Music and Gender

Gender has always played a major role in music, even now a days where women can play any instrument and it not be abnormal to society. In high school I was the biggest band nerd in the area. I was in marching band for six years and loved every moment of it. When I first started band, the band director let me try and play several instruments to see which one I could play better. I originally wanted to play the flute, but I was made to play the French Horn. As my musical abilities grew throghout grade school, I started competing in Region/All-State bands and other compeititions. My instrument is played by men and women. I think it is split pretty much in half, unlike instruments like the flute or clarinet. We always had more female french horn players than males, but that was not the case in Region and All-State band. Every group I played with nearly almost all girls with a few exceptions. In marching band, it was very standard. Mostly all females played the flute/clarinet except for my best friend Jarrod Mabrey who is an AMAZING clarinet player. With the saxophones it was split in half, surprisingly like the trumpets. You would think the trumpet is a male based instrument, but in my marching and concert band it was half and half. With the trombones and tubas it was mostly all males with a few females. I never really paid attention to the gender in each section, it is just so normal to see a female clarinet player and odd to see a male flute player. I find it funny that the males that played woodwind instruments known for females to play are the best at it like my best friend Jarrod who beat out any girl in high and still to this day. Now, playing in the wind ensemble and orchestra it is kind of weird that mostly everyone in the room is female, but then again, it is an all girls school. :) But I enjoy the sight of a male (perhaps a cute one) in wind ensemble like the tuba player. (zach..haha) Anyway, I enjoy hearing a musician play an instrument out of the norm. What is the norm? Like an amazing female tuba player. Yes, I am sure there is some out there, but mostly male tuba players. As a women, it is awesome when a female can go beyond a male and out do them at whatever it may be whether it is the olympics or as musicians. We came from having no rights to going above and beyond males in certain jobs, sports and many other things. In other countries still today, I have noticed that women are forbidden to play certain instruments because they are only for males, but I am so glad in America it is not this way. Anyone, no matter what the gender is should be able to play the drums to a harp. Who cares if a male wants to play the flute? I mean if he excells in it and that is his passion, it should not matter what his gender is. I like to watch Dr. Vaneman play the flute. He is amazing at it and he is a MALE FLUTE PLAYER! How awesome is that!? For so long I have a always wanted to play the bariton and the base drum and one day I will! so what I am a female, no one said it was wrong to play these instruments and if so, who cares. I feel inspired when I abnormal musicians like I said with the female tuba players. It is an inspiration to see that and then go out and try and be the best at my instrument. The truth of the matter is that people should look past gender and to whether or not it may look weird.