i've got a tragic tale to tell..
im in the marching band and being forced to play soprano because my band director says that a bass clarinet is WORTHLESS. i believe our school is the only school in the district that doesn't have a bass clarinet line.. we do a mass band thing were the bands from all the schools play together as one for one song, and my director won't even let me play bass clarinet for that! im forbidden to establish my own bass clarinet section, and i can't join the prexisting ones for one song. what could my director possibly have against bass clarinets? or maybe he just has something against me? i don't know. i think its low reeds in general. we have zero low reeds.
anyways, i am unwillingly a part of a the clarinets and don't wish to be and im forced to work with this creepy guy who goes by the name santa and is always wearing a santa hat and shark swim goggles and tells me he loves me. he does that to other girls in the section too. but when he has failed to get a girl friend he anounces that he's gonna have to go for guys and so he's going for this poor tenor sax guy. he just makes us all feel really uncomfortable because he's always putting his arm around some one or coming up behind me and sayin' "cutie" agh. anyways. he can't march either, i mean he really CAN'T do it. and he can't play his instrument either. he stumbles aimlessly around the feild, ruining our formations, and killing visual effect because he basically flanks to all his sets because he can't slide. i realize im probably asking too much for him to be in step, but can't he atleast keep his shoulders square?! i hate working with him. but NO ONE says a word to him because "he has to be treated gently" we have a small band, its not like he can slip by unoticed.. it angers me that we all work really hard and yet we still are critisized, and then he just can do whatever. seems like a double standard to me.
basically, the director refuses to let me play bass clarinet, forces me to work with that dude, and the other less than pleasant people in my section, and i'm devoting alot of time and money to this.
so, my question to you is, am i crazy and immature to be upset about this and to plan to not join next year?
and second, is there any way i could convince him that i should be playing bass, and that is not worthless?
on a happy note, the orchestra teachers rocks, he randomly gave me this huge viola solo. who just plays the viola part on bass clarinet? geeze. but i'll take what i can get..
but for pit orchestra for the musical in april, we were playing from the balcony because we don't have a pit.. anyways, they had me seated in a balcony auditorium seat type thing in not the first row. you know what that means? yeah.. my bell was pressed against the back of a chair. and then they go and mic all the woodwinds, besides me. hows that for making sure the bass clarinet can't be heard?
any of you ever feel under appreciated? bass clarinet has got to be THE coolest sounding instrument. it has such a nice sound and awesome range. how could any one not love it?
k, third question, how can i earn some respect as a bass clarinetist who plays the most awesome instrument EVER?
any of you face similar problems? or are any of you rightfully worshiped?
i say we start on a make the world love bass clarinet compaign. yeah. this is ridiculous. even the icky piccolo has most respect than us, or atleast me..
anyways, i am unwillingly a part of a the clarinets and don't wish to be and im forced to work with this creepy guy who goes by the name santa and is always wearing a santa hat and shark swim goggles and tells me he loves me. he does that to other girls in the section too. but when he has failed to get a girl friend he anounces that he's gonna have to go for guys and so he's going for this poor tenor sax guy. he just makes us all feel really uncomfortable because he's always putting his arm around some one or coming up behind me and sayin' "cutie" agh. anyways. he can't march either, i mean he really CAN'T do it. and he can't play his instrument either. he stumbles aimlessly around the feild, ruining our formations, and killing visual effect because he basically flanks to all his sets because he can't slide. i realize im probably asking too much for him to be in step, but can't he atleast keep his shoulders square?! i hate working with him. but NO ONE says a word to him because "he has to be treated gently" we have a small band, its not like he can slip by unoticed.. it angers me that we all work really hard and yet we still are critisized, and then he just can do whatever. seems like a double standard to me.
basically, the director refuses to let me play bass clarinet, forces me to work with that dude, and the other less than pleasant people in my section, and i'm devoting alot of time and money to this.
so, my question to you is, am i crazy and immature to be upset about this and to plan to not join next year?
and second, is there any way i could convince him that i should be playing bass, and that is not worthless?
on a happy note, the orchestra teachers rocks, he randomly gave me this huge viola solo. who just plays the viola part on bass clarinet? geeze. but i'll take what i can get..
but for pit orchestra for the musical in april, we were playing from the balcony because we don't have a pit.. anyways, they had me seated in a balcony auditorium seat type thing in not the first row. you know what that means? yeah.. my bell was pressed against the back of a chair. and then they go and mic all the woodwinds, besides me. hows that for making sure the bass clarinet can't be heard?
any of you ever feel under appreciated? bass clarinet has got to be THE coolest sounding instrument. it has such a nice sound and awesome range. how could any one not love it?
k, third question, how can i earn some respect as a bass clarinetist who plays the most awesome instrument EVER?
any of you face similar problems? or are any of you rightfully worshiped?
i say we start on a make the world love bass clarinet compaign. yeah. this is ridiculous. even the icky piccolo has most respect than us, or atleast me..