I was asked back.

[Styxx]

Already not a week after the musical and the town board has asked me to stay. I went in to pick up my last check and there they were, all seven of them. The only one missing was Snow White!
The question asked first was, "What will it take for you to stay on?" My answer, The proper facility, a theatre. "Oh, that's out of the question. We're planning a new hockey arena for next winter." Well, good luck and hope you find someone for the position because that's the only reason I would come back.
SO! If anyone feels like moving to a little town outside of Beeffalo where they care more about the puck and ball more than the arts ... go for it! Drop me a PM!

[JonFairhurst]

You should have asked about the acoustics of the arena and how big the stage will be.

-JF

[Markleford]

If anyone feels like moving to a little town outside of Beeffalo where they care more about the puck and ball more than the arts ... go for it! Drop me a PM!

Unfortunately, our society prizes sports over arts. That ain't just Buffalo. Worse yet, it's also every school and university across the country.

But you could give them my email address anyway: I always wanted to be a hockey arena organist!

- m

[jesshmusic]

Already not a week after the musical and the town board has asked me to stay. I went in to pick up my last check and there they were, all seven of them. The only one missing was Snow White!
The question asked first was, "What will it take for you to stay on?" My answer, The proper facility, a theatre. "Oh, that's out of the question. We're planning a new hockey arena for next winter." Well, good luck and hope you find someone for the position because that's the only reason I would come back.
SO! If anyone feels like moving to a little town outside of Beeffalo where they care more about the puck and ball more than the arts ... go for it! Drop me a PM!

Don't have to worry about moving to the coldest city on Earth for that (slight exagerration).

Although Nashville does have the new Schermerhorn Symphony Hall almost done (named for the late conductor who died this year), plus the newly revamped performing arts center. But I guarantee you the taxpayers didn't flip as much of the bill as they did for the Titan's stadium. That is America. I see no one in the leadership of the country at any level, top to bottom, that will change that. If anything it will get worse. Even at Universities, the last true bastion of the arts, most University presidents are big jocks. Welcome to the Jockocracy!!!!

Enough ranting for now.

[SeanHannifin]

Unfortunately, our society prizes sports over arts. That ain't just Buffalo. Worse yet, it's also every school and university across the country.

I wouldn't be so quick to say that, though in some areas it may seem to be the case. I haven't done an in depth study of the statistics, but I'm sure "Arts vs. Sports" is a popular debate. Why, just look what a quick Google search came up with:

http://www.mtn.org/mca/factspgs/artsvsports.html

As for schools, I did do a research paper last semester on how many schools are really stupid because they prize computers over arts, as they think computers will radically change a child's learning ability. I've read about countless schools who sadly turned their music rooms into computer labs. And it's not necessarily all the school's fault. The communities they are based in think computer skills are vital to their children, while playing an instrument would actually help more. It was quite an interesting paper. I thought I would find that computers are really helping education, but unfortunately they seem to have the adverse effect.

Anyway, Styxx, I'm sorry they made that decision, but now they will have to suffer the consequences . . .

[Markleford]

I wouldn't be so quick to say that, though in some areas it may seem to be the case.

More areas than not, I'd wager. I'm afraid the cited data is skewed to ticket sales, which isn't a good reflection of the whole picture. It doesn't even begin to address time spent on televised viewing of sporting events.

For example, ask a student (high school or university: could be your classmates, even) if they've seen their school sports team play versus how many have attended a concert by the school band (in cases where the school actually has both).

And no, pep-rallies for sports teams don't count, but kudos to the band directors who originally had the smarts to get a piece of that action!

- m

[SeanHannifin]

I certainly don't know enough about the statistics to argue one way or another, but I don't think you should base it on your general feelings.

For example, here at George Mason University, I certainly know attendance for the art events is very high. I almost couldn't get a ticket to the Virginia Opera performing Faust because they were almost sold out . . . and the Virginia Opera isn't even that good! And here in the Honors student's dorm, I can definitely say there are more students attending the arts events than the sports events. As for the student population in general, I have no idea.

And it would be very conceded for all of us here to think that all sports are bad and arts should always come first.

[Markleford]

And it would be very conceded for all of us here to think that all sports are bad and arts should always come first.

I'd certainly like to do an experiment with two school tracks where the dominance was reversed, and then track their students lives into their late 20's. Now if only I could come up with the billion dollar budget to prove my assertions!

At the very least, I feel that organized sports should end in high school. Team activities are great confidence builders for young people (who can't plan an instrument ), but at the university level such tribal activity should be deemphasized for individual development.

(This coming from a past varsity soccer player and little-league baseball umpire, mind you!)

- m

[Styxx]

Wow, I didn't mean to spark such a debate. On the other hand, very interesting points of view.
My soul argument with this town is they spend more on new facilities for sports and most of them sit there snow filled or waterlogged 80% of the year. We already have an ice Arena that suits the bill perfectly. They spent millions on a soccer field two years ago that sit waterlogged most of the playing season! There is an old school that has an intact auditorium that could be renovated and used all year round for plays, the town band concerts, dance recitals, and most of all The West Seneca Youth Theatre. But no. "The youth theatre doesn't bring in nearly the revenue the sport organizations do." Maybe if we had a facility that could run shows all year, they would come and there would be revenue? Oh, but Toto we're home! And this is my room, and you are all here and ... Auntie Em, there's no place like GPO forum!
Eh, if I had the support, grants, and backing I would renovate the old school myself. There are six large size classrooms that could be used for a number of things including renting out to some of the dance companies that have no facility of their own either! As my great grandfather used to say, "you can do nothing."

[SeanHannifin]

At the very least, I feel that organized sports should end in high school. Team activities are great confidence builders for young people (who can't plan an instrument ), but at the university level such tribal activity should be deemphasized for individual development.

I wouldn't mind that at all, since I don't really enjoy watching sports, and I certainly hate physically rigorous activities. But my family is full of sports lovers, and I would not be so arrogant to say that my quality of life is greater than theirs because I enjoy classical music or something.

Sports, just like the arts, means different things to different people. But both require time, discipline, dedication, and practice, and both can be full of emotion. After all, the arts are very competitive as well!