Music Recital

I went to the step son's musical recital last night.  I'm appalled at the state of musical education.  Maybe it's because I grow up in a different time, but man, I felt bad for those kids because their experience with band/strings/choir was nothing like mine.

Time to make comparisons (which I'll stick mostly to band because I played the clarinet)!

These poor kids had to stand.  We had arranged chairs in a semi-circle shape fanning out around the conductor and everyone had matching stands for their music.  This was a discombobulated mess where after the strings performed, the kids ran up to the stage got their instruments and set up their spots.  What?!?!  We did this all behind the curtain or had our instruments ready at our seats.  We also had chairs to rank us in terms of how well we played.  I doubt these kids had that.

Their songs lasted 30 seconds at most.  I'm sorry, but Hot Cross Buns should not be performed at a recital.  It's for learning.  Maybe I'm a snob, but my recitals, we played 3 to four songs that consisted of pages of sheet music.  I was a little disappointed.

The whole thing was a little unorganized.  The transitions from strings to band to choir where disgraceful.  The kids just mad rushed the stage and ran off the stage when they were done.  Back in the day, we all had assigned positions the day before and we arrived to the event early so that we sat in order in the audience.  Then we walked in single file up the stage for choir or onto the stage from backstage.  We looked semi professional.  How else would you instill in children that performance is something to take seriously if you just let them run around like little monkeys?!?

Ok, I'm done ranting about an elementary school music recital.

I'm definitely earning my way to hell today.