Mostly ranting…

Of course, when I decide that I want to practice more, that’s when things get busy! I have rehearsal nearly every day for the woodwind quintet that I am in at work because we’re going on the road to South Carolina in a couple weeks to play a concert with the brass quintet.  We are doing a short program of our own and then we’re doing a double quintet piece with the BQ.  In addition, we’ve been starting up wind ensemble rehearsals again and I’ve taken on a new collateral duty at work that’s taking up a lot of time.  I have hardly started thinking about studying for my advancement exam in March!  Phew…trying to find four hours a day to practice is difficult (at least if my husband wants to see me…).  Oh yeah, and I have private students outside of all my Navy stuff to get to also!

Despite the craziness, I’m glad that my day is filling up with music-related things.  I remember a short time ago (reference any of my posts before May 2011) when my days were filled with non-music related things.  Its nice to busy in this way again!

And now…

*start rant*

I am having some difficulties at work…one member of our WWQ is really not pulling her weight musically (and by “not really”, I mean not at all) .  It is frustrating to be sitting in rehearsal and feel like I’m playing music with a middle school student.  Its frustrating that this person has been a Navy musician for a long time and should be an inspiration to the lower ranks, but instead can hardly play her instrument (I’m not even exaggerating…I wish I was).  Its frustrating that nobody seems to be doing anything about it, or nobody CAN do anything about it.  Its insulting to me that I put in so much work into my playing and this person can just come in and shit on everything and not seem to care how horrible it sounds.  And this person gets paid much more than me, which really pisses me off.  I just don’t understand how a person can be considered “professional musician” (because that’s what we are, technically) and not be able to play your instrument at all –  and have that be OK.  I JUST DON’T GET IT.  In the civilian sector, this person would have been fired a long time ago.  Even in the premiere military ensembles, this person would have been required to re-audition or choose a new job in their military branch by now.  I really believe this person needs to re-audition for our program, or at the very least be required to take lessons.  The most crazy part is that if this person was of lower rank, that probably would have happened already.  The fact that this person is higher in rank is giving them some protection, in my opinion, and it is ridiculous.

*end rant*