letter done
I finished writing my letter and sent it yesterday. I'm actually pretty proud of it, though it's a tad on the long side, like everything I do. I only hope that they don't take a look at it, think that "it's another one of THOSE letters from students" and throw it into the wrong pile of support. The posts I've seen lately from Emily and Sue make it sound as though the dean is reading most of these letters thoroughly, though.
In the end, I think our differences in opinion as former students of Crane and Lanz come from our interpretations of his ability to serve as a good role model/mentor to future music educators. On the positive note, Lanz has taught us how to be ourselves when on the stage and on the podium. Whether or not being ourselves actually works is one story in public school education, but in the adult setting, it shows confidence and pride in one's work. He seemed to form very close and trusting bonds with some students. He did what he could to try to please everyone with his orchestra rehearsal schedules.
On the negative note, I don't think many people can walk away from his rehearsals and say that they can apply any of his rehearsal technique, his attitude towards discipline, most of his lack of preparation to obligations that come with the job (we all know and can tell that he didn't like doing too many concerto winners and his preparation for what he didn't want to do was far less than the orchestral literature he did want to) and his "witty, yet lewd" commentaries to our own teaching. Though there are many things we have to do on our jobs and our kids may not like them either (too many concerti = boring semester in orchestra for ALL), we still have to do them and be as prepared with them as posssible. For example, if the director of music told me that at the next POPs concert, I'm conducting this really crappy arrangement of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" with the entire school districts' wind ensemble and choral students. Not my choice. It's too easy and not all that exciting for the kids. It's also a REALLY crappy arrangement (they actually did it last year). But I'd have to do it... and I have to be prepared with it.
And... I also still wonder if Lanz's highest levels of professional musicianship are high enough for Crane students to grow from.
But I think that summarizes the student dicotomy.
The professional divide may be something that no one of us knows about at all and we may not have any control over.
In the end, I think our differences in opinion as former students of Crane and Lanz come from our interpretations of his ability to serve as a good role model/mentor to future music educators. On the positive note, Lanz has taught us how to be ourselves when on the stage and on the podium. Whether or not being ourselves actually works is one story in public school education, but in the adult setting, it shows confidence and pride in one's work. He seemed to form very close and trusting bonds with some students. He did what he could to try to please everyone with his orchestra rehearsal schedules.
On the negative note, I don't think many people can walk away from his rehearsals and say that they can apply any of his rehearsal technique, his attitude towards discipline, most of his lack of preparation to obligations that come with the job (we all know and can tell that he didn't like doing too many concerto winners and his preparation for what he didn't want to do was far less than the orchestral literature he did want to) and his "witty, yet lewd" commentaries to our own teaching. Though there are many things we have to do on our jobs and our kids may not like them either (too many concerti = boring semester in orchestra for ALL), we still have to do them and be as prepared with them as posssible. For example, if the director of music told me that at the next POPs concert, I'm conducting this really crappy arrangement of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" with the entire school districts' wind ensemble and choral students. Not my choice. It's too easy and not all that exciting for the kids. It's also a REALLY crappy arrangement (they actually did it last year). But I'd have to do it... and I have to be prepared with it.
And... I also still wonder if Lanz's highest levels of professional musicianship are high enough for Crane students to grow from.
But I think that summarizes the student dicotomy.
The professional divide may be something that no one of us knows about at all and we may not have any control over.