| Both sides of an adjudication can be tough. You want the student to get a feel for the "real" world of music and how they have to strive to be perfect, but dont want them so frustrated that they give up. I try to make sure my students know they are growing, and with growing comes good and bad. If they are doing the festival it means they care about how they sound and how they can improve. They should welcome constructive ideas from an expert.
With that being said, the teenage ego is fragile. I think Solo and Ens. festivals should be restructured so the judge can spend more time with the students, really help them out and then be able to truely look for exceptional students. Not just judge them on a 6 minute solo they may have rehearsed for 4 years. I also would like to see some pre-festival workshops at more schools, to get the students ready. And even easier, we need to listen to our kids play more often. I am presently doing auditions with all of my students. approx 160 kids. I am taking the time during class to listen to them in a connected storage room. They are nervous and whining, but they will be abel to audition better than the other kids on the county. This inturn makes them better musicians, which makes the band better. If more of us teachers took the time to prepare students for real world situations, they wold do better in these events.
I have judged these events as well. I feel the county event is alot different than the state. We are looking for potential at the county level, at the state level we are looking for the performance quality. As a judge all you can do is call it like to see it. Dont treat anyone differently than you would want to be treated after your performance, and try to keep these kids interested. Music is tough enough without more obstacles.
Sorry for the rant. |