Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: T.U.B.A. ?


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Posted by Sean Chisham on March 16, 1999 at 22:03:05:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: T.U.B.A. ? posted by me too (Dale-who-has-no-life) on March 16, 1999 at 20:54:29:

Why are you doing this? TUBA is a volunteer group that has voluntary membership. If it doesn't work for you then don't join, or try to effect change through proactive contributions. TUBA has benefited the vast majority of tubists in some way or another, whether they have payed dues or not. If your only real complaint is that the quarterly publication shows up late sometimes, then TUBA must be doing a pretty good job. They were not developed as a publishing company.

Sorry about the gig bag, but I would hazard to guess that TUBA was not involved with the incident.

As far as insulting someone's tastes in listening to tuba ensembles, I would state that you may not have heard a good one. Listen to Symphonia live sometime, or how about Tennessee Tech's tuba ensemble. There are some good ones out there. As with any ensembles, some are good and some are not so good. I don't like listening to country western music, but that does not make it a bad medium. I just don't care to listen to it. I do, however, still hold respect for people who do like to listen to it.

Please have some humanity and understand what TUBA is really about. The people who volunteer their time and energies are real. It may be easy to pick them apart from afar, but it sounds like you really are out of touch with what is going on in the music world which most of the rest of us live in.

The statement about Harvey Phillips and Daniel Perantoni being more associated with selling mouthpieces than putting out quality students it totally unsupported. This is another baseless claim than infuriates people. Have you ever heard of Michael Lind? He was a Harvey Phillips student. Half the tuba and euphonium sections in the premier bands are Perantoni students along with a good chunk of orchestral players and teaching professionals. These two men were and ARE giants. Have some respect.

The exhibitors DO pay for space at conferences and there is no such thing as a 6 figure tuba. More misguided hatred. If the people who benefitted most had to foot the bill for the full time staff needed to turn out the publication you demand, then the average joe TUBA member would be paying $500+/year. Whether you understand it or not. We have all benefitted or could benefit if we chose to take advantage of what is being sponsored and driven by this organization. If "The Shores of the Mighty Pacific" are where you choose to spend your musical endeavors, then you may not be after what TUBA has to offer, which is innovation.

There was a TUBA sponsored conference in Long Beach California only a few years ago. Did you attend? Looks like you missed it.

I simply don't understand how receiving a publication late could cause one to become so insanely blind to what this non-profit organization has done.

The people who are the most angered by these comments are the ones who truly understand how the organization is even able to exist at all and the causes it represents. I have given away many hours of my time, which I value highly, to help out with an article or providing infrastructure for running an ITEC. I sat outside the recital and lecture halls of some fantastic performances at the ITEC in Chicago without seeing but one lecture, in order to process late registrations for the '95 conference. I got paid nothing, as did the others who helped out. The organization is run by volunteers.

You think that those $40/year memberships are padding anyones coffers then you are sadly misguided.

Would you walk up to the face of your local volunteer town band and tell them to stop volunteering to perform if they continue to perform with mediocrity? TUBA's reach is well beyond the few thousand people who attended your regional orchestra's performances. I am sure the concerts you helped out with were enjoyed greatly, be we are talking about an international volunteer group here.

You have no clue what you are talking about when it comes to TUBA and how it operates. We work very hard for no pay and for the most part behind the scenes. Whether you support the organization with membership dues or volunteerism, the benefits will still be rolling in for you and I. The big difference is that most people, hopefully, understand the shortcomings of an all volunteer group and are patient and flexible enough to deal with lacking resources, sometimes monetarily, but mostly in willing and compassionate volunteers.

please have some humanity

sean



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