First, I admit that I have been critical of the quality of musicianship of "today's" high school music programs. A wise man once told me, " If you're not part of the solution then you're part of the problem". With that said, I sat down and brainstormed for a potential fix. One of the first things that came to mind was the model set forth by most athletic teams using the "cut" system. What I mean is that a student may try out for the team but may not posses the physical or mental skills to make the team at that time. Therefore they are delegated to the JV or Freshman squad. With practice and growth a student may be "promoted" to the Varsity team. Well in music we use the chair system which is supposed to ensure a more balanced sound, usually with the best musician on 1st chair with a declining scale. My point is, rather than inflate the band with students, instruments and uniforms for appearance of numbers, why not require the student to be competent in his craft before being allowed to preform with the band. In my opinion this would motivate the students to not only make the band but keep or improve his participation in the band. It just appears to me that the attitude is that its a right and not a privilege to be in the band. I've also considered the emotional toll that this idea may have on some students but with positive instruction the student will take this as positive motivation. I also realize that there may be legal concerns with tax paying parents at public schools. Now keep in mind,this is just a thought. Feel free to poke holes in my theory. I am eagerly awaiting opinions and feedback.
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That is a luxury that is no longer available to most band directors. St. Aug in New Orleans was famous for "cutting" like colleges do. However, that stopped in the early 90s when music was no longer taught in schools, but all the directors needed to put a band on the field. So, they accepted beginners and worked with them on the side after practice. The days when you have a 9th grader entering your band room who has been on his/her instrument for at least 2-3 years are very uncommon.But you have a good plan though. I am thinking more along the lines of a feeder system for high schools like what used to exist in New Orleans before Katrina. All the best bands in the city could count on kids from Bell, Woodson, and Gregory going to their school. What needs to be done is: 1) Elementry and Jr. High schools need to have band programs that emphasize mastery of the instrument(s) and fundamentals (reading music, scales, etc.). 2) Parades should only be for the "big dogs," high schools and colleges. That way marching in the parade is something to shoot for after you work hard. 3) Concert band needs to be emphasized. But who am I to judge, I started off as a beginner in 8th grade on 3rd trumpet at my high school. I took lessons, and played out my method books every day. When I came back for summer band camp in 9th grade, I knew my instrument, all my scales, and got 1st seat on 2nd. Some of this is about wanting to be good. I didn't like being on 3rd trumpet, and that made me want to get better.
without reading anybody else's response, ill put it like this..... if the program has a good base, then the weak weed themselves out...
When nobody is teaching music to the kids, and all they are playing are whole notes and half notes in most of their arrangements, then it waters down the product. This "being loud" shit has to stop for the high schools. The directors are really setting many of these kids up for failure and dissapointment. How many of these kids go to college band camps after they graduate, only to get zipped. Many of these kids need that financial aid the band provides to pay their tuition.
My 8 year old nephew told me he wants to play snare for SU after high school. The first words out of my mouth were, "You gotta know how to read music." That little dude goes to lessons, plays out his method book, knows how to play and read music for tenor, bass, and snare, and is on his drum pad every day for hours. That is the foundation that is needed to be good. But some kids don't have that kind of determination.
This isnt just a band issue, public schools cant just cut students anymore. Something about a childs merger into society or something... That goes for band, football, baseball, cheerleading etc. Thats why you have those girls with flab hanging out of their uniforms when it used to be the in-shape, athletic girls who only made the squad. At my HS there was a "spirit team" for the fat chicks to cheer in the stands and guess what? The "spirit team" is gone now. I went to the homecoming game last year and the cheerleaders were pitiful.
So High School teachers/ coaches cant just go around cutting students from programs anymore. All of this sensitivity and feeling of entitlement parent have for their child now days... If I went out for the basketball team at my HS today, I would probably make it and have some game time. Not too long ago the coach AND parents usually agreed that a kidd sucked.
But I've talked to different administration folks casually about marching bands at their schools. They honestly believe that they’re doing the right thing when it comes to chopping the program and sometimes theyre right. If theres a building meant to educated 140 music students but only 30 students are enrolled in the music program that is viewed as a "lack of participation" and is sent to the chopping block.
The funds aren’t there for middle schools to have music programs. Directors don’t graduate to work for free or in some teaching position that cant further their career. If the district says one teacher is to educated 90 students per day, then that’s what the principle has to enforce. If there are only 30 students in band the school will chop all of the orchestra, percussion, beginner, intermediate, advance courses etc. and stick all 30 students in ONE class regardless of skill level or interest. Then the director is forced to teach health, government or watch the idiots who cant follow rules.
And I will preach and keep preaching about NOT depending on any type of government aid to operate. That money always comes to an end. Get out and fundraise, tell parents to pay the damn fees.
I agree 100% with the "LOUD" theory. Half the time you can't recognize the song because the melody is drowned out by over blasting lower brass. There used to be a saying " STRONG AND WRONG" to describe that style of play. I understand the "red tape" but I'm still stumped on how a trained and educated director can stand in front of his band, arms folded and head bobbing to the beat while his band butchers a tune time and time again. Who's directing the band, the director or the students ? I understand that a man/woman must earn a living to support their family but as a musician, one must draw a line in the sand and say " enough is enough". Do the directors relinquish the majority of control to the students to appease them so he can maintain participation therefore keep his job ? If so, we have truly come to a point of complete deterioration of high school music. With all of this said, I would still rather that a student have an instrument in their hand as opposed to a gun or drugs.
FirstScreamerSA said:
Yeap. Let's not forget the focus on test scores which means the school system decides to pull kids out of their electives to place them in test prep intervention classes and then decide to cut the music programs to have more money to spend on test-score raising experts.
Chris - Pinnacle of Hummanity... said:
why cant music just be part of the curriculum in middle school and elementary.( you know...like it was when I was in school) Kids should not be getting into high school learning what a quarter note is...Its already shone that testing doesnt really work