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Re: Drunk at Rehearsal???

Author: rc_clarinetlady
Date: 2005-04-22 17:46

I play in a community orchestra that is only in it's second season. We had a situation very much like this one happen with our trumpet section last summer. My 16 year old son sat in with the trumpet section for a few rehearsals and one concert. One of the trumpeters was quite drunk...regularly. Long story short, I had to make a decision much like you are having to make, VermontJM. I decided to go to the director and this is why.....
I had real concerns for all the people on the road that this man encountered with his car between either the bar or home and our rehearsal hall. In our state if you kill someone and have a blood alcohol level of a certain level it's considered vehicular homicide. Even if he injured someone and didn't kill them, he's still in a heap of trouble. I know it sounds incredibly selfish but we, as an orchestra, had to decide if we wanted to have that kind of liability sitting in our trumpet section. I'm not sure anyone is that good. The director was very open to me calling and talking to him. He had supsected the problem but had no proof.

Even though this isn't a professional group like JJM is part of it is run like one and we have to be very concerned about our reputation. Don't say that reputation shouldn't be what we're thinking of either. We all know it's very important. It's why we wear black tuxes, formals and why we stand when the director enters the stage etc.......We are putting a professional appearance forward and quite honestly I don't think a drunk or stoned person sitting in any section enhances that appearance. The trumpeter is no longer with our orchestra. Sometimes you have to do what's best for the group as a whole. It may just be what's best for your clarinetist too. If you're in a college orchestra there has to be someone else you could talk to. Maybe the head of the music dept. or a professor that could help. In our case we have a director and a CEO that are at every rehearsal. It seems like there should be someone that could help you.
Rebecca

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Drunk at Rehearsal??? new

VermontJM

2005-04-22 03:35