Klarinet Archive - Posting 000834.txt from 1997/08

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Marching Band
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 1997 19:30:20 -0400

Amy's experience is one that exemplifies what marching band was invented
for and why many school administrators want a mb in the first place. My
marching bands stopped going to contest after my first few years....we
played a different show at every game, and we were done by late November.

Impressive Amy! You are a lucky person! Bet you play well also!

Roger Garrett

On Tue, 19 Aug 1997, Donald Walkner wrote:

> 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
>