By Ozomulsion - 08/09/2014 05:53 - United States - Manchester

Today, I was replaced in the symphony I play in. I play the clarinet, and a standard symphony only uses two, so getting into one can be quite competitive. My conductor's reasoning? "I was sure you were going to college." I never mentioned college to him, other than saying I wasn't going. FML
I agree, your life sucks 38 332
You deserved it 3 651

Ozomulsion tells us more.

Thanks for all the support... And the music puns. Definitely got a few laughs out of me! I figure I should give a little bit more in-depth explanation of what happened, considering the 300 character limit on an FML submission. I have been part of this symphony for 3 years and I was about to go into my forth season. It's a local community symphony, so I wasn't getting payed over it, but it was my only connection to a real symphony and the only one within at lest an hour and a half drive as far as a I know. Anyways, I had mentioned to my conductor that I WASN'T going off to college, and that I would "See you next season" earlier this May. Apparently he forgot and didn't bother to even contact me to double check and just replaced me. The woman who plays first chair informed him of his mistake and immediately contacted me over it, but apparently the replacement player is already committed to the entire one-year season and he cannot be removed, which I understand. I do not in the slightest believe my conductor purposely ousted me because we had no qualms and he apparently liked my playing; I think it was due to a genuine but rather foolish mistake. I'll still have plenty of playing opportunities as I am a professional jazz musician and I play out all around my state and neighboring states on a weekly basis with my band, and I'm likely about to create a classical trio for weddings, but I'm still going to miss it. This is the reason I didn't go in to college for music, because I was already playing out and making a living doing jazz and I figured I would be able to further my playing through actual in-field experience and learning as opposed to going away into a college.

Top comments

Thanks for clearing that up, it still sucks but at least it wasn't your only source of income and you have other options.

FHL for not being man enough to tell you the truth.

Comments

Llama_Face89 33

Dude has to make an excuse.. That just adds insult to injury..

Alright that sounds great, A+ for you!

incoherentrmblr 21

Well, to hell with them and their symphony. Now you can go to college and one up them by doing greater than them...

FHL for not being man enough to tell you the truth.

Well maybe he genuinely thought you were going to college

Generally, when someone tells me they aren't doing something, I take that at face value. He was clearly just being an ass.

skittyskatbrat 19

Depending on the drama quotient it is entirely possible another member lied to the conductor to get this guy out and a friend in :(

#17 even if that was true, I believe there are auditions for the replacement. They wouldn't be able to guarantee a spot for their friend.

As a musician, I understand how much music means and I can't even fathom how hurt you must be to lose your place. I hope you can find a new group to play with that respects you.

This may lead to something better. You obviously have some talent to be there in the first place so I'm sure you'll find another that will appreciate your talents more.

jack_jill05 14

as a clarinetist myself, I fully understand how OP feels. it sucks losing first chair, let alone a spot in a symphony. if OP was good enough to make it in that one, they can make it in another.

wellthen7154 12

I couldn't even handle getting first alternate for a Mid-State honor band, I'd probably die if someone took my symphony spot. Then again, I play oboe, so the spots are even fewer :( musician's struggle.

He obviously doesn't care about you, he just tried to get rid of you. I'd forget him.

Maybe he heard you wrong or confused you with someone else. Either way, he should consulted you before making big decisions that would affect you, for this reason exactly.

Well OP, if you can play the clarinet that well, maybe you should try a music scholarship for college

Wow, that's terrible! I play clarinet in my highschool's advanced symphonic band and I'd hate for someone to take that spot from me without valid reason. FYL OP, surely there is someone you could report this to and get your rightful spot back? Or join a band that respects you and your music.

I was replaced in grammar school band, of all things. We had auditions for chair placement, and I got first chair clarinet. However, when the time came, he gave it to another girl, who was cute, petite and Italian (like him). I sort of got revenge, though. About 12 years later, I was at a Nursing conference, and ran into her. She was still Italian and about 5 feet tall. Unfortunately, she was also about 5 feet wide. She pretended she didn't see me.

"She was still Italian". Was I supposed to laugh at that? Because I ******* did, man.

You can do better OP. You keep doing what you love and your time will come. It is his loss.

A limerick was made for my clarinet,  An instrument some folks are swarinet For it sounded so bad,  That the last one I had,  The kittens were constantly barinet.