 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2016-08-04 20:42
In the August issue of The Instrumentalist, there's an excellent article by Onsby Rose, a former musician in the U.S. Marine Corps bands and a current doctoral graduate student at Ohio State. In the article, "The Battle Over Military Bands," Rose discusses his experiences as a military musician and illustrates the wonderful things military bands do. He makes a very strong case, and I agree with him. He ends by expressing his disappointment with Rep. Martha McSally and other members of Congress who favor additional cutbacks to military music programs.
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/pentagons-bands-battle-223435
Rose correctly points out that the $437 million currently being spent on military bands is a minuscule percentage of the defense budget. Having said this, critics always like to find things to bring up, and they've pointed to expenditures of $33,000 for three flutes, $12,000 for a tuba, and $88,500 for a concert-grand Steinway piano.
I find it hard to believe that every military flute player is given an $11,000 flute since there are many great flutes that are less than half as expensive. I would also imagine that clarinet players aren't routinely supplied with $9,000 MoBas or $7,200 Buffet Toscas. For those of you who currently serve or have served as military musicians--by the way, thank you for the great job that you do!--are the critics misleading the public? Is it common for the military to purchase the elite instruments? If so, who receives them?
Post Edited (2016-08-05 00:55)
|
|
  |
Military music cutbacks--and $11,000 flutes? |
|
clarinetguy |
2016-08-04 20:42 |
|
Chris P |
2016-08-04 22:04 |
|
David Spiegelthal |
2016-08-05 01:19 |
|
Mark Charette |
2016-08-05 02:05 |
|
Burt |
2016-08-05 02:14 |
|
sfalexi |
2016-08-05 04:19 |
|
sfalexi |
2016-08-05 04:29 |
|
sfalexi |
2016-08-05 04:47 |
|
Morrigan |
2016-08-05 12:30 |
|
Morrigan |
2016-08-05 12:35 |
|
Chris P |
2016-08-05 12:49 |
|
Morrigan |
2016-08-05 13:09 |
|
Chris P |
2016-08-05 13:13 |
|
kdk |
2016-08-05 16:38 |
|
Tony F |
2016-08-05 17:32 |
|
GeorgeL |
2016-08-05 18:56 |
|
Caroline Smale |
2016-08-06 01:16 |
|
kdk |
2016-08-06 01:56 |
|
Wes |
2016-08-06 03:13 |
|
sfalexi |
2016-08-06 04:19 |
|
clarinetguy |
2016-08-06 04:33 |
|
BflatNH |
2016-08-09 06:31 |
|
clarimad |
2016-08-09 10:46 |
|
Morrigan |
2016-08-09 10:55 |
|
Chris P |
2016-08-09 13:10 |
|
greenslater |
2016-08-09 16:12 |
|
Chris P |
2016-08-09 16:58 |
|
KenJarczyk |
2016-08-09 23:14 |
|
Wes |
2016-08-10 01:10 |
|
DavidBlumberg |
2016-08-10 04:34 |
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
