Posted by D. Seebaugh on June 22, 2000 at 08:53:22:
In Reply to: how long will band music survive? posted by tubagoo on June 21, 2000 at 21:46:30:
I play in a decent college band that includes many very good musicians. I love to play in the band and I plan to continue to play (and to continue to improve as a musician) in this and in other groups. Our concerts are free and the vast majority of the audience consists of senior citizens and the friends and family of the musicians. However, while listening to a recording of last Saturday night's concert (which was really pretty good) on the way to work this morning, I started to wonder - Who really listens to this stuff (and why)? Is there a serious audience for concert band music (as there is a small, but serious audience for jazz and orchestral music)? While our audience seems to be appreciative, I suspect that most members attend because it is a cheap night out, the band shell is close to home, and/or because they have an obligation to their friend or family member. Do any of the folks on the BBS listen to concert band music (other than their own concerts) just for fun? I often listen to recordings than include soloists (right now, I'm working on "Bride of the Waves" and I found a great RealAudio recording featuring David Werden with the Coast Guard Band), but I generally find concert band music (even when played by the best) to be uninspiring (background music) - yet it's great fun to play. On the other hand, I'm a devoted listener of jazz and I wouldn't know where to begin as a jazz musician. A great live jazz performance can keep me smiling for a week while a great military band performance (other than the soloists) is almost forgotten by the time I get home. I know that everyone has different tastes (and I think that's great), but it feels strange to like to play music that I don't appreciate as a listener.
David