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 Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 10:18 am
So my younger cousin, soon to be a junior, loves band. As my brother and I were both drum majors and music majors, he was inspired by our example. He tried out for drum major this year at his high school. He was the only one who tried out for the junior drum major position, but the band director refused to give it to him. He claims my cousin is too immature to be a drum major. As I've never seen him in class, I can't deny that, but for one, no director should tell a high school boy he can't have the position because he's too immature. I talked to him before tryouts, helping him with conducting. He told me "I felt I could either suck up to the director or be friends with the band members. I chose to get along with the band". I think his reasoning is good, although I don't know the effects.
So what I'm asking is, do you think it's fair for a director to refuse a position to someone who earns it? Is it ok to tell a kid, who is a teenager and likely to be experiencing enough self-esteem problems on their own, that they are too immature? If you were a director or if you were the kid, what do you think? Does my cousin deserve to be drum major and his director's a moron, or does the director really have the right to refuse a kid based on how much he likes them? My opinion's clear, I think. Anyone willing to try out, to put in the time and effort, should get the position. While the director can refuse someone based on conducting, teaching ability, and behavior, I don't think my cousin is someone who would be such a terrible drum major that he must be kept from it.
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Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 6:27 pm
I think that your cousin was wrong in saying he could only get along with the band director and the band. I do both just fine, and I made captain of my colorguard as a junior this year.
I also think your director was right to not give it to him if he was too imature, because I've seen imature leadership at it's worst. Last year we had a trumpet section leader - not even in a major position like drum major - who acted like a middle schooler and pretty much had the same attitude that your cousin seems to have. He brought our WHOLE band down. He divided attitudes towards the rest of leadership and our band director and created dissent and bad attitudes. Anyone who wanted to get away with something felt that they could because obviously it was alright to do whatever you wanted and act like a complete moron.
If he just didn't give it to him because he didn't like him I think that is wrong. But you've already kind of admitted that your cousin likes to screw around, and if the director puts him in that kind of leadership position then it gives a message to the whole band that they can become lax in their actions/attitudes.
But maybe I just see it this way because I've seen it happen before. Does what I said make sense though?
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Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 7:24 pm
I definitely think a director has the right to not give someone a position if he/she is too immature. IF your cousin does act immature, then I can understand why the director would refuse him the position. Being a drum major, even a junior drum major, is a HUGE responsibility. Like Evening_Dawn said, giving a position to someone who isn't mature enough to handle it is only going to hurt the band in the long run.
It's clear that your cousin worked hard to practice for his tryouts, and getting along with the band members is definitely important. HOWEVER, things like personality and maturity also come into play when making a decision. Of course, maturity is also very subjective, and while you may think your cousin is quite mature, his director may see it a different way, and ultimately (and sometimes unfortunately) the director is the one who makes the decisions.
So is it fair? No, not necessarily. But is the decision as to what is best for the band completely up to the director? Pretty much, yeah. The director isn't going to see every little thing that someone does, and you director may have a very different view of your cousin than you do. While that probably seems unfair, it's also life.
If your cousin really wants to prove his maturity, have him talk to his director about things he can do to show he is ready for the position of drum major, and have him try again next year. He'll probably be a better drum major because of it. :]
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