Posted by Tenure on March 24, 2003 at 11:21:35:
In Reply to: Re: Tuba Tyrant posted by Dean on March 22, 2003 at 11:32:52:
I'm on my way out of the best community orchestra in town because of a similar situation. My principal 1) always arrives late 2) does not prepare his part 3) arrives two minutes before the concert begins 4) tells me how to play everything, 5) falls part in performances, 6) kisses up in a sickening manner to the conductor if he thinks he is in hot water. He has been in the group since the beginning and is a fine player, and several section members have quit over the years because of him, but for some reason the personnel people are convinced they can't find a similarly good player, despite having had the same thing happen in the trumpet section....and they found a considerably BETTER player after a year or so.
Good luck. I put up with it for about five years before I really reached a point where it was difficult not to strangle him. One thing not to count on is getting rid of him; chances are it won't happen....I tried, and only encountered deaf ears. As in, "Oh, you'll leave but he'll still be here, like he always has."