[The Hair]

Okay, I need to vent somewhere so anyway...
I usually look forward to this time of the year, the spring musical gives me a bit of a challenge, plus it's fun, maybe even double a bit. So yeah, you'd never guess what we're doing...Disney's High School Musical. Besides the fact that we butchered the scenes quite a bit, theres 2, no, maybe 3 songs with wind instruments. It's scored for 2 keyboardists, 2 electric guitars, a bass, and drum set, and the wind instrument parts are trombone and trumpet. I heard about this and I was quite upset :evil: . Oh, and I had never seen the movie before until last week on the marching band trip, it really isn't that great as everyone makes it out to be. Why must they do this? I have a feeling that the band director (also the AP of music/foreign language/etc.) wanted to capitalize on the popularity of it and bring in some extra money...but that's just my thought.

 

[Hotspur]

Just to let you know our Drama teacher bought music off the internet then gave it to the band teacher to change it all over to synthezier parts so he wouldnt need anyone to play the music. The music sounded really bad when you heard all the parts played on synthezier.

 

[Martinman]

We did Little Women, and I just played the cello parts on bari.

 

[hakukani]

Disney sucks, and people just keep buying crap from them:x

 

[Carl H.]

We did Little Women, and I just played the cello parts on bari.

Why didn't you learn cello?

 

[Martinman]

Why didn't you learn cello?

Because I am pitchually challenged. It would take me forever to learn where exactly to put my fingers. Actually, I would like to learn violin or viola someday. If I am lucky I will inherit my Grandma's viola (but hopefully not for a while).

Plus, why would I turn down playing bari? It gave me an excuse to buy a new mouthpiece....

 

[Carl H.]

It gave me an excuse to buy a new mouthpiece....

VS a new cello?:twisted:

 

[Martinman]

VS a new cello?:twisted:

I can't afford a cello, unless you want to sell me one for less that $100. And then give me free lessons on how to play it.

 

[Guest]

Okay, I need to vent somewhere so anyway...
I usually look forward to this time of the year, the spring musical gives me a bit of a challenge, plus it's fun, maybe even double a bit. So yeah, you'd never guess what we're doing...Disney's High School Musical. Besides the fact that we butchered the scenes quite a bit, theres 2, no, maybe 3 songs with wind instruments. It's scored for 2 keyboardists, 2 electric guitars, a bass, and drum set, and the wind instrument parts are trombone and trumpet. I heard about this and I was quite upset :evil: . Oh, and I had never seen the movie before until last week on the marching band trip, it really isn't that great as everyone makes it out to be. Why must they do this? I have a feeling that the band director (also the AP of music/foreign language/etc.) wanted to capitalize on the popularity of it and bring in some extra money...but that's just my thought.

I too just sat through my daughter's high school production of that same POS . I just don't understand the choir directors choices, as this was a terrible piece of work.

What is with this current trend I've seen with these teachers trying out these marginal shows ? I've sat through some really bad material in the last 4 years , from 2 different schools and teachers.

Perhaps they know more about theater than the likes of Rogers and Hammerstein , Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter , George and Ira Gershwin, Marvin Hamlisch, Lerner and Loewe ... , what a bunch of hacks !!! Thank god for teachers that know more about theater than these stiffs !!! I'm sure glad my daughter wasn't exposed to these so called legends, and is free to be inspired by Disney's High School Musical and all the other glorious works I have had the pleasure of enduring !!!

Enough of the sarcasm ! I do believe introducing new material is important and goes a long way in keeping students interested. However, It shouldn't be at the expense of teaching them the rich history of theater that preceeded these trivial works. New shows may bring a few curious butts into the seats, but for the most part, the people attending these functions are family and friends who will attend regardless of the show.

I guess I needed to vent too ..., seems like Disneys High School Musical brings that out in folks !

 

[The Hair]

Just did the musical (if you can call it one) tonight. Not that many people came, probably the same amount as if we did another better musical. As you mentioned, Toobz, it was mostly just the friends and family of the actors.

I think the best part of the show was when the curtains got stuck and wouldn't close, the crowd was laughing so much.

 

[bluesaxgirl]

VS a new cello?:twisted:

What are you trying to do? Direct him to COTW? This is SOTW, Carl. (get it...Cello on the web? It was worth trying anyways....)

 

[Carl H.]

I think the best part of the show was when the curtains got stuck and wouldn't close, the crowd was laughing so much.

AAaaaahhh, the classics...

 

[Agemusic]

We just did HSM at the junior high school where I teach. I played the bass part on EWI. The rest of the pit was done as scored.

As a player I was at first very disapointed that the show did not have a good reed part I could sink my teeth into and use all my doubles. But as a teacher, I have to say that the show was a great success. I have done more than a few shows and this is the first one I can really see the kids "get". They are in on all the jokes, they understand the humor. Now I am not saying that Rogers & Hammerstein or Hart and the other masters of the form are out dated or educationally unsound. (In fact I still prefer those musicals.) But to see these kids get into the show the way they did was really something to behold.
Adam

 

[Hotspur]

Look we dont let the Chorus teacher do the plays we let the singers have the parts but the Drama teacher takes care of the plays he has pick some good ones. Just this past year he picked 1940 radio hour it went great we had a big band up there and everything. He's done the westside story and the Music Man and Fiddler on the roof. All really good.

 

[The Hair]

Well, the thing is...we uh...kinda don't have a drama teacher. I always found that funny how theres no drama class. We also don't have a string orchestra, just a guitar class, but I think we're getting one next year (woo I could learn violin, or double bass or something). Hopefully they've got new string instruments, considering the few we do have are missing strings, bows, and cracked. They don't even have a brand, it just says "A copy of a stratovarius".
Ok enough about strings we don't have.

 

[BobbyC]

I feel your pain Hair.

I love doing musicals because of the doubling challenge and the fact that most of the scores use insane time signatures and keys.

I get to play in the High School's orchestra during musicals even though I've been out of school for quite some time.

I was doing clarinet parts on soprano but recently starting learning clarinet and hopefully I will start flute soon.

We did Bye Bye Birdie this past April and it was a blast but didn't bring the crowds in.

Hopefully next year will bring a better show for you.

 

[The Hair]

Well, just an update on the situation...

This year, we're doing Pippin. Good musical and all, but problem being, no sax part.

Oh well, I guess I'll have to wait until I play on Broadway. XD

 

[sharp5]

Hair, I'm guessing your in high school?

I know it's called "High School Musical", but I always associated it with middle school, like 6th and 7th graders, liking it. My 8th graders would kill me if I passed something like that out in class.

On the flip side, stuff like that, if used well, can be very educational. It's a lot easier teaching syncopation to younger kids if it is something they know and like. There is a lot of stylistic playing and detail that can be taught through these pieces...if you make them do it.

 

[BarrySachs]

Boy, times have changed! When I was in 7th grade we did Oklahoma! I played oboe. We had a full orchestra. (almost full. No harp!)

In high school we did West Side Story. I played reed 4 (clarinet, oboe, tenor, baritone and bass clarinet). We had a full orchestra for that too, although one of the teachers was a ringer on Reed 1, and another teacher played bassoon. We also had a former student on lead trumpet. But that was over 20 years ago.

BTW, High School Musical is my daughter's favourite movie..........she's four!

 

[BarrySachs]

Well, just an update on the situation...

This year, we're doing Pippin. Good musical and all, but problem being, no sax part.

Oh well, I guess I'll have to wait until I play on Broadway. XD

Play a flute or clarinet chair. Or do what I did back in 7th grade. Lie, and say you play the oboe. Then teach yourself oboe, posthaste!:shock: