Klarinet Archive - Posting 000835.txt from 1999/07

From: James Leonard Hobby <jhobby@-----.Net>
Subj: Re: [kl] re: Marching band - to be or not to be
Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 21:58:25 -0400

But if you dedicate band to only serious musicians, you'd have a very small
band. Maybe a quintet? Most band members in junior high/high school are
there for pleasure; music & social.

Where I went to school, (a small town) there was only one band. No
orchestra. Jazz band, chamber music ensembles, etc., were all
extra-extracurricular. Marching band was not mandatory, but most of the
players attended both.

The schools where I taught worked pretty much the same. At my first
school, I built a good-sized band. It wasn't mandatory, but I only
remember one tuba player who opted out of MB who wanted to play foobal.
Anyone who didn't want to play in MB but wanted to participate, or whose
instrument wasn't convenient -- bassoons are hard to march with -- either
moved into the kitchen (general percussion) or the silk line (cute little
colored flags.)

The jocks, however, did pay us attention. Once, the visiting team ran onto
the field while we were lined up to play the Star Spangled Banner. They
were booed, hissed, and yelled at until they left the field -- by the
audience. The band didn't move a muscle. When we went into the stands,
the foobal team would stand at the gate and look up where we were, waiting,
and wouldn't go onto the field until we played their entry music. <g> We
didn't provide dinner music, though. The people stayed in the stands
during halftime and then went to the concession stands during the 3rd quarter.

While it was no grand musical experience, I marched my band to Aida,
Tannhauser, Faust, etc. Band camp was one week before school started. We
practiced (both marching & concert) last period + one hour Mon, Tue, Thur,
Fri. Only long practice day was what the kids called "Happy Bring A
Puptent Night". It was the Thursday night before the first marching
competition. We started at 6:30 PM and went until there were no mistakes.
Parents brought food/drink. There were usually 2-3 actual tents set up in
the endzone. Work, but fun, as well.

BTW, the marching band was a very good community relations unit --
actually, for the whole school. We had people attend the concert series
that learned of the band through the MB. Through winning a competition, we
had access to the Governor's office -- and some very nice perks -- that I'm
sure would not have been available w/o it.

Serious musicians? I produced a few orchestra players, a few band
directors, and a lot of other professions. And a lot of the latter group
have thanked me over the years for both an educational and enjoyable
experience.

Jim

==================

> Not trying to defend marching band in the least, as I feel it is a waste of
> practice time for the serious musicians, but if they didn't require
> marching band - they would not have most of the quality musicians in the
> group. Maybe that is how it should be - doubt the jocks would notice the
> difference ;)
>
> David Blumberg

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