I did learn to read the alto clef (obviously). Once I got used to it, sight reading most of the parts was quite easy. Really it was a matter of keeping one eye on the conductor and the other eye on the desk, since the parts demanded precision and not much else.
Sorry about the teacher. I did have one excellent teacher, who switched back and forth between the violin and viola with no effort. I loved her. Then I had one year of college with this teacher that was a complete hack. I hated his guts, and ended up dropping out of school because of him. After that, I had another teacher that I was extremely fond of - a violist - (and the first teacher was very happy that I found another teacher that I liked). But I ended up quitting with him for a number of reasons - the short version of the story is that I was getting evicted because of a personality conflict with the landlord (I did get to stay, but moved out eventually because she was cunt) and then the 9/11 attacks took place and I got really depressed.
Anyway, it's been some time since that happenend now. Even though I already got a university degree, I've been thinking that I'd like to go and study music education (you know, to teach in the schools). Although I'd really like a job playing with an orchestra, the teaching would be a fallback position. And it would be a very good fallback position, since there is a teacher shortage where I live.
Frankly, both would be superior options to my fucking fluorescent-lit cubicle hell
