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Wrong note? School orchestra bans 6th-grader's purple violin
LA Times ^ | September 12, 2012 | John M. Glionna

Posted on 09/25/2012 11:58:09 AM PDT by Altariel

ll 11-year-old Camille Cruz wanted to do was play in her sixth-grade orchestra class at a Farmington, N.M., middle school using a violin her grandmother bought her.

This instrument is definitely different: Not only does it have sentimental value, it’s purple -- and that was where school officials drew the line. They insisted Camille had to play a violin the same color as everyone else’s, or she couldn’t play at all.

The student’s violin of a different color now has the town of Farmington (pop. 45,000) in a tizzy. After the local Daily Times newspaper published a story about Camille and her violin, online comments flooded the newspaper’s website. Folks are now discussing the story at coffee houses and over backyard fences.

“It’s been the talk of the town,” Daily Times reporter Ryan Boetel told the Los Angeles Times. “The reaction has been incredibly mixed. Half the people say an orchestra is a team that should come together as one. Others say that anything that prevents a child from joining a school orchestra is a bad thing.”

For Camille and her mother, Sherry Lopez, the brouhaha is all about standing up for who you are, even if the color of your violin is different from everyone else’s.

"This whole thing is like telling Axl Rose he has to use some guitar from Kmart," Lopez told The Times. "He doesn't want to use that. He wants to use his own guitar. And so does Camille. It’s a sense of pride. This violin is hers. She wants to use her own instrument. But the school was just so adamant. She didn’t match. She stood out. It was all about the color of the instrument and not her talents as a musician.”

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: conformity; music; publicschool; violin
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1 posted on 09/25/2012 11:58:15 AM PDT by Altariel
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To: CedarDave

Farmington embarrassing us again.... ;)


2 posted on 09/25/2012 12:00:34 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim
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To: Altariel

Besides Hillary herself, the most insane, brutal and aggressive totalitarian monsters in this country are public school teachers and administrators.

Not even D.C. Democrats come near them.

They are frothing-mouth rabid.


3 posted on 09/25/2012 12:01:56 PM PDT by Talisker (One who commands, must obey.)
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To: Altariel
Pink Floyd's The Wall captured the imagery perfectly...faceless, nameless students all being processed through a meat grinder.


4 posted on 09/25/2012 12:06:03 PM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: Altariel

Do they have a rule book? Does the rule book say that all instruments must have a uniform appearance? No? Then there is no violation, and they are being unfair.

People get caught up in superficial stuff and they end up paying too little importance to the stuff that matters. This is why we got Obama — a lot of people looked at his color and gave a big thumbs up, but they forgot to vet him or look at his proposed policies. His political philosophy didn’t matter, right? They guy had the color they were looking for.

Some day, perhaps we can all look a little deeper than the surface.


5 posted on 09/25/2012 12:06:50 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy (ua)
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To: Tijeras_Slim
Embarrassing is right. Everyone knows that Axl doesn’t play guitar.
6 posted on 09/25/2012 12:10:15 PM PDT by kaboom
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To: Altariel

How would a Hendrix version of “Purple Haze” sound on the violin?


7 posted on 09/25/2012 12:14:01 PM PDT by G Larry (Which of Obama's policies do you think I'd support if he were white?)
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To: Altariel

Sometimes some idiot puts a Steinway on stage when I have an engagement.

Which I refuse to play. They haven’t made a decent piano since the early 70’s.

If they don’t replace it with the appropriate Baldwin SD-10 I will, (and have), cancelled.

Let this girl use her own violin. I’m sure a real conductor wouldn’t care, only the untalented hack who couldn’t cut it as a performer and has to work for the public school system.

Herbert von Karajan and Georg Solti spin in their graves.


8 posted on 09/25/2012 12:15:40 PM PDT by Emperor Palpatine ("On the ascent of Olympus, what's a botched bar or two?" -Artur Schnabel)
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To: Altariel

I bet if it had an Obama sticker on it, they’ll make a special place in their trophy case for it.


9 posted on 09/25/2012 12:16:05 PM PDT by WKUHilltopper (And yet...we continue to tolerate this crap...)
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To: G Larry

10 posted on 09/25/2012 12:16:28 PM PDT by nascarnation (Defeat Baraq 2012. Deport Baraq 2013)
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To: ClearCase_guy

Hate to say it, but I go with the school on this one. If it’s an orchestra, that means something in terms of a performance group. They all dress mostly one way, they perform as a unit.

The proper response is to start your own group with your own rules. Once you consent to ‘the man’ supporting your art, ‘the man’ gets to make rules.


11 posted on 09/25/2012 12:19:08 PM PDT by organicchemist
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To: Altariel
Sixth grade in a tiny district - who cares? I mean, really, who the heck cares? Black socks, white socks, you're talking MAYBE an orchestra of 20 kids. Everyone’s going to be taking pictures of kids up on stage and probably working as hard as possible to NOT listen to a single note.
12 posted on 09/25/2012 12:19:41 PM PDT by kingu (Everything starts with slashing the size and scope of the federal government.)
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To: organicchemist

The principle of the King’s Coin does not apply here given that the students have to buy their own instruments.


13 posted on 09/25/2012 12:22:20 PM PDT by MeganC (The Cinemark theatre in Aurora, CO is a 'Gun Free Zone'. Spread the word.)
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To: Altariel

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I have a grandchild in 6th grade who plays the violin...

I dont think the color matters in TN schools...

I’ll ask her though...


14 posted on 09/25/2012 12:22:53 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: organicchemist

Wrong.

Its not up to the school. If it was its only up to the conductor. And in the world of classical music, the conductor IS the absolute dictator.

But no one, not even Toscanini with his legendary temper, would criticize any of their players’ personal instruments.


15 posted on 09/25/2012 12:23:04 PM PDT by Emperor Palpatine ("On the ascent of Olympus, what's a botched bar or two?" -Artur Schnabel)
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To: ClearCase_guy

Yep, I think you called it right. No documented infraction, no foul. This is silly. Would a blond wood violin have set them off as well?


16 posted on 09/25/2012 12:23:08 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: Altariel; a fool in paradise; Slings and Arrows
Gay violin.


17 posted on 09/25/2012 12:24:00 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Bad things are wrong!)
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To: G Larry
Probably like this.
18 posted on 09/25/2012 12:25:35 PM PDT by kosciusko51 (Enough of "Who is John Galt?" Who is Patrick Henry?)
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To: Altariel

What she should do perhaps is stand on the sidewalk outside the school, put a blanket on the ground and play for passersby. She could also put up a sign saying she is playing for tuition money for a new school.


19 posted on 09/25/2012 12:30:36 PM PDT by goldi
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To: Altariel
11-year-old Camille Cruz wanted to do was play in her sixth-grade orchestra class

OK people lets get real and judge this case on the facts and circumstances as they exist in the real world.

These are sixth graders and we are trying to teach them music. In the real world teaching sixth graders only happens in an environment of discipline.

Discipline goes out the window when you start making exceptions for individuals. Either everyone is the same or everyone is different.

Also if you remember the sixth grade as I do anyone who could be singled out became a target. It may end up being a mercy they did this girl by not letting her have her special violin.

20 posted on 09/25/2012 12:33:29 PM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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