Re: extravagant student ensemble trips


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Posted by Cale Self on June 01, 2003 at 14:05:20:

In Reply to: extravagant student ensemble trips posted by js on June 01, 2003 at 13:09:25:

As a high school band director (assistant) of a large, very successful 5A Texas Band program, I would like to offer some encouragement to you. We take huge, and yes sometimes overseas trips with out entire band. In the last five years, our program has gone to Southern California, London (for the 2000 millenium parade), Washington D.C. for President Bush's inauguration, and to Indianapolis for the BOA National Concert Band and Percussion Festival. All these trips from a little down in the dust bowl of West Texas.

I can tell you, the ONLY reason we are able to do this with our students is because they are a highly motivated group of young people willing to do whatever it takes to make their program better. Along those same lines, nothing is possible without highly motivated band parents. Our parents are the most successful businessmen, doctors, lawyers, etc from our community and are highly motivated when it comes to showcasing their children and their band program.

Lastly, none of this is possible without the utmost concern for organization and planning. If you are having to send your students instruments yourself and not as a whole, as part of the band program, then I suggest that your directors need to plan earlier and better.

We do all this to make our program better, to make our students better players, and better people. NO other motivation is more important than helping them become better citizens.




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