 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: DanzClarinerd
Date: 2011-06-27 06:00
Hello fellow clarinetist of the bboard,
I am an incoming high school junior and I was chosen as this years drum major for my marching band. I really don't know what to expect, i know of all the stress and leadership skills involved and would like to know if any of you have had any experiences being drum major. I have attended leadership camps and have had talks with my director but i still have some doubts. I guess what i am asking is what do you think i should do to alleviate stress that has already put upon me, because i know once band camp rolls around I will be expected to lead and inspire all of our 130 members.
I am aware this also means putting away my clarinet for a while, but i will compensate by practicing on my own. I am working on Weber's 1st clarinet concerto at the moment.
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Author: v12clarinet73
Date: 2011-06-27 07:43
Sounds similar to what's happening to me at the moment. Weber Concerto 1, incoming junior...anyways, I can't say I have experience as drum major (auditioned the past two years, never got the position) but from thinking about the attributes of the four drum majors I've played under (1 in 8th grade, 1 in freshman year, and 2 in this year), I think the most important thing to keep in mind is to have confidence in whatever you're doing. If you don't trust your own judgment, how can anyone else in the band? Since I'm assuming this is only your third year of marching, don't feel intimidated by anyone else, including the seniors. If you need help, you can always ask a section leader or someone else that may know how to do whatever you need help with. For alleviating stress, I would try doing whatever calms you, be it practicing, running, sleeping, et cetera. Just make sure you don't overwhelm yourself.
v12clarinet73
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Author: kdk
Date: 2011-06-27 07:54
Congratulations!
Be yourself, do your best and remember you're not the general (oops! - I mean teacher) and the other people in the band are your colleagues. Work hard and try to have fun. The best way to inspire others is to know what you're doing at all times.
Karl
Post Edited (2011-06-27 07:55)
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Author: Claire Annette
Date: 2011-06-27 18:55
DanZ, it does NOT mean that you have to lay your clarinet down during marching season. It simply means that you'll have to be self-disciplined to force yourself to practice at home. This might, indeed, be an ideal time to get a private teacher (if you don't already have one) and work on technique while you have the chance to concentrate on that. Also, you'll need to be practicing to be in shape for clinic and All-State auditions that come up later in the year, right? Learn those scales. Refine your sight-reading skills. Master the altissimo range.
I think it is WONDERFUL that you are the drum major! You are doing your embouchure a huge favor, not having to march and play. I see this new role as a very positive thing in your life and for your clarinet playing. I speak from the same experience, as a matter of fact, but on the collegiate level. You CAN do this and you will love it, I'm sure. Please do yourself a favor and keep practicing your clarinet during marching season. You could turn out to be the stealth clarinetist who, after marching season, literally blows everyone away! I hope this will be the case. Best of luck to you.
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Author: Paul Miller
Date: 2011-06-28 01:09
What they told me on my first day in the Marine Band:
Show up at the right place, at the right time, in the right uniform, and you'll be fine.
I took it to mean that I should be well prepared for every event. Leadership by example is one of the best ways to gain respect - if you show that you really know what's going on and that you're always ready to step up and take the initiative, people will naturally want to follow you.
Oh, and keep a small notebook with you and write in it often. Every time there's a change to a schedule or something you should know exactly what, when, and where. Encourage your section leaders and fellow drum majors to do the same - the more organized the student leadership is, the smoother things will run for everyone in the band.
Good luck, and have fun with it!
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Author: DanzClarinerd
Date: 2011-06-28 02:51
@v12clarinet73: thanks. and im lucky to be close to many of the section leaders im sure that will help me
@kdk: im fairly lucky that my director is a cool guy, he has taught me a lot from his experiences and my director has told me that whenever i dont know what to do, i should just pretend to so as to not discourage the band. i feel confident that the musicians in the band already view me as a positive role model. thanks.
@Claire Annette: i am self- disciplined, up to the point where i sometimes go behind my directors back and learn pieces ahead of time, sometimes he gets jealous of my progress, one time he threw a fit when i pulled off the glissando from rhapsody in blue on my first try. he didnt know i had practiced it about a million times before we ever got started on it. i have my major and minor scales memorized so that wont be a problem, but my altissimo needs a little work, artie shaws concerto has got be beat for a while. Thanks again for the support
@Paul Miller:my director has said that i possess the skills of being able to stand in front of people and take control by the tone of my voice and the overall knowledge of the tune. but i have had people tell me that some people are unsatisfied with becoming drum major. but i plan to talk to the band beforehand to hopefully get them on my side. On the other hand i have kept a calendar that is up to date with rehearsals and performances. I have my first parade in about 4 weeks and i need to get plenty of practice handling a mace which will prove a challenge to me as i fractured my left wrist a short while ago.
thanks for the support.
@ all: I forgot to inform that i am not the only drum major, in fact i am not the head or assistant drum major. I got co-drum major next to my fellow female clarinetist, and she is a little more prepared than i am which i am worried about, on account that our director has informed us that if one of us gets behind they will get either be demoted or promoted to assistant or head respectively. I know she and i will have to work, talk, study, practice, and ultimately listen with one another to make this year a successful one. There are some communication problems between us but i still think of her as one of my best friends. i just need to get her to think the same thing about me and not be against me
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2011-06-28 04:32
I think its important not to hit yourself on the head doing aerials with a baton (when I was in high school one of our majorettes knocked out a couple of teeth when she missed a catch) and not to catch your pants on fire when working with flaming batons. Also, unless you are really good, I wouldn't twirl my clarinet.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Paul Miller
Date: 2011-06-28 05:21
"but i plan to talk to the band beforehand to hopefully get them on my side"
Trust me on this: keep it short and sweet.
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Author: DanzClarinerd
Date: 2011-06-29 03:59
@Jack Kissinger: Haha!... ill try not to kill myself either
@Paul Miller: I had my first rehearsal today, it went well. I talked to them a bit, because some of them had forgot what it meant to pay attention, so i went off in saying " I know everyone hates marching band in the summer, i also know everyone loves marching band once we start going out to competitions, and when it all comes to and end,everyone misses it"
i saw some eyes widen a bit, i think i got through to quite a lot of them. Although only about 110 members showed up today, which scares me a bit because i have 175 listed on the roster
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Author: Paul Miller
Date: 2011-06-30 01:25
Sounds like you're making a good start. If the members who attended today are enjoying things, more will be fully on board later on. Keep us posted!
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Author: BartHx
Date: 2011-06-30 15:16
VERY IMPORTANT: Do not allow yourself to get distracted to the point that you try to put the end of the baton in your mouth! In spite of the similarity in shape, you can't play it like a clarinet.
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Author: DanzClarinerd
Date: 2011-07-01 07:08
@Paul Miller: I will do so
@BartHx: Haha your lucky i have a good sense of humor...
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