Klarinet Archive - Posting 001105.txt from 1998/09

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] playing in rain.......
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 14:12:06 -0400

On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 SDSCHWAEG@-----.com wrote:
> In a message dated 9/28/98 6:17:16 AM Central Daylight Time, exner@-----.com
> writes:
>
> << Also, way back in the "olden days," our band learned a new show every
> week (or every 2 weeks, sometimes), and we didn't always memorize every
> single piece, since we would get it on Monday to play on Friday. Anyone
> else remember this? >>
>
> You betcha! And every show contained a new "spinning" drill, based on "50
> ways to split a block" - you could read the drill chart "like a book" and
> learn a whole precision drill in 20 minutes flat. There were also moving
> pictures that often related to the music in slyly humorous ways. I loved
> marching band! (And it NEVER rained on the Northwestern University Marching
> Band - it was just heavy dew!)

Of course! My high school bands did the same thing.....we never memorized
music, and we never went to competitions. We marched for the reason that
the school wanted us to - to support the athletic teams, build school
pride, and have fun with musical arrangments on the field. It was a great
community effort - and drew the music program closer to the community that
was paying for its uniforms, instruments, etc. While not a MUSICAL event
in the sense of music learning, it contributed to a good curriculum.

Competitions do not.

Roger Garrett
IWU

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