Klarinet Archive - Posting 000818.txt from 1997/08

From: "Donald Walkner" <dwalkner@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Marching Band
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 1997 11:54:14 -0400

Marching band at our school is nothing like that. In order to play in
either our symphonic band or wind symphony, you must attend marching band
camp. We have one camp in the summer for five days. These five days are
used to learn and perfect our halftime show at the Homecoming game. We
have a couple of 6:15 am rehearsals during the school year before the show.
We march in the Homecoming parade and Memorial Day parade and play at
about a total of six games as a pep band. That's the extent of our
marching program. No contests or anything. If we weren't required to be
in marching band (or color gaurd) no one would show up!! Now I don't feel
so bad as you people who have to march all year!!

Amy

----------
> From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
> To: klarinet@-----.us
> Subject: Re: Marching Band
> Date: Monday, August 18, 1997 9:00 PM
>
> Marching band is designed to:
>
> a) entertain the home crowd at football games (rare)
> b) provide an avenue for the band director to showcase his band to
> parents, community and judges who might give him a trophy
> c) prove (by way of a 3rd place trophy or honorable mention) that his
band
> is really worth keeping in the program
> d) provide PE credit
> e) keep students who might otherwise quit band in the program in order to
> give them purpuse (non-musical) and social opportunities. As Revelli
> once said, kids join band to ride a bus!
> f) support the athletic teams
> g) prepare the band for pep band...which still supports the basketball
> team.
> h) provide secondary incomes for computer whizes and coreographers in
> terms of show design.
> i) provide leadership skills for students who may not have great musical
> skills.
>
> These are just a few ideas. Basically, marching band is fun for the
> student who may not be athletic but craves a social outlet. It also
> provides opportunity to become a leader in an area that the student may
> not excell musically. BUT - it is not a musical outlet....that is...it
> does not teach: creativity, aesthetic apreciation, spontaneous
> expression, etc. And...if advanced students get unhappy with the
> monotonous, continuous, never-ending rehearsals that just repeat the same
> old drudgery...no wonder they can't stand being in the marching band.
>
> RGarrett