There is this guy that marched winter with us last year. Our instructor last year told him he would not have to do four mallets ever. Since we got new instructors this year it will be different in winter. Well we had one practice and well he was not cooperating. I talked to my section leader about it the day after. She told me she does not want anything to do with the problem. Four mallets is something you have to get soon especially in winter when your part is greater than in fall. How can I solve this problem since I am running out of ideas.

Teach the kid how to play four mallets? I'm not sure what the problem is here. If they don't want to play for winter, boot them. If they want to play, teach the kid four mallets. Seems easy to me.

The new instructor should be handling this issue, if it is an issue. Hopefully, the kid will come around, but if not that's your instructor's call to boot them or not. I don't know the guy of course, but sometimes people are just afraid of trying new things, such as four mallets in this case. If your instructor is taking the time to teach the student four mallets, and the kid is not cooperating, yes that's a problem. If the kid just can't do it, after practcing four mallets over a period of time, your instructor should reevaluate what parts he should play instead so that he can still contribute to the ensemble.

what about you techs?? won't they kick him out or at least kick him in the @s$ if he doesn't learn?
definatly teach him if there's nothing you can do about it. you could just get everybody who's doing winter to get on him. maybe it would motivate him to not be the weekest link.

first try talking to your instructor

This kid does not want to learn four mallets at all. He just wants to do winter for the fun of it. I told him that four mallets could be fun if he would open a part of him inside and well try to learn. I remember when I first learned four mallets. I thought it was a pain but later it was awesome. I told him this and he said that there shouldn't be a way for him to do four mallets. I stopped myself there because I wanted to tell him that he didn't deserve the spot he is right now. I was thinking in my head that he is not a true percussionist. I stopped myself but I am thinking of saying that to him. My section leader of course is not helping at all. She knows how to lead but she does not know how to deal with problems.

Ask him if he prefers to learn, play the triangle, or not play at all

See we are kind of bad in the amount of people in pit right now. We only have half of what we had last year because of money problems and other stuff.Two veterans are not staying for winter at all either. Is basically My section leader a sophomore that has been doing percussion for two years, A junior who has been doing winter for three years and me. The other people are our cymbal line which is three guys and that certain guy that I am talking about. I really can't make the decision I can probably talk to my instructor about it. What I am hoping is that he got over it during the christmas break and come back strong in 2004.