Klarinet Archive - Posting 000149.txt from 1998/03

From: "Buckman, Nancy" <nebuckman@-----.us>
Subj: RE: Marching Band
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998 12:21:23 -0500

Scott,

You hit the nail on the head. I graduated from SPHS when marching band
was in its infancy in AA county. My daughter went to Annapolis High and
pretty much experienced the same thing. She was an oboe player and was
forced to play percussion in order to participate in the concert band
and orchestra. My students in the smallest bands in the county
(Northeast and Southern) are still experiencing the mandatory marching
directive in order to play in the other groups.

Nancy

> ----------
> From:
> SDM@-----.edu]
> Reply To: klarinet@-----.us
> Sent: 2. maaliskuuta 1998 15:43
> To: klarinet@-----.us
> Subject: Re: Marching Band
>
> >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
>
> Nancy,
> It sounds to me like you are talking about Severna Park High
> School! I also spent my "formative" years in Anne Arundel County
> schools,
> but I went to Annapolis High. Even then, the horror stories of the
> Severna
> Park HS marching band's gruelling "you will win medals or die trying"
> rehearsal and competition schedules were legendary! My experience was
> much
> more laid-back (especially compared with SPHS). I guess it all
> depends
> what the director wants!
>
> -Scott
>
>
> Scott D. Morrow
> Department of Biochemistry
> School of Hygiene and Public Health
> Johns Hopkins University
> (410) 955-3631
>
> SDM@-----.edu
>
>