Klarinet Archive - Posting 000979.txt from 1998/01

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Music: Modern vs. 'Old'
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 1998 20:05:48 -0500

At 04:18 PM 1/22/98 -0600, Roger Garrett wrote:
...I was at CBDNA (College Band Director's National
>Asssociation) regional and National conventions a couple of years in a
>row....and all I heard was contemporary stuff......and I am a hard core
>band music champion! I simply couldn't tolerate much more after two days
>of concerts......I was dying for something interesting and soothing.....my
>ears required it.
>
>So.....here we are.....do we support the notion that the community band
>SHOULD NOT entertain? My father, a professional horn player and teacher
>of the finest high school band in Oregon in the 1960's has told me that
>many college band directors are in the ivory tower.........do we have a
>responsibility to uphold the contemporary music only? It is the opinion
>of this expereinced band performer/teacher/conductor that....we have a
>responsibility to everyone....including our regional audience.....and THAT
>is what determines our philosophy.
>
Amen! If you feel the need to uphold contemporary music, by all means
program ***ONE*** such piece in a concert. That way large audiences will
hear it. It is either that or many pieces exposed to very small audiences.
I think you will get farther in the long run with the first approach, and
still please the more traditional audiences. I know that, when I was in
concert band in college and we went on tour, we invariably programmed a
wide range of works. There was always at least one transcription (baroque
through romantic), something modern (but not shockingly so), a show tune
medley or two, a Spanish number, a big band number, soloists, and, of
course, a couple of marches. It was the "if you don't like what we are
playing now wait a minute" school of programming. I always found the
variety stimulating from a player's perspective, and I know it pleased the
audiences. Since most of our appearances were benefits, large audiences
were not just a pleasant luxury.

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.