[Trombone-l] What has happened?

[Paul Kemp]

I know of a student that will be graduating from a very prestigious
music school in 2 weeks. I've followed his progress for 11 years and
I've seen fantastic progress and growth. This person shall remain
anonymous for the sake of protecting the innocent and the guilty alike.
 
This person has at least a 3.8 GPA and plays very well in all styles. To
pass the ear training course alone, which is 5 semesters in this school,
you must either be extraordinarily gifted or work extremely hard. I know
that I would have had trouble with that class that this person described
to me on several occasions. This person went to several places to
audition for acceptance into a Masters' program and the only place this
person was accepted was his alma mater. This person answered an ad on
the OTJ, sent the best cuts from his senior recital to a prominent
trombone teacher in Europe and was accepted on that alone. This person
was told that they didn't want to hear excerpts, no etudes, just solo
playing. The tuition for a masters program is literally a fraction of
what it is here in the States. 
 
I'm making some observations about the music education system in this
country that quite frankly alarm me.
 
1)      Students are not encouraged to be individuals anymore. 
2)      I'm suspecting that if someone really plays well, many of these
professors are truly frightened. They very well might be afraid that
their own playing doesn't match up to what they just heard.
3)      I suspect that anyone who attempts to play with a very clean,
clear, pure sound with very accurate intonation and precise
articulations is immediately blackballed. 
4)      It's amazing to me that students of considerably lesser ability
than this person actually get accepted into higher degree programs.
 
Anyone who might be initiated in this process can either share with the
list or e-mail me privately.
 
Paul Kemp