Klarinet Archive - Posting 000233.txt from 1998/03

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: MARCHING BAND - THE END (hopefully)
Date: Wed, 4 Mar 1998 16:57:38 -0500

Ok, I can't resist - I'll bite:

On Wed, 4 Mar 1998, CkSlurpee wrote:
> Ok, I have heard enough. I have read a ton of e-mails that suggest that
> Marching Band is not a sport and it doesn't make you a better musician. Well,
> that is definatly not true. I am a sophmore and this was my first year as a
> marcher. It was the single hardest thing I have ever done in my life! We
> trained everyday after school from 2:45 to 5:45 from August 11th (YES, BEFORE
> SCHOOL STARTED!) until when the season ended at the ATLANTIC COAST
> CHAMPIONSHIPS on November 8th. We worked our butts off and we got what we
> deserved! We got out of 8 performances, including ACC's, 3 first places, 3
> seconds, 1 third and 23rd at Acc's. Now that is 23rd out of ALL of the
> Marching Bands in the Atlantic region from North Carolina to Maine! That is
> good. And we also got a ton of speciality awards like best music, got that 7
> times!, and best band front. So the next time you think everyone in Marching
> Band is a wus or anything, remember this!

So......which techniques in your clarinet playing did you perfect and hone
to a performance ready point? Did your sound production and pedagogical
technique zoom as a result of marching band and the trophy? What areas of
your musicianship (note......I am asking about musicianship as it applies
to your musical literacy) were greatly enhanced by this experience?

If marching is the single hardest thing you have ever done, have you tried
to learn the works of Debussy, Poulenc, and Lutoslawski on the clarinet?
Those would be difficult things to do. What about just things like rapid
tonguing, control of an altissimo A at pianissimo, or playing your two
octave thirds (circle of 5ths) in 16 notes at quarter note = 112 or
higher? If you have not done the thirds by your sophomore year in school,
why not? It is pedagocally important in your musical learing to be doing
these things.

Not sure what you mean about the "wus" comment.

Roger Garrett
IWU