Klarinet Archive - Posting 000948.txt from 1997/04

From: SDM@-----. Morrow)
Subj: Re: marching bands
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 13:27:13 -0400

I "did my time" in marching band when I was in high school. It was
not my favourite way to play music (yes, our band, also, had a policy that
you had to play in the marching band if you wanted to play in the concert
band), but I survived and, yes, some of it WAS fun!
I think some of the points that some of you are missing are:
1) Playing music is ALWAYS playing music. If you love to play musically,
you will play musically. I hate football, but I went to almost every
single game - even when we weren't marching - just so I could play in the
stands!
2) If marching band music destroys your ability to play concert music,
imagine how much harm dixieland and jazz could do!
3) Marching bands bring the music to where the audiences are (sports and
parades); you are actually getting people to listen to you (and cheer for
you!) who probably would NEVER go to one of your concerts!
4) Marching bands in high schools show kids that "band" doesn't have to be
stuffy; seeing the band at football games helps them see that musicians
are not from another planet!

-Scott

Scott D. Morrow
Department of Biochemistry
School of Hygiene and Public Health
Johns Hopkins University
(410) 955-3631

SDM@-----.edu

   
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