Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Teaching and reality


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Posted by no name on December 20, 2003 at 04:36:12:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Teaching and reality posted by OTOH on December 19, 2003 at 23:23:45:

OTOH you have highlighted something huge.

The ultra-expensive, over-competitive, music teaching money farm that schools are now supporting themselves with is a recent phenomenon. And it proves the academic world is propping itself up with tuition and false hopes and false goals.

I was a tuba player so I can only speak to that.

There have been alot of auditions for tuba lately due to an aging generation of orchestra players who work until retirement or dystonia sets in. Before this there was a long, decades long drought in serious openings due to the life-long nature of orchestra positions.

An interesting contrast can be found comparing todays auditions to the last time there was a major generational shift in orchestra tuba positions.

The last time the Cleveland orchestra held tuba auditions there were exactly 2 players invited.

2 - thats spelled two.
not 200.

Both were world class players. One was chosen.

If the other guy had got it - we wouldnt have noticed any less brilliance in the performance.

The academic machinery that exists today was not needed to produce the greatness that we all still admire today in those orchestras.

(for the young and uninformed not talking about cleveland anymore)
Arnold Jacobs didnt have to beat out 2-300 players and go through the ridiculous rituals that are supposedly creating better and better players to win his gig.

Best orch player ever, he was.

I could go on and on about the old days, but I believe todays system is indefensible. There is a maybe a bit more money in todays dollars than before in playing in a US orchestra. But there are far more unrealistic expectations provided for a fee by high charging schools who wish to profit from a young person's fantasy. And the more extravagant that fantasy gets, the more teachers and the new "superstars" who somehow survive the process will make in real dollars. But the music wont get any better.

Its not that music shouldnt be studied. It should be, but (in the performance aspect) only in proportion to appreciable talent and appreciable market. 30-40 and even more years ago that market was in balance to the benefit of those to whom it mattered. Now its looking for handouts in the form of disillusioning young people to keep the lights on.

Im happy and sad at the same time that your post inspired me to my most bitter and yet honest post yet.












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