Posted by Rick Denney on March 10, 2003 at 12:44:11:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Different Question About CC vs. BBb posted by Mary Ann on March 10, 2003 at 10:29:32:
It isn't always this bad, though what you describe is the norm for most long-standing community bands.
I find that the relatively young bands are still in the idealistic stage when the focus is more on the music and the venerable socialites you describe haven't had a chance to become venerable yet. I've played in several bands where the conductors consistently challenged the group musically. In my current band, the board of directors (on which I sit) has repeatedly confirmed the musical direction of the conductor, which means programming music that is slightly beyond us, and demanding, within reason, that we rise to the occasion.
A music ensemble will always play some percentage of perfect. A professional group might be 99.9% or 98% perfect on any given day, and that will be true no matter what they play. A good community group might rise to 85% and a bad one might only reach 50%, but again that percentage of perfection will be constant no matter what music they attempt. Great music may be harder, but it encourages time in the woodshed because it is worth the effort. Our band is probably an 80% band, but we achieve 80% of challenging music, rather than 80% of Grade 2 show-tune medleys.
The social groups invariably talk about pleasing the audience with easy music played well, without realizing that this is a false choice: The group will not play any music really well because of its technical limitation. Boring music bores incompetent musicians and excellent musicians alike. The difference is that the good musicians don't have to put up with it, and off they go. Unfortunately, those who you describe often use the pleasing-the-audience argument as a cover for their real fear: Difficult music being programmed that will expose their weaknesses once and for all, and undermine their leadership position. They are afraid of general improvement leaving them behind. They don't realize that their weaknesses are already on display.
Who cares what the audience thinks? This is a volunteer group--you have to serve the volunteers first.
Some groups manage to avoid this fate, and they do so usually by hiring a conductor who is not only musically demanding but who either 1.) knows how to schmooze the players into being loyal to him, or 2.) is well-protected by a committed board of directors who are musicians. The second arrangement is more fragile, but both have to be nurtured with care and commitment.
Nothing will make a good conductor's job a nightmare more than a battle from the entrenched socialites--that's why one often has to start a new group with new people and get it point right in the first place.
Rick "a veteran of all sorts of bands, bad and good" Denney