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I'm section leader of our horn section at school, and to be rudely honest, our section is immature and unprofessional. Today for example, we're playing Mars in orchestra, there are 6 horn parts, we have 4 horns (we're planning on filling the extra parts later) our director assigns the parts, but the other 3 girls decide that they don't want those parts and that they're more qualified to choose the parts they play instead of the director. I tell them to just stick with the assigned parts then talk to the director after rehearsal if there are still problems. Obviously they don't. When the director asks why they aren't on the parts he told them to play, one of the girls said (with attitude) "well, we discussed it amongst ourselves and we've decided we want these parts." It was seriously embarrassing! If they would have said that to a conductor in a professional orchestra, they would have been fired! It used to be just one girl was rude, and we just ignored her. Well her crazieness has spread to the underclassman who look up to her because she's a senior (but not principal). They won't listen to me because "I'm no fun" I don't want to fight them anymore because there was a huggge load of drama with our old section leader last year who did fight her. And fighting her didn't fix anything, it just made the problem worse. Its terrible. Whenever I suggest something (nicely) to fix or do musically they HAVE to state their opinion on how I'M wrong and they're right (its mostly the one girl). And yes not to be full of it, I am much more qualified to make musical decisions than the other 3 (I don't point that out though because they should listen to me anyways because I'm principal and they're not). All they do is joke and fool around in rehearsal and to be honest I'm sick of it! after rehearsal today I apologized to the director for them not listening to him! The worst part is that this director is a sub who is NEW! Its not even our normal director who expects to put up with this junk! Every day one of the girls complains about how horrible our director is and how he has no clue what he is doing. Believe it or not, he DOES know what he's doing and she just can't count!

Its pathetic that the difference between a school orchestra and a youth orchestra is the sense of professionalism amongst the players.

any advice?

This is basically whats going on in my band as well. I'm section elader over a bunch of crappy clarient players(I hate to say it, but its ridiculous how horrible they are, despite my constant attempts to help them and they never practice). The only two other decent players are both out to make my life miserable. Both tried otu for sectionlader last year, i beat them both. Yet for some reason they think they are more qualified to play first parts and that they get to decide what part everyone is on. Yet, they can't always play the first parts, and when I try to tell them how to cont something, they act like I'm an idiot, when I know perfectly well what I'm doing.

Rude sectionmates is definately annoying. My suggestion is to talk to your director, even the neew sub, and explain that you told them to stay on their parts and they didnt lsiten and see if the new sub can help you in any way, or vice versa. Orther then that, ignore them and what I like to call(and many others) kill them with kindness. I can usually get the two other claris to leave me alone if i smile and shrug. Do stuff to make them feel bad, liek bring candy to rehearsal or soemthing. If they are anything close to human beings, they might eventually feel guilty.

Uuugh I know exactly how you feel!
I'm the first chair clarinet and my section is HORRIBLE.
My section consists of 3 seniors (including me), 2 juniors, and 1 sophomore.
The sophomore doesn't know notes. Or how to read music.
Both the juniors are worse than the sophomore.
And one of the seniors is just.. there just aren't even words for her.
Second chair clarinet is fine, no complaints haha.
BUT ANYWAY, these girls are constantly deciding what they want to do for themselves.. like the senior that sucks is always secretly trying to play first part.
And sometimes I'll try to help them with a note or rhythm or something and they will FREAK OUT and talk crap about me behind my back, calling me a b***h and everything.
I feel like I'm pretty qualified to help them.
I was in all-state band, 4th clarinet in the West Virginia honor band, first chair at every other honor band I've been to, and have private lessons from a clarinet professor from a very good college.
Oh, AND I'm their freakin' drum major. HIGHER RANK BROS, listen to me! scream
BUT NO. I'm stupid. I know nothing about music.

lol. I'm sorry, this totally turned into a personal rant!

In all honesty though, I have no idea how to control sections like ours.
I've talked to my director, or sections, other BANDS and I've got nothing.

It's a lost cause.

I know this may make the problem worse have you told them that what they are doing is dumb and to just stay on the parts they were given because the person that has the COLLEGE DEGREE probably knows alot more than they do. If you do tell them this be sure to exaggerate college degree

We don't really have parts given to us I sorta wish we did because some of our sections need at least one good 2nd part... our flutes

I was section leader in high school, and I wish I handled things differently than I did then. Here are a couple of suggestions that may or may not help the situation.

Try talking to the older girl on a one-on-one basis, with no one else around. Explain to her what you just explained to us, and ask for her to help you by backing you up rather than overriding your authority. Point out that, though she might be graduating soon, her actions tell the underclassmen that it's ok to disregard the section leader. Which it's not. And that makes more problems for you - or whoever else might be section leader - in future school years. If that doesn't work, bring one or two other people (preferably people she respects) and sit down together with her and talk to her again. These other people should serve as witness to what you're saying, and might actually help her see that she's causing problems. If the problem still persists, bring it to the director and have him discipline her. He should be willing to help when he hears that you've been trying to fix the issue on your own.

As for the rest of the section, perhaps doing the same with them? You could also see if the director would be willing to let them come up to the front and hear the sound from his perspective. Directors hear things differently than the rest of the group, and he puts people on different parts to make the overall sound better. Perhaps hearing the sound from the podium might help them see the big picture. Also try explaining that we all have strengths and weaknesses - the director is putting them on these parts because they play to their strengths, which helps the group overall.

I guess one of the biggest problems is that we're a section of girls. It gets SUPER catty!