knuxie wrote:This kid didn't happen to just move recently from, say, the Dallas area, did he? He seems very familiar....
Ken F.
Naw, the "Master" has always lived here. I'm told that his parents are also the types who are "never wrong". Apparently this is an inherited trait.
Jumping in before I finish the thread....you have demonstrated my concept of Original Sin. Wherby the sins of the grandparents are visited upon the offspring; as in, sneer at them young enough and they will develop such a case of insecurity that they, too, will be driven to sneering. It takes much maturity to get over that, and most won't develop it until it is too late for their own offspring.
During one semester of band, the euph section was myself and a fairly bad player. Well, she wasn't really bad, she just wouldn't play beyond her own seat. I sat to her right and I could barely hear her.
Anyway, I once flat out missed a day (not on purpose, either!). When I came back the next day, everyone who saw me said, "Oh my God, we missed you yesterday!" Even the other euph player said so.
Don't think about this as passing the buck to the music minister. The person in that position is responsible for such decisions and communications.
I can say that because I don't depend on my job as a music minister for my daily bread. I have two other jobs that I can draw on. I would say, however that I would say something to the kid if my daily bread did depend on that job.
I guess I look at the situation as I would if I were his band director. The buck stops somewhere, and if my name is attached to the success or failure of the group, then I have to make the choices. I would rather make the decision and live with the results as opposed to not saying anything and letting the chips fall where they may.
I will be in my prayer time in about an hour, I will keep you in mind.
Too many responses to read; I'm too behind to catch up. Hopefully I won't be repeating exactly what others have said.
I remember playing the Poulenc Gloria with a church in Austin many years ago. I came in with my tuba and set next to the trombones. In the opening of the second movement, the two trombones play a duet of alternating eighth notes that require a consistency of sound and concept between the two players to produce a musical result. I heard only half of the duet, and glanced to my left. The half I heard was Donald Knaub (possibly the most famous trombone teacher in the world at the time), and there was a young kid who attended that church sitting next to him.
Dr. Knaub could have played both parts himself and done admirably. He could have complained to the music minister that the kid wasn't up to the Poulenc. He could have told the kid to shut up and stay out of the way. But he didn't do any of that: He told the kid, "WE are going to get this lick" and worked with him during the break and at other rehearsals to nail it down. And in the performances, they indeed nailed it.
It is true that the kid recognized he was in the presence of greatness not his own. But why did he know that? Because Dr. Knaub delivered the goods when the time came in that first rehearsal, and because Dr. Knaub knew he was better than thus didn't need to act like he was better.
I would look on this as a teaching opportunity, especially since it's a church group where it would be mighty innappropriate to return the kid's obnoxiousness back to him.
So, if the kid wants a chair competition, tell the music minister that it's okay with you. What do you have to be afraid of? If the kid thinks he sounds great, the ask the music minister to program something that has a tuba solo, and give the solo to the kid. Work with him until the solo sounds good. Again, what do you have to lose? If the solo is too hard for the kid at his current stage, it will be obvious to everyone including him, and he'll give it back to you. If he's unable to recognize his own inability to play it, then it's up to the music minister to ask you to play it, so that your authority is not based on what you say, but rather on what the music minister says. If he plays it well, he will have reason to be proud of his accomplishment and it will turn your relationship around.
Never forget that playing music in a church is a worship activity that has to be approached as a servant, even of others don't do likewise. And never forget that your responsibility is to God who is far more interested in what's inside the kid's heart than what comes out of his tuba.
Rick "who has seen more juvenile behavior from grownups than kids" Denney
Rick Denney wrote:Too many responses to read; I'm too behind to catch up. Hopefully I won't be repeating exactly what others have said.
I would look on this as a teaching opportunity, especially since it's a church group where it would be mighty innappropriate to return the kid's obnoxiousness back to him.
So, if the kid wants a chair competition, tell the music minister that it's okay with you. What do you have to be afraid of? If the kid thinks he sounds great, the ask the music minister to program something that has a tuba solo, and give the solo to the kid. Work with him until the solo sounds good. Again, what do you have to lose? If the solo is too hard for the kid at his current stage, it will be obvious to everyone including him, and he'll give it back to you. If he's unable to recognize his own inability to play it, then it's up to the music minister to ask you to play it, so that your authority is not based on what you say, but rather on what the music minister says. If he plays it well, he will have reason to be proud of his accomplishment and it will turn your relationship around.
Never forget that playing music in a church is a worship activity that has to be approached as a servant, even of others don't do likewise. And never forget that your responsibility is to God who is far more interested in what's inside the kid's heart than what comes out of his tuba.
Rick for President.
Seriously.
Doug "always glad when Rick posts on a topic like this"
"It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged."
~G.K. Chesterton
TexTuba wrote:I like the valve switching approach. No sound and hard to trace to anyone.
If it's a Yamaha (I know Wayne said, but I'm too lazy to go back and check), you don't even have to switch the valves around. Just turn one of the plastic valve guides backwards.
Doug "who did this by accident once in middle school, which made for an interesting weekend"
"It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged."
~G.K. Chesterton
I just keep thinking "whatever you have done for the least of these, you have done for me". I think we have all sat by that kid - I think I probably was that kid - and yet, we all survived.
We do not play in worship for our own glory, and I am sure he will get to that place, as well.
schlepporello wrote:I figure the kid (providing he stays with the tuba) will finally have his reallity check moment when he goes to high school and finds he'll have to learn to be comfortable sitting in the last chair position.
Maybe he'll have to move "up" to drummer, then...
Instead of talking to your plants, if you yelled at them would they still grow, but only to be troubled and insecure?
But, I just wanted to add that I have known players with undergrad degrees who have nearly the same attitude. Granted, they are better players than a kid... But, you know the type--the kind that ask for advice--"Come listen to this, tell me what you think..."
They play for you, you listen, and offer some advice... And they say "No, I think it sounds good the way it is..." or "no, I don't think I am doing that..." I just smile and say "Yeah, you're probably right." Some people only want to hear how amazing they are...
harold wrote:Looks like everyone missed the point on this post.
Was just watching a documentry on the Amish. They have a higher than average incidence of birth defects that are probably a result of inbreeding.
So do Funamentalist Mormons:
The Colorado City/Hildale, Utah area has the world's highest incidence of fumarase deficiency, an extremely rare genetic condition which causes severe mental retardation. Geneticists attribute this to the prevalence of cousin marriage between descendants of two of the town's founders, Joseph Smith Jessup and John Yeates Barlow; at least half the double community's roughly 8,000 inhabitants are descended from one or both.
I got to thinking ( dangerous ), the kid's real problem is that he is in the wrong band. Put him in with a pipe band, and his personality will perfect.
And yes, Tabasco is too thin. Try Wasabi.. 
