Freshman and Orchestra Discrimination

October 22, 2010 at 4:36 PM

At my high school, my orchestra teachers lead us to believe we are all the same. We do not do seating auditions. I am a freshman in high school this year, but this started causing me problems last year.

Many of my peers are lead to believe that we all have the same playing abilities, although there is clearly a difference. I will not lie, I am one of a few people that are clearly stronger than the rest - and I don't expect to be treated any differently because of it - but I expect that I am recognized for my abilities in the sense that I am not placed in the back row because nobody else can play, and they're trying to make up for it. We don't have principal seats, and we don't have playing tests to determine them. I feel this is a major mistake.

I feel like my peers have no reason to try harder - no point of embarrassment to avoid by being last chair for a section. No reason to work harder to move up and improve. No. My school would rather "avoid the competition." Now, I'm not going to lie, it seems like a good idea, but it's not. It creates even more problems.

For example - last year, I was selected to play the solo for our state orchestra competition (ISSMA). But nobody thought it was fair for me to play it since they didn't have a playing test to determine it. Which is true, I don't blame them, but it wasn't my choice not to do that. I was just told I would be playing the solo. But for the next two weeks after that, as far as my "friends" in orchestra went, I was all they could talk about. Apparently I was a know it all and I thought I was better than everyone else and stuck up... When in reality, I'm very quiet and I keep to myself and I'm not any of those things. People who didn't really even know me were judging me. "Friends" were turning against me. I'll be honest, I listen to people around me. Those who were complaining, couldn't even play the solo. But because we have never had seating auditions, nobody knows where they stand. We honestly aren't all equal.

But for me, for someone who can play anything handed to me (as far as this orchestra's level goes) there isn't an in-school alternative for me. They won't bump me up to symphonic, although I clearly play at that level. I can't play in the elite large chamber music ensemble. I can't do pit for the fall/spring plays. All because I am "only a freshman" and "adjusting to the school" therefore "I can't handle it right now."

Outside of school, I am a first violin with the juniors and seniors in my county's Youth Honor's Orchestra. I am in danger of being put into second with the rest of my friends because "I'm a freshman" so I should be with them, even though I can clearly play the music, and I can play it well. Why?

My rant is over.

From Tommy Atkinson
Posted on October 23, 2010 at 6:52 PM

As a (private studio) music teacher, I can certainly empathize with you. I certainly have had experience with students who are reaching a higher standard of playing and don't feel like they are recognized for their hard work in school orchestra.

First, it's extremely important to remember that seating in a school orchestra is not necessarily entirely based on ability. It's based on experience (maybe call it seniority), leadership potential, and ability. A public school orchestra director is certainly a job I don't envy. There are so many factors to consider in seating assignments and so many feelings you don't want to hurt. Plus you want to make sure everyone is in a position where they can learn really well! There are a myriad of ways in which directors do seating/ensemble assignments and they all have individual pros and cons.

I remember well being a freshman in high school and doing playing tests for seating, and talking to my teacher about how it would be cool to mix things up: not just put the best players in the front, but to put complimentary sets of players together. For example, someone with awesome rhythm next to someone with awesome intonation, or a freshman next to a senior, or a player who has had private lessons next to someone who has only had instruction in school. We ended up doing that for part of the year, and we ended up having a fun and productive orchestra session.

Just remember that your job as a violinist in an orchestra is to play the absolute best you can. Super accurate in pitch, appropriate articulation, strong yet blending sound, and absolute rhythmic integrity. All of these are much harder to accomplish the farther you get from the front of the section, so sitting in the back is actually quite a fun challenge to play your best. Also, second violin is a different beast to tame in itself. It's usually much harder to make a second violin part sound really good.

From Christina C.
Posted on October 25, 2010 at 2:39 PM

I think the ideal seating arrangement is to have the strongest players at the front stand (or 2 stands) and then as the outside players at the other stands. Having your strong players distributed throughout the section rather than clumped at the front also gives the weaker players something to latch on to & their level of play can improve as well. It's also harder to play at the back of the section, it takes a stronger player to do it well and the section as a whole will be better for it .. but it's a thankless job.

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Freshman and Orchestra Discrimination

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