Re: Is band "uncool"?


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TubeNet BBS ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by David Carter on August 31, 2003 at 02:16:29:

In Reply to: Is band "uncool"? posted by Geezer on August 30, 2003 at 20:07:05:

It's cool to the students who are in it, but I worry about the gap between any mature art form and what young people are actully exposed to. Most youth culture is junk food for the eyes and ears.
On a different level bands are clearly the fad of an earlier era. I think it's only a matter of time before more schools begin offering class piano and class guitar, as being of more interest to the average student (and their families). It will not happen now with the economic downturn, but given time it could. Let's be honest and admit that in many, many schools the administration only cares about bands becuase they perform at athletic events. We've long since reached the point where college bands at games don't recieve air time becuase commercials are more important than a band playing for half time. Between budget problems and the fact that in most schools only 5 to 10 percent of students are band members the day could come when your administration cares less about your band than some teenage dance routine to CD rap for half time. I've actually seen it happen at one school. In fact one of the biggest challenges for music eduacators nowdays is the ongoing task to educate adults (parents, administrators ) on what a music education is, why it matters, and how to acheive it. Already I've seen schools where adminstration doesn't know or care- they want music only as part of their brag sheet for the school-we have computers, gifted talented, drama, multi cultural, rotc, and yes we have music too, although it's budget may be no more than the cheerleading squad. Many parents want their kids to "smorgasboard" school activites-a semester year of many different offerings. Of course everyone reading this knows that a music program that only keeps students in it for a year or so is a failure. Smorgasboarding doesn't teach a student how to do anyting well.
Yes there are some very good music programs, but on the whole music programs are funded (when funded at all) as an adjunt to the athletic program, and selling your program to parents, kids, and your own administration has probably never been harder.


Follow Ups: