| Violadad:
I did talk to the head last year (the position has since shifted to someone else, however) about how I felt that students weren't given enough input into the decision. I didn't get very far. A thing to note here, is that the former teacher was not in a permanent position. She had been part time adjunct for several years, and full time interim last year. She was also an alum of the school. Given the way that things have worked in our music department in the past, in that they very often hire from within, it was a shock when she was not offered the full time tenure track position. She was told that she didn't do anything wrong, just that the selection committee (which did not make a unanimous decision in this case) decided to "go in a different direction." The most that I got out of my meeting last year was that they were looking to hire on a more national scale.
My new teacher did not directly cause me to drop my music major. I had a stressful first semester trying to combine two majors, (English and music) and ultimately decided that I saw myself ultimately aiming for a career in the English area rather than the music area. I definitely want to play after I graduate, maybe a little free-lancing, but nothing that would necessarily require a music degree. I wonder, however, had I still been working with my old teacher, if she would have been able to help me deal with some of the stress better. Purely speculation.
The person I met with is an Oboe instructor. My current clarinet professor is the only clarinet professor on campus.
As far as cosmos' suggestion of taking from two teachers, I don't see that it would work very well. I see it being very difficult to continuously work with two teachers, just as a matter of style and the possibility of contradiction. There is also the issue of cost. I know my parents wouldn't want to pay for two lessons. Thanks though! |