Re: Women in orchestras


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Posted by Rick Denney on February 13, 2001 at 13:35:51:

In Reply to: Women in orchestras posted by Cheryl on February 12, 2001 at 14:34:43:

Part of the reason why women seem to be under-represented among professional tuba players is that fewer of them start playing tuba in the first place. Boys, especially those big enough to haul around a sousaphone, are often encouraged to go in that direction. Girls are not. For a girl to play tuba in school, either they have to want to play tuba when they first walk in the door, or the band director has to have a particular vision. Most girls of that age who go into band don't necessarily want to play tuba, which has always been sort of a geeky instrument for kids at that age.

My niece wanted to play tuba, because her uncle did, and the band director didn't need tuba players and steered her to euphonium. But after a couple of months, she was having trouble, and she switched again to bassoon. She's now all-state material in Texas, where the competition is monstrous. If she had insisted on playing tuba, then that's what she'd have done, but she was not that committed at that time. On the other hand, when her uncle first walked into the band room in 7th grade, the band director saw a 175-pound frame and thick lips...

Despite this story, the girls themselves often choose not to play tuba. This is their choice, and is filled with all sorts of connotations that defy adult social analysis.

Rick "noting a grain of truth in many stereotypes" Denney


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