Klarinet Archive - Posting 000154.txt from 1998/10

From: Michal Balass <mibst21+@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Marching band
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 18:07:22 -0400

>
> Sure I realize they are being cut......and WHY do you think that is so?
> They often offer nothing more than any other classes or athletic teams -
> because of an over-emphasis of marching band. Keep the MB, but
> de-emphasize it - use it to your advantage - but don't use it as the model
> for teaching music - it simply can't be a model for musical learning.
> However, it can be used to reinforce concepts of musical learning.
>
> Roger Garrett
> IWU

See, we are not speaking of the same thing, I am not saying that MB should
be the only musical program in school, but some schools do not have any
choice. I graduated from High School in 97, and in the concert band there
were aboue 60 students, and as much as that was a popular class, evvery
year, the program is in danger of being cut. This is because the
Pittsburgh board of Education does not believe that music is an important
as athletics, or english, chem., etc. So, you will find that most public
schools ( high schools) in Pittsburgh do not even have the MB, and those
students are exposed to NO music. That is why marching bands are
important to schools who support themselves without the board of
education, because students themselves of course it is not like having a
music lesson, but it is better than nothing.

i know that marching band cannot be a model for music learning, but you do
not realize that some schools just do not have any choice. At most times
it is a matter of either having a MB, or nothing.

Michal

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