Klarinet Archive - Posting 000026.txt from 1998/03

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Marching Band (was alto mpcs)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 1998 22:25:37 -0500

On Sun, 1 Mar 1998, Bill Hausmann wrote:

> 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.

Yes it does. It is unfortunate that the band director chooses a marching
competition as the vehicle by which to motivate his musicians. It says
something about his ability to motivate them musically. The musicians are
better off knowing why the march ......for the publicity.....so that they
may receive the attention necessary to achieve musical learning on the
concert stage. One without the other is not music learning.....it is a
cycle that cannot stop.

Roger Garrett
IWU