considering that we have an otherwise loosely sectioned band.
4. The Grade 10/11 people won't improve if they keep playing 2nd and 3rd parts. None of them take lessons, or have much experience with the standard repetoire.
5. We have a seat challenge system in place, but no one uses it because it is considered a social faux pas to unseat someone; it would be much too obvious as to who challenged whom.

This is a big problem now because less people are graduating this year due to curriculum changes; that means lots of seniors next occupying the top chairs. What should we do about this? Ask for auditions?

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Stupid Seating

Jacy

2002-04-11 05:33