Klarinet Archive - Posting 000347.txt from 1998/03

From: Rich & Tani Miller <musicians@-----.net>
Subj: Re: MARCHING BAND - THE END (hopefully)
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 1998 14:43:30 -0500

Roger: methinks you are enjoying this!

Roger Garrett wrote:

> 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