Klarinet Archive - Posting 000246.txt from 2002/10

From: The Ciompi Family <deal5@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Marching band --- not what I expected
Date: Sun, 6 Oct 2002 21:03:19 -0400

What does DCI stand for?

Arturo

Richard Bush wrote:

> Aside from Frederick Fennel's influence
> with his concept of the wind ensemble,
> DCI is the other influence that has had
> the most impact on public school band
> programs. In short, this influence has
> not, in my opinion, been good for
> instrumental music education. DCI is all
> about show, entertainment and visual
> effects. The influence has been very
> detrimental to developing BALANCED band
> programs. It is interesting that this
> subject should show up, of all places,
> on a clarinet list serve group. DCI has
> made playing brass even more popular and
> clarinet less popular. We could also
> mention that all woodwind pursuit has
> taken it in the shorts when the band
> directors' emphasis is
> disproportionately spent developing a
> DCI group at the expense of having a
> balanced wind band and concert band program.
>
> Watching DCI competition might be fun
> and entertaining, but it ain't what
> music education should be all about.
>
> Karl Krelove wrote:
>
> >
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>From: William Wright [mailto:w9wright@-----.net]
> >>
> >>First of all, the competition did not include even one Sousa march or
> >>football fight song. One of the winning bands (they won every award in
> >>their class, a clean sweep) performed a "Flamenco Suite For Marching
> >>Band", and they were accompanied by a flamenco vocal and two flamenco
> >>dancers. Other bands played opera overtures, symphonic and ballet
> >>excerpts, and the sort of music that you'd expect to hear at a "pops
> >>orchestra" concert.
> >>
> >>The show included an extended French horn solo, several flute solos,
> >>several trumpet solos, and a very strong clarinet solo that never left
> >>the chalumeau register but maintained concert quality tone throughout
> >>and ranged from 'fff' to 'ppp' without wavering or going flat (or
> >>sharp).
> >>
> >>
> >
> > But here's my problem with all of the arguments that, essentially, offer
> > these kinds of exhibitions up as proof that marching band can provide
> > rewarding musical experiences. Was there anything in the musical content
> > that you heard (and found so impressive) that couldn't have been done at
> > least as well in an indoor venue or, at least, on an outdoor stage with
> > creature comforts like chairs and some degree of acoustical support? That
> > marching bands can approach concert groups in precision of execution and
> > range of repertoire doesn't, in my own view of things, improve the logic of
> > making them the central focus of a great many high school (and probably
> > college) instrumental music programs for nearly half the school year. It is
> > the stranglehold retained by marching activities on school music programs,
> > not the character of marching competitions and exhibitions themselves, that
> > causes a great deal of the "I hate marching band" syndrome you hear popping
> > out so often.
> >
> > The participants in CDI competition are, presumably, involved because they
> > enjoy doing what they are doing. Many students in school marching band
> > programs have either been conscripted because marching is required for
> > participation in the rest of the program, or they've been bribed (at the
> > college level) by stipends that approach making the activity a salaried
> > position. My question, as an educator dealing with marching band as an
> > essential part of the school music program, is whether or not the students
> > actually get *more* in musical terms from the marching band than they would
> > from a concert ensemble, given the same rehearsal and performance schedule
> > and financial resources for equipment. Or, put another way, do the marching
> > and the stadium contribute anything *musical* to the experience of playing
> > all that music you've described?
> >
> > Karl Krelove
> >
> >
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> >
>
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