I know 3 guys who play the flute!

Came a across an article of sterotypes while looking up respiratory info. Interesting read.

Who Ever Heard of a Rebellious Trombone Player?
http://www.uky.edu/~moses/bdrp.fun/nyt.htm

A response to Kippsix.

1)I have no frustration because I have enough students who after experiencing my personality, professionalism and teaching situation are not concerned about impropriety. I don`t balme you for not trusting adult males, the stereotyping these days is way overboard as you can see from other posts on this thread. However, your choices for your children are respected here. Just remember that something improper could happen with an adult female as well as an adult male.

2)In all of my teaching situations, I have rooms where the doors don`t lock, there are windows in the doors and the student sits or stands closest to the door. Other people are nearby and the parents can check on their child at any point-without my expecting it I might add. Parents can also enter the room if they wish but since this is disturbing to my teaching and their childs learning, I discourage it with no chair for them and not much space. I do encourage parents to sit outside the room. Some do. Some go about their chores. While teaching music, leaving the door open isn`t a good idea because outside noises are distracting. In a music store with say- 8 working studios, it`s not called sound. It`s called cacophony.
The only major concession that I do is to not teach from my house or teach at any student`s house. There are several reasons for this but the possibility of a parent thinking that something wrong could happen is a big one on that list. To my mind teaching out of a house isn`t as professional and not as cost effective as a music store. Same goes for teaching out of a school. I just don`t do that.

2)There is basically no touching in my studios. I have been hugged by younger kids once or twice in 26 years. I thank them graciously and don`t hug back.

3)Situations are rare where something is emotionally disturbing to any children in my room. While teaching, I carefully monitor the childs disposition and if anything seems out of place, I consider adressing what is bothering them. I may address the issue with the parent if necessary as well. Sometimes this helps. As it gives a chance for the parent to talk to their child about anything. I don`t like wasting teaching time on non-music issues.

4)School regulation may not be a response to numerous problems so much as one law suit that a school system lost. They are covering their buts.

5)Music is best taught one-on one. Private teachers such as I are self-employed and therefore not as often complacent in our work ethics as other salaried employees can often become. We need to always keep pushing our careers to keep them pushing our business and can`t afford a scandal wich would cut us off from the music that we love. Although, I am a performer at heart, I do get a real charge out of raising a child from begnner through HS to become a decent Class-A level player. In some way, I become attached to my students as if they were my children. I get to see them grow up musically as well as people and can`t fathom anyone ruining their lives. Sometimes they tell me about their problems (glad I`m not a parent at those times) and joys(Wish I had kids at these times.) but at no point do I ever intercede in the parent`s wishes unless it hampers the childs musical learning.

Again, I will say that if any unpropriety is going to happen in music ed, it going to be from the band director -who most people `assume` is a more professional person. I have seen this happen but not any issues with private teachers. -not to try to stereotype band directors but I think I`ve heard of 3 or 4 instances in my area where the band director struck up an affair with a hs student and all were flute players.
Oh, wait. I have one guitar teacher who was accused of soliciting a 19 year old girl student (of legal age BTW). Turned out she solicited him and when he refused her advances, she told mama that he asked her jsut to get him in trouble. His response unfortunately was to quit teaching.
At this point, it`s a good idea to point out that parents owe it to thier kids to explain what is proper behavior between teachers/adults and students/children. Anything else should be reported.
~Bilbo

Bilbo - you are obviously very professional in your teaching techniques. You make some excellent points. I think any parent who has checked-out you and your style (which every parent should when considering any such arrangement) would find everything completely acceptable.

I tend to agree with the band teacher thing. I had a somewhat smarmy HS band teacher who always seemed to be a bit too touchy-feely for my preference, nothing that ever crossed the line; but I guess that doesn`t prove a trend or anything.

As far as the original question, I didn`t have male flute players in my HS, but did compete against males in state/regional competitions and Honor Bands. College, community bands, and groups in my adult years have had a scattering a male players. As far as their sexual preference, I don`t recall that being an issue or question at any point. In HS it was all about how cute/nice he was, (in addition to how well he played, which was the same with female players), beyond that I guess my assumption was the same as with any other aspect of my life: pretty much a non-issue. My experience has been of a complete inability to correctly classify someone`s sexual preference by such "standards". I know that I have made some assumptions that were totally incorrect, so I obviously don`t have the so-called "radar" that makes all of that a clear-cut call based on such things as the musical instrument they play!

