Posted by OK on February 02, 2004 at 17:12:33:
In Reply to: Re: serious question posted by Scholar on February 02, 2004 at 16:27:25:
In the ITEA Journal, I read articles - perhaps a decade later - that have for the most part been written by others in the past...and tuba players re-re-re-re-re-re-interviewed recalling the same life events. Occasionally, another retired tuba player is located who recalls their professional band/circus band/orchestral experiences...
The tubenet is extremely easy to use and provides almost instantaneous INFORMATION to those seeking it. Flames are available to demonstrate opposing views to the person who made the original inquiry, and (since college professors aren't publishing articles here for their resumes) topics end when they are "talked out"...or "trail off" to other related or tangent topics.
The Army conference is not just a weekend event. Indeed, it is a four-day event, which is plenty to just about get "tuba-ed out" for most folks...and short enough to restrict content to that which is of interest to many. A recruiting tool for the Army? certainly. Easily as valuable as an ITEC? ABSOLUTELY. More available to more people? unquestionably. The eastern seaboard of the U.S. is far more reachable, accessable, and affordable to far more folks than "Helsinki"-like locations, and quite accessable by the majority of motivated Europeans.
How to improve ITEA?...
- Somehow pull more professional players, "stuggling" 2nd-tier professionals, and up-and-coming students into participation (if there is motivation for them to become interested), rather than being a mechanism for college teachers to add activities, chairmanships, and titles to their tenure-justifying resumes.
- Work with publishers to put sound-clips (maybe 15 seconds to 1 minute per movement) of many works from the solo literature on the ITEA site, so that folks could get ideas about which solo works might interest them, prior to purchasing. (Recording these clips could become "feathers in the caps" of advancing students, or perhaps gracious jestures (or of some promotional value) to college teachers and professional performers.
- Pull in some HONEST evaluations of various makes and models of instruments by highly-esteemed (and several reviews per instrument model for balance) NON-OWNERS of models. THIS, rather than the "politiking" that typically exists by sellers and current owners of new and used instruments (ie. "perfect intonation", "gorgeous sound throughout all registers", etc).
- Offer truly prestigious competitions that offer serious prize money for top performances. Charging serious entry fees and raising membership fees would make this possible. The purpose of this would be to continue to "raise the bar" of the level of tuba performance...which to me seems to be at about the same place it has been since I began to play. HOW MANY top players today honestly play AS WELL AS Roger Bobo played during his solo career?... none? two? five?...and how many students play about the same as they did thirty years ago? Why is this??? Instruments are now far easier to play...Folks have much more leisure time and money...??? (Please do not take personal offense here. Just go practice.)
- Set up ITEC's with an ADDITIONAL room BESIDES the (instrument vendors') "Elephant Room" for college, university, and conservatory tuba instructors to interview - and be interviewed - by interested and prospective students. If a teacher doesn't feel the need to show up and sit behind a table - well, perhaps they're already doing their job by teaching a full, top-level studio! Incidentally, these college teachers should have their TUBAS with them and be prepared to PLAY FOR and OFFER MINI-LESSONS TO prospective students. Thus, this would become "Elephant Room II", and the number of "master classes" offered at an ITEC could be multiplied A HUNDRED FOLD!...and WITHOUT ADDITIONAL EXPENSE.
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Basically, I realize the necessity for the endless Kalison/St. Pete/Hirsbrunner/etc. ads in the Journal, but the overexposure to certain universities and retired professional player/teachers makes the ITEA Journal appear to be a dusty version of editions from the 1980's. Further, the under-utilization of the internet by the ITEA can be compared to the horse-and-buggy vs. air travel.
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I'm quite sure that others have far better ideas than my brainstorming that could pinpoint the obvious need for ITEA's improvement and expansion.