My cooperating teacher said "This is the worst day of the year," after she posted the lists for both male and female audition after school ensembles. "You will see sniffles and tears, and I am going to get far too many phone calls from parents, never mind from guidance counselors and my supervisor." That day alone I saw at least five very disappointed female singers, but the next day was worse. The day after the results were posted my cooperating teacher was approached by two guidance counselors and her supervisor who had all gotten phone calls from parents complaining about the results, however one case in particular stood out in my mind.
Sarah, a 6th grade choir member felt that singing was her true passion and talent, and even sings in the prestigious Princeton Girl Choir. However, during her audition, although Sarah sang well and in tune her vocal production was not as strong as some of the girls who had auditioned. Since the ensemble was to be capped at 40 girls, Sarah did not make the cut. "As a sixth grader she has two more years to make the group, she has a lovely voice it just has some growing to do," Ms. Fernandez (my coop) explained to her mother on the phone. However it did not stop there, this parent made multiple phone calls to the fine and performing arts supervisor "appalled" that her child did not make the after school group, since "everyone" believes her daughter has such talent. Ms. Fernandez fought back and forth with the idea of just telling a little fib and allowing Sarah to be involved in the group to avoid the drama that was occuring, but instead she stood strong. However at the first rehearsal none of the girls who are involved in Princeton Girl Choir who made the after school group did not show up. Was this a coincidence or was this a parent trying to pull strings?
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Wow, ok let me first start by saying that the Princeton Girls Choir sounds like a pack of wolves. Well, at least the mothers do. Here's the thing, being in a outside ensemble does make you a better musicain, but it does not automatically make you better than everyone else. I have seen over my years of being IN community auditioned ensembles, that the people that get into the group are those that can pay the bill, buy the uniform, be at every rehearsal and has a mom who wants to bake cookies for the fundraiser. Needless to say there is WAY too much political strife caused by and with in these groups. The fact that the other girls did not show up is probably not a coincidence, but that the strom will blow over.
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