Marching Band
Perspectives Project
|
|
Student’s Perspective Positive · many leadership opportunities · travel · not as much competition as in concert band (only one marching band, no auditions for chairs) · freshman will meet some upperclassmen at band camp before school starts – this can make the first few days of school easier · marching band music is a break from concert music – being in both types of bands gives you the opportunity to play different styles of music · gives students the chance to be involved in many school and community functions · rehearsal is a time to forget about everything else and focus on band, this makes it a good break from the school day · meet many new people through marching band · several performances – you get to perform a variety of different shows, where as in concert band, you may spend several weeks working on the same music for a concert · students work together and take pride in the group · band shows and weekly games give students a chance to see several other bands perform; this opportunity is not as common in concert band · students can actively participate in football games each week · good extracurricular activity for college applications · may be a good time to learn a new instrument or to play a secondary instrument ·
marching band is only in fall, so students can
be in marching band for part of the year and another activity for the other
part Negative · other extracurricular activities may conflict with band rehearsal · summer schedules need to be made around band camp · woodwind players may need to learn a marching band instrument (this could be positive or negative, depending on the student) · students may be forced to choose between marching band and an athletic team, if the school does not allow them to participate in both · marching band takes up a lot of evening/weekend time · traveling may conflict with class or study time · marching band can damage instrument · it is difficult to work and be in marching band at the same time · supplies can be expensive – flip folders, shirts, gloves, shoes, etc. · students who only want to be in concert band may be required to march also · transportation – students need to find a way to and from rehearsals, as well as a way to transport large instruments and uniforms · the director’s feelings about marching band often impact the attitude of the group; if the director does not enjoy marching band, it may be a negative experience for the student · memorizing music can be time consuming and take away from practice time (student will spend all of his practice time memorizing one song instead of working on other music) · student may be embarrassed to be in marching band if the group has a negative reputation in the school · students don’t like being corrected by other students (squad leaders); marching band rehearsal is run differently than concert band rehearsal - some students do not like the format of a marching band rehearsal Director’s Perspective Positive · gets the community involved with the band program · good recruitment tool · gives an opportunity to teach style, articulation, and breath control · can be used to increase concert band numbers · may help bring more financial support to the entire music program · gives students a chance to experience different styles of music · encourages time management skills and responsibility in students · allows students to interact with other band members (There may be more than one concert band, so the same groups of students are always together; having only one marching band gives students a chance to get to know everyone in the band program.) · gives students the opportunity to travel · students usually see a different band perform each week – this can be used to compare and contrast style and other aspects of performance · marching and playing can improve rhythm – marching band helps students to physically feel the beat · gives parents the opportunity to be more involved with the band program · gets students to work together for a common goal; this skill will carry over into concert band · many performance opportunities · gives equal opportunities to both weak and strong players – weaker players may be great leaders (in terms of marching style, enthusiasm, organization) and stronger players can set a musical example Negative · can cut into concert band time · very time-consuming · expensive – uniforms, instruments/repairs, travel, etc. · there is always the demand to be prepared for the next week’s performance · the band may not learn much music if you repeat or rotate shows · it could be difficult to make marching band an educational experience for the students and entertaining to the audience · the band may be put second to the football team · if marching band is required, it may cause students who do not want to march to quit and reduce concert band numbers · students may not put as much effort into playing if they feel that “its just marching band”; it may be more difficult to teach the correct style · a student who plays one instrument in marching band and another in concert band may have trouble switching at each rehearsal – this could impact tone quality and technique · giving student leaders authority can lead to problems within the section; it could be difficult to set limitations on what the section and squad leaders can and cannot control · students get used to overblowing and develop a poor tone quality – this could be hard to eliminate in concert band · it takes a lot of time and planning to generate the support needed for marching band (parents to help with uniforms, support from school administrators and athletic coaches) · director needs to be careful not to let marching band overshadow the other musical groups - it is unfair to let one group get all the attention while the others struggle for support ·
weather conditions can interfere with marching
time and make it difficult to get drill learned in time for the next
performance |
