At Oakton High, as at many schools with strong music programs and colleges, band members are placed and seated each year after an audition. Other than section leaders, once seated, each player can issue a challenge to the person in the seat ahead of them. The two players go back through auditions with the winner taking the higher seat.
As Josh was the trombone section leader of Concert Band II and of Jazz II he issued no challenges. He did not receive any challenges to be unseated. Last year as lead trombone of Concert I he received no challenges. Last year in Jazz I he issued a challenge and won the challenge…after winning that challenge he issued another challenge to move up one more chair but the challenge did not go forward as challenges had been suspended.
This year he is in the top band. Symphonic Band plays only college level music. Symphonic seating is completive with challenges taking place throughout the year. When seating was announced, there were a range of challenges across the band. Two challenges took place in the trombone section…4th chair challenging 3rd chair and Stephanie, the 2nd chair challenging Josh. The 5th chair trombone was just happy to have made the band.
Stephanie is an excellent player and co-section of trombones for the marching band. As there was no clear winner after the challenge, Josh remains the section leader. In two weeks she can challenge him again. She also could be challenged by then by the 3rd chair (not likely, but possible). Eventually, challenges for the most part peter out by mid-winter.
The challenges are a variation of the king of the mountain, or Darwin’s survival of the fittest. It keeps better players from being content and pushes them to hone their skills. Whether Josh will remain section leader for a whole season is unknown…if he gets unseated, no doubt he will challenge with an eye to regain the top seat.
Reflective Wanderings - Reflections on various topics that arise out of my personal, life and professional experiences. There are also are some family related news, travels and pictures.
6 comments:
Wow! That sounds way too competitive to me. I know that I would not have done well in that kind of system. ... and I don't think my boys would either.
It is competitive. Joshua and Stephanie are pretty good friends, so there aren't any hard feelings between them. It just happens that there is only one first chair and they both want it. It's a friendly competition that will push both of them to keep practicing and improving.
We know Stephanie and her mother fairly well. Her mother talked to us about the challenge this past weekend. Her attitude is much like ours. We'll all teach our kids to take it in stride and be friendly about it.
Not even the U of T Music Program is that competative. Every music student must audition at the beginning of the year, and they are placed in one of three bands/orchestras. Some years, a second audition is held, other years it isn't. The profs will switch up positions based on the progress in tutorials etc. Many students have very competative attitudes, but then there's Jason......his attitude is we are all here to perform together, lets work together to do the best we can and not try to outshine each other. As one prof has said to me, in such as self centred profession, his attitude is a breath of fresh air.
that's crazy! sounds like a movie plot line. i'm guessing you all saw drumline?
Variations of this competition is common at both the high school and college level. Though a challenge can take place two weeks after the earlier challeng, or at most time during a semester (no challenges can take place within two weeks of performance), things normally settle down after a challenge or two. Joanne refers to U of T tutorials...there are not such things at high school. They system allows for students who are making great progress (some as a result of private lessons) move up during the year. Also, for the most part, challenges are not frequent at the less skilled groups.
I wonder if there are nasty incidents with parents or students, like the cheerleading mom in the south who hired someone to kill another cheerleader or her mother (I think this is how the story went).
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