[Trombone-l] do you object to teaching euph/baritone?

[Price Taylor]

Heck of a rant, Bill!

I really liked your comparison with teaching and burger cooking.  There are
people in both vocations who look at their life and go "is this all there is
to it?"  I suppose that's a a different conversation but I think the deeper
root question is the same.

Euphonium could indeed be a life's mission for some, and there's no reason
to deride that.

-Price


On Tue, Feb 3, 2009 at 3:29 PM, <billredgate at comcast.net> wrote:

>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Lawrence Borden" <lawrence.l.borden at Vanderbilt.Edu>
>
> Folks, I have a colleague who objects to teaching euph since there is no
> continuing path except (in his opinion) a band director, community band, or
> service band.
>
> ___________
>
> I write;
>
>
>
>              So then by his yardstick no university ought to have a
> philosophy department - or an English Department - or - fill in the blank.
> I hope this fellow isn't a Post secondary level employee.  This is one of my
> personal pet peeves that just runs up one side of me and down the other  -
> with steel cleats.   If we're talking about a vocational or technical school
> - then fine  - how can it be applied - what will you get?  But this is
> University.  It's supposed to be an EDUCATIONAL experience - not a TRAINING
> experience.  Training gives you a level of facility with a set of
> techniques.  Education gives you the ability to know how to use what
> techniques you have.  It's the difference between being shown how to use the
> brakes and accelerator - and being tau ght how to drive.  Heck by his
> yardstick the re ought to be only one or two Tuba majors a year - since no
> body else is going to work.
>
>
>
>             Additionally, he limits his prospective charges with the limits
> of HIS imagination - not theirs as it should be.  Perhaps he sees nowhere to
> go from there, but just because You don't see the way out of the maze - does
> that mean there IS no way out?  Of course not - and its downright rude and
> disrespecctful of him to allow that opinion to effect - as it must - the way
> he interacts with his charges.
>
>
>
>              A College level instructor - is an EMPLOYEE.  And here's the
> real kicker - he is employed to serve the customer - who is the student.
> THe guy at the hamburger stand doesn't resent making Hamburgers because most
> folks like 'em with cheese.  He does his job and makes the burgers his
> customers request. At the end of the day he realizes that his customers
> choices have no bearing on his personal worth.  If  your "colleague" doesn't
> want to teach Euph then he ought not. G o get a job teaching what he wants
> to teach and let somebody have that job who will do the job as it exists.
> One of the things I learned from being a studio player is - music is an art
> - making money around music is a JOB.  Even if you're "self employed", you
> have to do the job in order to eat regular and sleep indoors.  You don't
> want t he job?  Move out of the way. T here's plenty of folks that do.
>
>
>
>             For me though, Your colleague is only demonstrating his lack of
> willingness to accept that other folks' assessment of value might be valid.
> For him, Euph lessons might be pointless.  For someone else they could be
> the fulfillment of life.  Dude needs to give some credit to other folks.
>
>
>
>             Please don't think there is any personal invective intended
> here.  This just happens to be one of my major issues and this audience is
> the best possible for this discussion.  I appreciate your question and I
> hope you understand the jist of my uneducated reply.
>
>
>
>             My apologies to the list for this strongly worded reply.  While
> I expect that it will upset some,  I really hope that more will see the
> point I am trying to make about Post Secondary education as practiced in our
> time.  It may be better to light one candle than curse the darkness, bt if
> you don't have a candle maybe cursing the darkness enough will get someone
> who does to light theirs.
>
>
>
> Bill Redgate
>
> Atlanta
>
>
>
>
>
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