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<p>And what do you think the difference is between kids who “can afford” private instrumental lessons and those that can afford to play on expensive community sports teams as they are growing up, and thus are more well trained and experienced by the time they reach high school…thus, getting the spots on the “team” that other kids cannot aspire to?</p>
<p>Or kids who can “afford” tutoring and so get better grades/earn spots in better colleges? </p>
<p>Should we eliminate grades all together?? Won’t grades be “insensitive” to those kids who don’t earn the highest marks because their parents could not afford to spend either the time to help them or the money to pay a tutor???</p>
<p>Sorry, I just think we will be well on the way to universal mediocrity if we continue traveling down that path in ANY area of endeavor. Competition does promote growth and strength. Of course this competition should be encouraged in a productive and healthy manner by the instructor… Using common sense and sensitivity.</p>
<p>I’m with churchmusicmom regarding music competition. My son is not the best with the instruments he plays because he does not consistently practice. Practice can overcome private lessons anytime. My son (8th grade) told me that the way seats are determined for the 7th-8th grade band is by the students themselves. They just pick whatever chair they want and play it. Solo’s are by audition as is jazz band.</p>
<p>In high school, the band director assigns the seats by grade at the beginning of the school year and then reorganizes by ability. In marching band brave students can elect to have a play off to challenge for a higher seating.</p>
<p>Many parents can afford private lessons but choose not to because their kids are not serious about their instruments and do band as a social activity and may have a natural ability that allows them to keep up without much effort but not excel.</p>
<p>Marian, this leads to a very interesting hierarchy. Should we only offer the concertmaster spot to poor kids with no private lessons? How about rich kids with parent who don’t support music instruction? Should the teacher be sensitive to the tonedeaf kid because the kid with perfect pitch has such a huge advantage? Maybe ban school orchestra spots to kids of professional musicians…unfair advantage again. Or give a boost to the unfortunate kids whose only musical exposure was Brittany Spears and FM radio. A huge disadvantage, after all.</p>