选择
If everything was up to the players, what's the role of the tutors and conductor?
I must make it clear that I do agree that the conductor should be the one planning the repertoire. If it so happens that the repertoire is not favourable to the player's taste, then it's just too bad I guess. So if Domy chooses to do Handel/Vivaldi/Warlock pieces, then so be it. I guess the player can then choose whether to be a part of the performance or not, or even quit for that matter.
Just like the issue on concert attire. Shuhann commented that the male attire should evolve together with the female attire. Currently, the females have gone all black, blouse and pants, or skirt and all, which perhaps is the attire we should adopt for the annual concert as well. Some females are flauting concert attire rules, e.g. Huifen, wearing short skirt to perform on stage and causing a clash in level of formality between the male and female outfit. Ya, perhaps the males could just put on a light colour long-sleeve shirt and black pants, and that'll do. When asked to bring this issue up to the committee, Shuhann again commented it's the player's choice.
Genus will have a hard time going far if the leaders do not take on a pro-active stride towards matters.
5 comments:
I think u're missing the point here, Owls... The fact is, ARE the players in Genus themselves happy with the state of things? For all we know, the large majority of Genus undergraduates are IN FAVOUR of :
1) playing Handel/Vivaldi/Warlock, or whatever Dominic suggests
2) wearing silly (IMHO) bow-ties and frills-laden white shirts on stage for performance
The opinions that you and I have do not matter much, as ultimately I do not even play in the ensemble, and you are but 1 member in a large cohort(and an Alumni at all).
As we have discussed and agreed recently, Genus has come a long way, and members have since "evolved" to become less conforming and blindly unquestioning. Long gone are the days of "members call in shivering tones to ask permission of SLs whether they can skip a sectional practice".
If that is the case, i assume this new generation should be able to stand up for what they want, true? And if they are keeping quiet, then the reasonable assumption then is they are happy with the way things are. I am not going to impose my opinions and decisions on them (whether as a Alumni or Tutor).
Perhaps now too rush for this year's R&R for a costume review.
A possible time is to bring this issue up during the AGM, and let the incoming comm mull over this idea for the future.
The students are probably too preoccupied with R&R, GENUS admin and their school work to consider such "revolution" stuff.
OG
Hee. Both of you have valid points, but can I just add that perhaps the tutors are in a better position to question our dear conductor about his choice of repertoire...
-moo?-
To move things, usual repetoire choice left to conductor's autonomy. This thinking has been ingrained/assumed in most us as Mr. A has done a wonderful job of balancing the music genres previously.
Current conductor is obsessed with pre-Jurassic renanissance pcs. (i shudder at the prospect of my Kuja overkilling me at R&R half time....) Perhaps it's time to relook at tutor's role to be more proactive.
As Moo said, SH & Raj are more suited (than comm or players) based on ability and ensemble experience.
OG
The thing is, the Conductor has been brought in by CFA to do a "revamp" of Genus. Thus, he should and must have the say in the music he wants the Ensemble to play.
Now, if things dont turn out well, ie. he mess things up by doing too many "boring" = classical / renaissance/ baroque pieces, which in turn leads to:
1) many ensemble members quit in despair and defiance
2) audience give up and we play to an empty house on concert day
Then, we have a valid ground to either confront him to change his ways, or take the more drastic move of approaching CFA directly for him to be replaced.
But clearly, none of that has happened (yet). My stand (and Raj's as well) is that we will continue to let the conductor run his show. We may not always agree with his choice of repertoire or his way of conducting the rehearsals. But we do see his merits and the value he has brought to the ensemble.
God knows i agree many a times with so many of the Alumni ppl, and we get frustrated with things.. but that could be just us. Like i said in the previous post, we may only be a minority of discontented voices, whereas the bulk of ensemble undergrads are perfectly ok with the way things are. Why rock the boat just becos a few of us are unhappy about our seats not being comfortable enuff?
I stand corrected here. If someone can tell me the discontent is ensemble-wide...
Post a Comment