Klarinet Archive - Posting 000037.txt from 1998/10

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Marching Band
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 15:40:35 -0400

On Thu, 1 Oct 1998 reedman@-----.com wrote:
> I have gone to the TMEA convention in San Antonio, Texas for the past
> five years and I am amazed at the incredible level of participation that the
> schools experience wih music. It is not uncommon for a school of 500 to have
> 200 kids in the music program! Most of the kids participate in the marching
> bands which are huge because the athletic programs are huge. In this case
> music has benefited from sports. Not the usual case in the real world!
>
> Most of these kids will probably not continue with music past high
> school, but this tactile/emotional/personal contact with music is what
> creates music lovers of the future. We desperatley need that in this country

Nice concert last night Clark!

With all due respect, I feel that the tail is wagging the dog here.
99.9% of the students don't continue because they were not inspired to by
their music teachers. Perhaps they spent too much time socializing and
not enough learning why music exists in the public schools. Yes, marching
band is important - yes it is a good social outlet, no - it is not what
creates music lovers in the future - it is what shapes thoughts and
feelings of students regarding their opinions about what music is....and
it shouldn't be marching band.

BTW, 99.9% is not real accurate. Of the students at the high school level
who continue to college, the number is more like 84% do not continue.

Roger Garrett
IWU

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