Jared's end of the year concert for Jordan Youth Symphony was held at a large building owned by the district that they use for technical training and secondary learning classes. When we got there we learned that there was no auditorium or anything, just a large open courtyard with a few dozen chairs set up on one side and the orchestra setting up at the other. There were not enough seats for parents, so Chuck and I just grabbed some chairs from an empty room and pulled them up alongside.
We immediately noticed that all the percussionists were standing around in the back corner but there weren't any instruments. There were only bells, a snare drum, and a few hand instruments like tambourine and triangle. Through some body language communication across the room, Jared shrugged at us and indicated that he would only be playing in one song. They performed six numbers total but because they didn't have instruments the seven percussionists just sat around for most of the concert. So even though Jared attended every practice he wasn't able to play in the concert.
By the comments made at the beginning of the concert and a large roped off area right in the front, it became clear that the performance was for the School Board who were having a meeting in that building that night, and not really for the parents at all. That is why they chose a venue that had no percussion instruments available (usually a school or auditorium provides the large instruments like timpani, base drum, and marimba). So the performance went on, the School Board came out halfway through and sat in their police taped area right in the front and Jared was able to play in the very last number.
I was furious. Generally, I am not a complainer, but I was beyond angry that my child's ability to participate was squelched by politics, so first I went to the man who was introduced as being over the arts for the district and complained to him. Then I went up to Jared's band teacher, who was one of the directors. She didn't seem to care so then I went up to a member of the School Board, who I had met a few times, and complained to him. I told him that this was our end of the year concert for parents and my son being able to play was sacrificed so the directors could suck up to the School Board. I finished by saying "Aren't students more important than school board members?" He heartily agreed with me and said he would make sure it didn't happen again. So hopefully things will be better next year, too late for us though.
I'm adding a short video. The sound quality is bad, but you can hear Jared on the snare drum. (you can see the other percussionists walking around in the background because they have nothing to play)
