Klarinet Archive - Posting 000912.txt from 1999/07

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] school music programs(kinda defending corps too)
Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1999 20:29:12 -0400

On Sat, 24 Jul 1999, Bill Hausmann wrote:
> If the director
> has the time and resources to do only ONE band in the fall, facing the
> above listed pressures, he can either do marching band or they will find
> someone else who will.

Really? You mean if the teacher believes that marching should entertain
and not compete, he has no choice but to run the band through Christmas -
even when the games are done in early November?

Which pressures do you mean......and I am asking for specific pressures
that were listed on the original post. They are necessary to back up your
statment above.

> Does that make the curriculum deficient? Maybe, if
> you are teaching in a performing arts academy devoted to turning out
> symphony musicians. Otherwise, you are doing the best you can to produce
> the maximum benefit for the maximum number of people while retaining your job.

Sounds like a generalization to me.

> I'm not much of a fan of ANY band competition, marching or otherwise. I
> think bands should, instead of preparing endlessly for one single
> competition performance, rehearse and perform completely different
> concerts/shows as often as the availability of a stage/football field will
> allow! One local school district, a fairly affluent one with two high
> schools, does not participate in competitions, but fields fine marching
> bands anyway. The hold an invitational exhibition each fall where bands
> perform for stands full of people (not a football in sight!) and receive
> critiques from judges, but no grades.

Should they, in your opinion compete? Should the teacher, once tenured
continue to teach music in this way.....even if administrative pressure
says that's what they want? Do educators have the job of educating
administrators also (perhaps in lieu of teaching home values to kids)?

> Actually, this is EXACTLY what the list is discussing, as I see it.

I don't agree. Sorry. I believe it is what you would like to discuss
though, and we can do that if you like.

> Marching band is not the world's greatest good; neither is it, except in
> the wrong hands, an evil in and of itself.

You have used the word evil twice - but I don't recognize the word in any
other posts. It sounds like you may have had a bad experience with
someone who feels that way and you might be concluding some things
regarding my posts that aren't accurate?

> Many of us have had very
> positive marching band experiences, recognize marching band for what it is,
> appreciate that, and would like to respectfully suggest, to those who
> insist that only the development of more symphony-calibre clarinetists to
> compete for the few potential openings is important, that they back off!

Gee.....and I thought I enjoyed my college marching experience a lot. I
know my high school bands enjoyed their marching experiences. I'm trying
to read through the sarcasm and see exactly your point. Please restate in
a less ambiguous way?

> Even though the musical value of marching band can be questioned, the
> overall value is frequently great. Let's just leave it at that.

Maybe for you and your own private experience. Please tell me what you
think of it in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, North Dakota, South
Dakota.........non-Texas/southern states? Is its overall vaule frequently
great there?

> Besides,
> how many of those people in the stands at halftime have ever even HEARD
> "Carmina Burana" much less SPELLED it? The exposure to even an arranged
> and choreographed version is better than no exposure at all!

I'm afraid I disagree with you on this last item. Most people won't
remember any titles from a Marching show.....let alone sing a melody. We
don't educate the masses by watering down the work, leaving out the
important issues in the piece and asking people to walk around on a field
and present this......and then say, by the way, this is Orff's Carmina
Burana.

There are other things that maybe they should hear first.....and then
maybe they can decide to go listen to some really good Orff somewhere?
Frankly, most people aren't ready for it anyway.

Just my opinion of course.
Roger Garrett
Professor of Clarinet
Director - Concert Band, Symphonic Winds & Titan Band
Advisor - Recording Studio
Illinois Wesleyan University

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org