rowuk

Iain,
you probably are better qualified than many other teachers because you have played for a living and know that theory does not get you a gig, or give you what it takes to keep it!

By the time someone has made a decision to major in trumpet performance, a sound routine should have been in place. Anything less means that whoever has previously just been taking the money and has not delivered the prerequisite tools for stable performance. This is sick and serious!

You are there not as a club robinson animateur, rather as the teacher. You are absolutely correct in trying to get some order into their playing. I believe that you also have the RIGHT to stop all of their additional playing activities until that solid foundation is there. This is not baby sitting, being a performance major is serious stuff - as serious as a doctor learning how to do surgery correctly! Just imagine if the medical profs were worried about hurting some poor students feelings - what results could be expected.

If these kids have gotten this far WITHOUT a structured approach, it needs to stop TODAY. You have a responsibility and they have a commitment.

I am sure that you will do the right thing!

P.S. before the critics get on my case, think about what education costs, think about the chances of success in being a professional musician, and then talk to the thousands that have a degree and didn't make it about why. To succeed you need to want to do whatever it takes more than anything else - otherwise you are just wasting everybodies time and money. We are talking about a performance MAJOR here. That course of study is a commitment to the art form and should NEVER be a choice because one is indecisive about the future. There are other degrees that better cover things like that............

__________________
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.