 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Detru Cofidin
Date: 2007-02-18 23:16
I just got back from Minneapolis, where I performed as 1st chair clarinet in the MMEA All-State Concert band. I live in Mankato, MN and go to East High school, and I've been very disappointed about something ever since I got back:
Before the concert the president of MMEA asked all the music teachers in the audience to stand up. There were about 20-25.
Then, he told all the State Reps, school administrators & principals etc. to stand up. There were maybe 3 of them, out of 1500 people seated.
This is a disaster. I'm pretty sure there wasn't a single teacher from my school there, even after I told all of my teachers about the concert. I know for sure that my principal wasn't there. We had musicians in each of the three all-state groups, who were from my school.
The saddest part of all this is that this concert happened during a four day long music convention held by the MMEA (Minnesota Music "Educators" Association), for which most Minnesota school teachers take off a couple days from teaching to attend. There's no reason why mine shouldn't have been at the concert, since they were already there.
I got congrats from teachers I don't even know, just because they've seen me at rehearsals and other honor bands. Not a word from any of my own.
When I get back to my school next week, I'm sure that there will be no acknowledgment of any of the All-State concert in the morning announcements. I suppose I could go to it myself, but I just don't feel I should have to commission an announcement in order to receive just an ounce of appreciation.
I don't know who to go to first, and much less, what to say or ask, or if anything can be done at all. Does anybody have any suggestions for what I should do?
Any help would be appreciated, thankyou!
Nicholas Arend
Post Edited (2007-02-18 23:17)
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2007-02-18 23:34
I think you have hit upon the answer already. You should go ahead and draft a little announcement for whomever reads them in the mornings. There are probably all sorts of rules about this -- like, it has to be approved by somebody first. But that's what I'd do. I'd write up the announcement, get whomever to sign off on it, and enjoy the compliments of my friends and teachers afterwards.
And there is an important emotional lesson here, too, I think: the older you get, the less you will be able to depend on other people to know (or care) what you need, how you feel, what great thing you've just done. It's part of growing up, I'm afraid. So you might as well start right now, being proactive on your own behalf, taking care of YOU and asking to have your needs met. And yes, sometimes that does mean doing it yourself.
I suppose in a perfect world, people we care about would care enough about us to be tuned in to this sort of thing, but I can tell you that more often than not, that's not the way it happens.
But, lest you think NO one cares, I do offer you my hearty congratulations on your outstanding achievement, and a job well done. Bravo/a!
Susan
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Author: GBK
Date: 2007-02-19 00:02
There was a television show many years ago about the goings on in a fictitious high school.
One point which they succeeded in showing was that the school administrators and principals seem to always know the students who get in trouble or who have special needs.
The students who are gifted or excel in the arts?
They hardly know their names.
Here's a suggestion for school administrators -
Get out of your office, take a walk around the school and see some of the good things which are going on.
I've taught music in 3 different school districts. Each one was exactly as I described above...GBK
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2007-02-19 06:18
Dunno if I'd call it a disaster. You should be delighted that you had an audience of 1500. You had their appreciation.
While it may not be how you wanted it to turn out, it has revealed something important... the people who appreciate you might not be the people who you expect to appreciate you. You can demand attention from people who have other priorities, or you can be gracious to the people who, without being solicited, have shown an interest. Heck, random people you've never met recognized you and liked your playing!
Different people have different priorities. There might have been some other event that converged with that one. Some, quite frankly, might not want to listen. Being upset that someone who doesn't want to come doesn't come is, imho, wasted effort. Tell people casually about your concert, and you might be surprised at who shows up.
In college, I invited dozens, if not hundreds of people to concerts over the years. The ones I expected and/or really wanted to show up often didn't, and some people that I mentioned it to in passing and never thought would come did. I always try to make sure that people don't feel obligated to show up, but that they're greatly appreciated if they do. By the end of college, I would see anywhere from three to a dozen people that wouldn't otherwise be in the area attending any given concert I was in, demanding to know when the next was.
They're all very upset that I've graduated now and I have far fewer concerts.
What really got me, though, was my senior composition recital. We sent out invites to everyone and their dog. People I hadn't seen in years. People I had never invited to concerts because we'd fallen out of touch or I figured they were busy or whatever. I was shocked at the hundred or so that attended, from close friends to friends of relatives to long-lost contacts.
If you've pre-selected the group of people you seek acknowledgement from, you're missing out.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Detru Cofidin
Date: 2007-02-19 14:17
Thanks guys, you're all very helpful.
I guess I did expect maybe a little bit too much out of people. Though I didn't really expect it completely, before the concert, because I know that other concerts have gone the same way. It just hit me a little bit harder this time.
It is absolutely amazing to be able to play in front of 1500 people, especially in that hall. And I don't feel I lacked myself any absorption of the moment, while I was there. I thought I'd be a nervous wreck while doing my solos, but once I got out there, the stage just seemed to have a presence to it, and I realized that it's one of the only stages I've played on that is completely devoted to exactly what I was doing, music
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2007-02-19 16:29
Well first of all, do you spend the amount of time with your teachers? I mean teachers are still kids at heart. If you just tell someone to do something, it doesn't necessarily mean that they will attend. the way that I look at is this: if you really were good friends with your teacher, and then asked them to attend the concert, there would be no doubt in my mind that they would make the effort to come to your performance. I once had a conversation with my private instructor and asked why he chose to go to his students recital as opposed to a orchestra rehearsal for a very well known orchestra. What he told me was quite amazing. He said, i'd rather watch the work that i put into my students and to see that they had learned something with the time i spent tutoring them rather than rehearse in a concert which will just show what i've already learned.
Also you have to remember that you can't expect that much from people as was said before. Welcome to life.
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: Eileen
Date: 2007-02-21 21:42
If you played on an All State team at a sporting event and were ranked first at your position, I doubt the school would be ignoring you. I'd submit a short written announcement. Maybe it will shame them into doing the right thing.
And congrautulations on your accomplishment!
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Author: D
Date: 2007-02-22 20:20
Or, is there a post 4 day event press release that the music teachers association send out? like a kind of new letter to say, thanks all for coming, successful event yada yada, see you all next year. I'm thinking, it would be a great thing to comb for an appropriate quote/summary on what happened, who was there and how great a time you all had. (correctly referencing the quote to the author of course.) Then you and a couple of other students could each write a few lines on things you got from the experience and send the whole thing to the school newspaper if you have one, or the parents association if you have one, or put it up in the music dept on the notice board. Or ask if those of you that went can do a short presentation to other music students or bands or string groups who didn't attend to let them know what you did and what you gained from it, perhaps a couple of short extracts would be appropriate too. Or perhaps if it is the right time of year to the incoming students at the bottom of the school at a taster evening (do they exist in the states? little kids and their parents come and look around the school). Clearly no one is going to have a parade for you. But it doesn't mean you can't organise one yourself.
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Author: John O'Janpa
Date: 2007-02-22 20:51
Most teachers are very busy people. Unless they have a huge interest in music, or have developed a close relationship with you, I wouldn't expect them to be at an event such as the one you described.
Many teachers have had hundreds, if not thousands of students. Is Samantha's wedding more important than George's karate tournament?
The school administration should be more supportive of your efforts however.
Normally, I would expect the "publicity" about your accomplishments to start
with your band director. If no one picks up the ball, it's OK for you or your parents to write up a short press release and present it to the school administrators and the local newspaper.
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