Klarinet Archive - Posting 000864.txt from 1997/04

From: Kathy Beatty <kbeatty@-----.com>
Subj: Re: marching bands
Date: Mon, 28 Apr 1997 21:33:03 -0400

To add my 2 cents ... I've recently started playing again after many
years. The reason I stopped playing back in high school was because the
band director decided to impose a rule that one had to be in marching
band in order to be in band at all. Since I didn't want to be in
marching
band anymore (I was in it for 1 year), I dropped band, and clarinet
playing along with it, and it took me 27 years to take up clarinet
playing
again!

Older and DEFINITELY Wiser,
Kathy

George E. Landis wrote:
>
> WWQUINTET@-----.com wrote:
> >In school music
> > programs, especially grades 7-12, I believe that the marching band tends to
> > belittle our efforts to make music an accepted area of of serious study, and
> > further perpetuates the notion that the music program is nothing more than a
> > vehicle for "pure entertainment" or extracurricular activity.
> >
> > Dave
>
> Amen. The time spent on marching bands these days is just appalling.
> I've always suspected that the only reason marching bands persist in any
> significant way is because most band directors don't have the requisite
> skill or musical sense to succeed in the concert realm and they resort
> to marching to keep the students fired up and interested.
>
> Regards