Re: orchestra players in marching band


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Posted by Steve W on January 30, 2002 at 13:43:06:

In Reply to: orchestra players in marching band posted by Tom on January 29, 2002 at 14:53:54:

I totally disagree having orchestra or choral students in a HS marching band to increase size or for any other reason. At my university, only music ed majors were required to take marching band for 4 years (2 or 3 would of been enough). With some of the egos of our performance majors, I would of kicked them out of band for just their whining 24/7. If you teach HS band, there is a 99.9% chance that you WILL have to teach marching band. You can either put a quality product on the field while still teaching musicianship, tone quality, correct playing, etc., or you can take your coffee, regret having to go outside, not teach for three months, and produce junk.

Another way to look at it is in the eyes of the administator, school board, and the community. Fact, more people are going to see the band at one football game than at all the concerts combined. Fact, more people judge the quality and the size of the entire music department by the marching band alone because that's the only group they will see. Screw up the Star Spangled Banner once and see how many phone call you and the office receive. I also think that 10+ football games, 3 parades, and 5 marching contest is a great way to burn out the kids on being in band. If you're in a school that requires you to do it, go teach middle school or make the best of the situation. For some students, it's a let down when marching season is over. For others, they breathe a sigh of relief (I do when the football team is out of the playoffs, but that's another story). Do your best to convince the students that concert season is as important to the overall program. The problem is trying to convince some administrators. I've had administrator's eyes glaze over when I talk about upcoming concerts, solo and ensemble contest, Honor/Region/All State band tryouts, etc., but mention that you're not going to an out of town game because you have a marching contest the next day, and he'll come out of his skin. Most bands also do the majority of their fund raising by running the concession stands at the football games. Marching band is a necessary evil most of the time, but it can be a great PR instrument for the other ensembles, if you do it right.


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