Klarinet Archive - Posting 000072.txt from 1998/03

From: "Buckman, Nancy" <nebuckman@-----.us>
Subj: Marching Band
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 1998 18:13:06 -0500

Where I live, in central Maryland, marching band is the "only" influence
in a student's musical development in most public schools. Feeder
schools are blasted with promo programs from the local high school
marching band and students are told they cannot play in the Concert Band
unless they are members of the marching band.

Being a member of the marching band virtually guarantees that a student
cannot elect to participate in any other extra-cirricular activity
because the band's practice schedule is so prohibitive. Even family
life must be arranged around the schedule of the high school marching
band.

How sad that music education must depend on the booster organizations of
the marching band in order to travel and purchase instruments. There
are no provisions in the county school budget for large or small
instrument purchases, minimal monies for instrument repair and/or
purchase of new music. For those of you who wonder what becomes of the
string players, the marching band always needs poms, color guard, flags
and gofers. What a way to reinforce musical skill building!

While I got a lot of my jollies in marching band, it did nothing to
prepare me for the world of the performing musician, amateur or
professional. It's a crying shame to see the path that music education
has taken in the public schools in my area.

Nancy