I think that the problem with the radar -or g*aydar if you prefer is that it may not be accurate as you suggest and that it is really irrellevant to people unless that person is interested in a relationship with the suspected person or they feel like presecuting some random individual. Usually, I don`t "play" with the people that I play music with as I`m not really that promiscuous and won`t ever intend to break my wife/soul mate`s heart.
For the record, there are probably less males playing flute for any number of reasons described above and some of them may be g* a*y but why should it really matter unless one is looking for them for some odd reason. Frankly, I actually find more of a precentage of that type of orientation playing other instruments such as the piano or the church organ.

2)There is basically no touching in my studios. I have been hugged by younger kids once or twice in 26 years. I thank them graciously and don`t hug back.

My last teacher (a woman) was very very touchy feely. She was generally hands on in every sense of the word (and a brilliant and highly regarded teacher). While I nevre minded her grabbing my arms or prodding me in the stomach to demonstrate exactly which muscles I was supposed to be using, I can`t say I`d have felt the same if it was a male teacher. Maybe it`s because I was a 17 year old girl at the time. It is a shame that male teachers in particular don`t feel they can interact in that way with any pupil (not just female)

It`s a sign of the times Mrs. Carbby.

No touching allowed unless you are related and then it may be suspect. It`s sad for the kids who can use all the love that they can get. So they get the ocasional nice verbal compliments but only when they deserve them and at most a hi-5. Definitely no muscle poking though.

~Bilbo

Mrs Carby.. I like that!

My flute teacher did a lot of muscle poking. She also ran around the room a lot to demonstrate the direction of phrases. I`m starting to think she may just have been hyperactive

My first piano teacher suggested a list of personal "favors" as penalties for messing up during a recital. He was dumb enough to put it in writing, so I grabbed it and left. My dad called him and threatened his life, we gave the list to the police and it was all uphill from there.

Regarding the issue of one`s sex and preference of musical instrument; just because we haven`t identified a genetic factor doesn`t mean there isn`t one, but again, who cares? Play what you like. To heck with other people. Regarding the issue of sexual discrimination: I`m just not sure it`s as prevalent as some people seem to think. Granted, maybe I move in different circles. The crowd I hang with is pretty blue-collar and pretty... well, let`s just say "rough", and even there unfounded discrimination tends to be the exception rather than the norm. There`s the sitcom-like stereotype of a bunch of guys in shirts with their names on the pockets, sitting around smoking, drinking and cracking chick and f*g jokes, but I don`t see it and that`s pretty much my crowd. I have to believe that if sex discrimination isn`t prevelant in a demographic where it`s commonly expected to be, it`s even less a factor in the artistic community. I`m not saying it doesn`t exist, but I really believe some people just look to be discriminated against because they cultivate the image of righteous indignation. I think the attitude those people often encounter that they interpret as discrimination is really just annoyance at their "militantism" (it`s a word now). If I were to constantly go around with an attitude like "Yeah, I`m a fluter and I`m a guy. Want to make something of it?!", or even just waiting with claws bared to misinterpret someone else`s comments, I`m the one perpetuating a stereotype.

Again, I`m not saying it doesn`t exist, but sometimes we cause our own problems by expecting them to happen.

My brother plays the flute. In my band there are 3 guys who play the flute. Last year one guy played piccilo and flute. Guys and girls can play any instrument, there are no girl or guy instruments. Sorry but that bothers me, I get guys coming up to me saying "What would be a good instrument in band for a guy." It bothers me greatly.

I cant belive what yall are saying! Hi, I started this post and i feel foolish!I just wanted to see what would be said but instead i am dissapointed. Ive now met guy flutist online but not face to face so I know that they are there but I have found that the instrament i love so much is not only played by guys as well but that more guys play it profesionally. Is that what your saying?

True, there are probably more guy pro players that are famous, but that it not saying there are more guy pro players than women. I am willing to bet that it is more around 50/50, so don`t feel bad.
You can be a professional flutist without being famous. Just a thought.

KC, Proffessional Flutist isnt what I want to be. I want to be a Music teacher in highschool so I can work with marching band. I cant imagine life without marching band! That is not what makes me sad. What makes me sad is what someone said about being pressured into playing flute. I was kinda forced into it and hated it all through middle school and only learned to love it last year. Then I realised. Pardon this sounding corney but i relised that my calling card was the flute and teaching other people my sweet music. I love music so much and I want to share that love with anyone I can. I know that it sounds stupid but I love musioc so much that its all i ever want to do or to be around and I guess the only person i have ever met who understood that fully without question is my best friend. That is why i cant keep a boyfriend. Oh the lonely soul of a musician(just jokeing). But the point is that that was not really why I was upset.

No, I wasn`t under the impression that you did want to be a professional flutist. I simply thought that you were upset because you thought that more guys were pro players than women.

Are you dense or what Flute Rules?! Have you never heard of JAMES GALWAY he`s only like the best flautist in the world (from an Irish point of view, of course). Duhhhh.........
seriously think before you post!!!