Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Should I use CC for Band?


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Posted by Jay Bertolet on July 17, 2001 at 08:06:22:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Should I use CC for Band? posted by dp on July 16, 2001 at 20:50:07:

I think Dale makes some really good points here. I don't know if I'm in one of "the top two orchestras" in the state of Florida but for the record, I marched 3 years in high school (hated every minute of it), transferred to a high school without a marching band (Interlochen) for my senior year, and never marched a single step in college (Universities of Michigan and Illinois, both with really good marching bands). I think what I did may be more typical for the 1% student regarding the question of how best to train the prospective professional musician. Rather than limit my education to the public school system, I sought out more intense and focused training at a private school specializing in the arts. The truth is that no matter how good a public high school is, it can never provide the training I got at Interlochen. A public school has neither the resources, nor the faculty, nor the freedom to structure a curriculum to maximize performance excellence like a performing arts high school. That environment is where "the next Sumner E." really belongs. Have great players been produced in the public school environment? Absolutely. For me, I feel the arts oriented high school was just the better, more efficient choice.

What does all this have to do with marching band? I feel marching isn't a detrimental activity to playing. I feel the time committment is. I have a student at FIU who is in a drum corps and the amount of time he's away for practice hurts both his lessons and tuba ensemble. Sure, he's in great physical shape. But at what cost? How much more could he do with the instrument if he didn't have to spend all that time practicing his salute, etc.? When it comes to marching band, I say it is all about priorities. If having a great time in the marching band is your priority, I say do it and have fun. But don't come whining later when others who didn't choose to have that fun spent their time in the woodshed and can now kick your butt in the audition. Do you wanna be a player? Make your choices accordingly.

My opinion for what it's worth...


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