Texas Bandmasters Association
Bandmasters Review • September 2013
9
The Artistic Importance of
Cooperation in a Competitive World
We are a society that thrives
on
competition
. We
compete
in
school for grades, we
compete
in
our professional lives to achieve
positions and titles, and we
compete
in our daily life-patterns
for everything from a faster lane on
the freeway to a winning number
in the local lottery. We like to win,
to get ahead, and to maneuver
ourselves to a better vantage point.
Perhaps Darwin’s proposed theory
in his popular writing
Survival of
the Fittest
clearly evidences our
competitive spirit—our ongoing,
ever-present, striving to get to the
front of the pack. It is powerful
motivational fuel for the human,
but like any energy force,
competition can be used in a
positive and/or negative fashion.
The athletic community has very
successfully embraced
competition
as a traditional outgrowth of the
physical education curriculum.
Football games, basketball
tournaments, track and field meets,
etc., have become mainstays of
every institution. School themes are
built around a string of victories or
a state championship; the winning
team often becomes the flagship
of community pride. Though it
is a gross generalization, we see
winning
as good and
not-winning
as
not-so-good.
Observing the enthusiasm
generated by
competition
, other
disciplines have quickly jumped
on the bandwagon. Our schools
now have science
fairs, 4-H shows,
debate clubs, essay
contests, andmusic
festivals that recog-
nize the achieve-
ments of an array
of talents ranging
from a flute solo
to a 400-piece
marching band.
All of these
organized
compet-
itive forums
have
created much
excitement; how-
ever we must be
clearly aware there
can be a downside
to the
win-at-all-
costs
attitude. As
responsible teachers the cautionary
responsibility rests directly on
our shoulders. Take heed, for the
instant gratification of first place
can become a haunting detriment
when it alone is the only measure
of accomplishment.
When we ask students to “go
the extra mile” by committing their
valuable time to the art of making
music, we must focus on the
intrinsic benefits
they will gain as
a result of their investment, rather
than the
extrinsic rewards
that come
as a by-product of their dedication.
If “getting first
place” is more
important than the
joy of an inspired
performance (re-
gardless of the
outcome of the
adjudication), then
it is time to do
some philosophical
re-prioritizing. Is
the goal to add
more trophies-
of -achievement
to the shelves
in the rehearsal
room or is the
goal to stretch the
students to a new
level of artistic
communication?
The musical growth of the
student(s) must stand as the top
priority in every instance.
Over the years the ongoing
debate about the value of
competition (in our musical world)
has caused many music educators
to avoid any aspect of adjudication/
evaluation. Much like the ostrich
with its head in the sand this may
be an over-reaction or escape; it
Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser
If everything. . .
is couched
in a competitive
framework, the need
to overtake the
fel low musician takes
precedence over the
personal growth and
development gained
by a sol id practice
program of healthy
self-discipl ine.
. . .we might be better
served if we rewarded
and recognized their
success-habits/
patterns.