[Dixielandjazz] Interlochen

[Steve barbone]

LARRY, sign.guy at charter.net wrote: (about challenges & Interlochen etc in
answer to Rob's post about his experiences at the camp)

> 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.

Hey Larry & Rob:

You guys should have been on the DJML when we discussed "cutting contests".
Most of the genteel folks on the list have no idea about "challenges" and or
"cutting contests" and thought that this kind of thing didn't happen any
more in our "enlightened" musical world.

Ha ha. Man I'll bet we can recall some fierce competition between players
and aspiring players etc, etc. And it sure as hell still goes on.

It's kind of like racing cars. I asked a friend why he raced cars about 50
years ago and he looked at me as if I was an idiot.

"Why, to win, of course."

Just like pro football these days. When you do it for a living, you have to
FIGHT for your position every day. That or lose it.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone