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Introduction and Comments

Hello.

My name is Donna Lafferty, and I've been "lurking" on the mailing list
since I got my new computer at Christmas.  All this talk about whether
women should be included in banding has forced me to come out and
declare my existence.  I feel that if you don't take a stand against
discrimination (in any form) you are, by default, in tacit support of
it.  I wouldn't dream of letting someone make racist remarks in my
presence, and I am certainly not going to let this anti-woman thing get
by without comment. 

First, some background. I've played in the Bloomington Brass Band since
1994. When I started, I'd had a seven-year layoff from playing, so I
wasn't very good. The band director (Alan Olson) was very patient with
me, and I gradually worked myself into being a pretty decent player.
I've been on first chair for three years, and really look forward to the
solos and tricky parts I'm given. Our director has recently purchased
about a dozen new pieces, mostly original things by Jan Van der Roost,
Jan de Haas and James Curnow. For us, they are exciting and challenging,
and I think will bring our band to a new, higher level of playing. 

Playing in this Band is the best thing I've ever done, and our Thursday
evening rehearsals are the high point of my week. I try to get in two
hours' practice on my own time each day, and have been taking lessons
with one of the trombone professors at our local university.  My goal is
to sound beautiful, and every chance I get to play leads me closer to
that ideal.  In other words, I am trying very hard to be a real asset to
the Band.  I feel I owe them everything=85

My thoughts about this anti-woman debate can be summed up in three
paragraphs: 

Isn't it na=EFve to assume that men are the only ones who can contribute
to an organization? I could understand the reluctance to include women
if playing music required some specific attribute that men possess
exclusively. So let's see=85what do men have that women don't? Really, I
can think of only one thing. And how many of you guys actually use THAT
to play your horns? (I'd pay good money to see it!)

Do you think it's fair, given the amount of pleasure most musicians
derive from the activity, to summarily dismiss anyone from
participation? If a person has the passion, talent, and desire to play,
they will be an asset to the organization, and should be given every
opportunity to contribute. Life is short-why waste your time denying
other human beings the right to be happy in what they do? 

When you automatically disqualify 50% (or more) of the population, your
organization misses out on the opportunity to benefit from their
talents. Do you think that the only musical geniuses out there are men?
Isn't it remotely possible that the next Mozart is named Janice or Dora?
And if you really care about the long-term health of your band, don't
you owe it to that group to take advantage of every opportunity to
improve it? 

Well, I've rattled on long enough. Although some of your debates can get
irritating, I intend to continue listening in as you discuss mouthpiece
pressure, contesting venues and local pubs. Most of it is Greek to me
(being from the States), but it's fun and may help me understand banding
a bit more. 

Thanks for listening. 

Donna Lafferty
1st Trombone
Bloomington Brass Band
Bloomington, Indiana (USA)


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