Klarinet Archive - Posting 000024.txt from 1998/03

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Marching Band (was alto mpcs)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 1998 21:26:55 -0500

At 09:19 AM 2/28/98 -0600, Roger Garrett wrote:
>A lot of people will jump on the soapbox and describe marching band as a
>serious music event. I describe marching contests, quite accurately (and
>as one who has performed in them, attended them, judged them, etc.) as a
>money making venture (for the organizers) and as a public display for the
>band director who is capable of getting students to move together
>athletically......perhaps even while playing a memorized arrangement of a
>piece of music.

I am not going to claim that marching band is high musical art. Rather, it
teaches the same sorts of things that team sports teach: teamwork and
individual contribution to a larger whole being prime learning outcomes.
Competitive marching is not something of which I approve, but it does
provide motivation beyond a few halftime shows during which the band is,
unfortunately, generally ignored.

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.