Klarinet Archive - Posting 000136.txt from 1998/03

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Marching Band (was alto mpcs)
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 00:44:19 -0500

On Mon, 2 Mar 1998, JohnnyWalt wrote:
> Please do not bring my school into this argument........I do not feel that I
> can speak as a proper advocate for my program because I don't want to say
> anything that will have adverse affects.

I didn't bring it in...you did...in one of your earlier posts when you
asked if I (and someone else if I recall correctly) had ever been in a
championship band....or something to that effect. I simply asked which
championship, or nationally recognized band you were a part of.....the
obvious reason was to find out your perspective...which you were not
providing for us.

Besides, are we in competition
> here? I don't try to compare my school with others..... Frankly, I don't
> really care how my band compares on a national level.....achieving personal
> success within the band is far more important to me.

My point was to show that, while you may feel very good about your
ensemble, it's time to look around you, drop the trophy stuff and see what
else is out there. If you didn't compare about your band on a national
level, why did you bring it up to begin with?

> Please forgive me if I
> was wrong in considering my band a top one in the country.....it was not meant
> to brag....I just tried to add some weight to my argument. Also, please don't
> use examples of Marian students who dropped out of your program...

They didn't drop out of my program......they have dropped out of most
programs in the state (including many of the music majors who went on to
college to become music teachers). It is a fact.........and an important
one when we are talking about a person's musical education and how it
affects their lifelong appreciation beyond the marching field.

> Also, do you think it is fair to judge a band on one
> performance? I dunno about that.... Do you see my point?

Sure I do.....I'll ignore the several recordings I have also....and I
probably shouldn't view the tape you mentioned in your last post hmmm?

Roger Garrett
IWU