[Dixielandjazz] Interlochen

[LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing]

Hi
When I was in college challenges were handled in kind of a brutal way.  If
you were in a soloist chair (oboe) as I was and you didn't play a solo quite
up to snuff there would be an instant challenge.  The director pointed at
the next player and said go for it.  If he could play it better, you got to
move down a chair.  This kept everyone working.  Fortunately I never lost
one but others did and It was quite a put down but you always knew that the
guy next to you was working on your solos just in case.

Larry Walton
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rob McCallum" <rakmccallum at hotmail.com>
To: <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>; <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 12:44 PM
Subject: RE: [Dixielandjazz] Interlochen


> Hello all,
>
> Interesting post about the Interlochen Music Camp.  I attended a session
> there in the mid-1980s for symphonic band and an extra-curricular jazz big
> band.  The challenge system used by the conductor did not have the
students
> have a say, though the challenges were done during rehearsals and so
> everyone heard the challenge.  The director decided if the challenger had
> won, but didn't announce it.  The director told the participants after the
> rehearsal and, if anything had changed, the students would be in different
> seats for the following rehearsal.  I didn't find anything unusual about
> this practice as this was essentially the same system employed in my high
> school.  I can see how having the band members democratically vote could
be
> rather unobjective.
>
> I found the music aspect at Interlochen to be wonderful (band, directors,
> rehearsals, private lessons and campus), but the camping aspect was
> miserable.  When the band director announced the formation of the
> extra-curricular big band, I jumped to sign up only to be told by my
> college-age cabin counselor person that I wouldn't be able to go because
it
> was required that I participate in "camping" activities -- swimming,
soccer,
> cookouts etc.--a practice I called "forced fun."  I protested that I was
> only there for a short time and it was ridiculous that I couldn't join a
big
> band because I had to be back in mid-afternoon for "recess" with a bunch
of
> people I didn't know (much less like).  He said I had no choice and that
it
> was policy!  I joined the big band anyway and only showed up back at the
> cabin to sleep.  No one ever said anything else to me about it.  Come to
> think of it, I don't really think I associated with anyone at the camp
site.
>   The campus and the campgrounds are really like two separate worlds.
>
> BTW- I don't know if it's still standing, but they had a large band shell
> where the seats for the audience were benches and it was under the trees.
> That's where we played our concerts.  It's been there for years and
someone
> there told me that Paul Whiteman's group had played on that stage in the
> 1920s.
>
> All the best,
> Rob McCallum
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: Steve barbone <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
> >To: DJML <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> >Subject: [Dixielandjazz] The Changing Music Business:
> >Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 11:58:35 -0500
> >
> >Long, not particularly OKOM. However a testament to the changing music
> >business and what must be done to survive within it.
> >
> >Bottom Line? Read the last two paragraphs if nothing else. They do indeed
> >apply to OKOM.
> >
> >Cheers,
> >Steve Barbone
> >
> >
> >January 5, 2005 - By DANIEL J. WAKIN - NY TIMES
> >
> >A Different Tune Is Being Played at a Venerable Music Camp
> >
>
>
>
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