Klarinet Archive - Posting 000893.txt from 1997/04

From: endres@-----.com
Subj: Re: marching bands
Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 13:24:49 -0400

Listmembers:

I read with some interest the various comments on marching band. I am
not a music professional, and am only recently returned to the
clarinet, but it was not marching band that drove me away. I
participated in marching band as a natural (and expected) continuation
of my elementary and middle school music program. Only when I
transferred to a school with no band program did I stop playing. Which
is worse: marching band during the fall or no band at all?

I now have a 8th grade baritone sax player about to enter HS in a
district with a *very* competitive band program. While they only did
cursory marching practice in middle school, the competitive atmosphere
was clearly present in their concert program preparation. And, no,
they didn't play only their competition pieces. In Texas UIL, they
have sight reading competion, for which they practice every day.

I see him responding in a positive fashion to the competitive focus
and positive peer pressure (when no-pass/no-play kept him out of
solo/ensemble last spring, the entire band gave a collective "sigh for
Dylan" during the next rehearsal.) I see a sense of belonging (better
band than a gang.) I see a very strong interest in other forms of
music, including keyboards (may have no correlation to the band
program, probably our habit of dragging him to jazz and symphonic
music performances).

I know the entire family is getting into a deep commitment with high
school band because of the competitive nature of the program, but I
anticipate a lot of good will come from the discipline and rigor the
marching program. Frankly, he's a bit of a slacker right now. The
rewards for working hard to excell with a first class organization are
the kind of positive reinforcement we all want our kids to experience.
His major worry at present is that they might not let him carry a bari
for marching and he doesn't want to be just another alto player!

In summary, marching band can be a source of pride and a stimulus to
hard work and commitment for young adults in a very confusing time of
their life. Having experienced it myself, I expect it to be very much
a net postive experience for Dylan.

Regards,

Mack Endres

David Mack Endres--Engineering Specialist--APC-Workstation Systems-/
EMail: dmendres@-----.com - When In Doubt, - Cell: (512)750-3648 /
FAX: (512) 331-3075 - Fix The Reed - Ph:(512)331-3269 /
Post: Schlumberger ASC, POBox 200015 Austin, TX 78720-0015 /
-----------------------------------------------------------/