Back in the day—don’t fall asleep!! It’s not one of those kinds of stories!!—it used to be cool to say “I’m with the band,” because for the most part, that meant you were a roadie or a groupie, or a friend of the band, hanging around to help out, move things, or provide all sorts of moral and immoral support.
But that’s not the kind of band I want to talk about here. No, this band is the high school band; in the fall, it is the marching band, focus of half-time shows at football games, and the highlight of most parades (unless you happen to like the politicians or the screaming fire trucks, that is). In the spring it is the Concert Band and the Jazz Band. And for the longest time, it really wasn’t “cool” to admit you were with that band (marching, concert, or jazz), and that’s an unfortunate thing. You know (unless you were actually in the band) you thought of the band kids as “band geeks” and you tended, for the most part, to stay away from them, or made fun of them, or ignored them, choosing to get more junk food to eat during half time, or trying to see who you could chat up under the bleachers.
You know I’m right, so be ashamed. Yes, it’s not nice to make fun of anyone, not just band students. But perhaps if people really thought about them, thought about what it was they did and how much time, effort, energy and sweat (not to mention money) they put into their music, marching, and entertainment for you, perhaps things might be a little bit different.
People need to really know and understand about BAND.
One of the most important things people need to realize about band is just how hard they work to do what they do. You hear tell of two-a-days that the football team goes through and you think how difficult that must be in the hot August sun; the band does that, too. They may not wear pads and helmets, but they wear heavy uniforms and most of them carry heavy instruments. They have to practice rigorously—their music has to be memorized perfectly, and each member of the band needs to know exactly where he/she is moving all over the field. This takes a while to learn and to perfect. During the early weeks of the school year, the band is out there first thing in the morning; some bands practice three and four evenings a week; some of them practice all day Saturday. And the band in this small town in which I live starts what they call “Early Week” two weeks before the start of school, some time at the end of July, during which they teach the new freshmen what band is about, and also during which they start learning their new half-time show for the up-coming season.
Band isn’t something you roll out of bed and decide might be fun to do that day. It’s something that a young person commits to, on a daily basis, often giving up lots of other fun things they could be doing, because they are part of something bigger than themselves: they are part of the band.
So there is learning an instrument and practicing that instrument, not just during band class or time on the field, but at home, practicing on a daily basis. Playing an instrument well is like anything else; it needs practice to make perfect, and practice takes time.
Rather than be dismissive of band students, thinking it’s nothing to marching around with an instrument, think about the hours of sweat, and tears, and learning, and practice that each one of them puts into their art. They are just as dedicated as any athlete you see on any high school/college/university team. They are musician-athletes. It’s not easy to do what they do.
Each band student invests a significant amount of his/her time into learning the instrument, music practice, and in the fall, practicing the marching maneuvers that will ultimately be seen during the half-time show at football games. Some bands might be smaller than others, but each band member (no matter how large or small) gets up early in the morning and puts in many late nights all to perfect what you see on the field. That also involves giving up their own Friday nights, which if you remember back to high school, were just about the most important night of the week for being free and socializing. Band kids socialize, mostly with each other, but they don’t have that Friday night freedom that so many high school students have. It’s their choice, of course, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve respect for what they do.
Depending on where you live, most towns have at least two parades (no matter how small) each year. Sometimes the smaller the town, the more parades it has. A parade is boring without bands—and they are also very short, with not much to see in them. Here is another instance where a band student is giving up significant amounts of his/her time outside of school to represent their school and their town, by participating in parades. If a band looks and sounds good, it reflects well on the town, on the school, and on the band director, as well as on the students. This, too, is something that takes time, because the band kids can’t lug around a large folder full of music as they march down the street—they have to have all the music memorized. More work, more time, more dedication.
Over the course of the past twenty or so years (and perhaps longer) as less and less money is appropriated for our public schools and the students those schools are trying to educate, too many times the programs that get short-shrift, being cut back or even eliminated entirely, have been arts and music. And music means band. It’s an expensive proposition to have a good, sharp, together band. Look at the band picture above. Each of those students purchased gloves (four pair) and shoes (at least two pair) and they have white pants (home games) and black pants (away games) as well as the jackets, hats, plumes, and gauntlets. They each have an instrument. Some of them are rented from local music stores, some the students own themselves, some are old instruments the schools have had for a long time. The guard (the girls barely visible to the right in the picture) also have uniforms, including flags, sabres (sometimes), rifles (other times)—sometimes more than one flag for the half-time show, depending on who is choreographing their routine.
All of this costs money.
The band has trailers (some bands have 18-wheelers, the more affluent ones anyway) to carry around all their equipment to and from games, and parades, and contests. Those cost money, in addition to the money the parent who drives the truck that pulls the trailer. They are usually Band Booster Parents, who with no reimbursement, (or maybe a little for some gas) give up their time and spend their own money on the band to see that it gets to where it needs to be.
At games, parades, contests, the students need to be fed. Often it is the Band Booster Association that will step in to help; often it is with donations from places in the community (grocery stores, restaurants, banks) that allows the Band Boosters to take care of the feeding of the band.
All of this costs money.
Some high school bands are lucky and get some funding from their schools, but even getting a little from the school doesn’t come close to covering the cost of everything band-related. Most high school bands—and I include the one in this small town in which I live—get nothing from the schools.
I think that bears repeating: most high school bands get zero monetary support from their schools.
Despite the fact that they are students too, who deserve to be supported just as much as any other group, be it an extracurricular group or any athletics team, despite this fact, and the amount of hard work, dedication, time, effort, energy, and money they put into their work, they get zero support from the school. They are largely ignored.
This is important for people to know. Nothing is handed to band kids. Booster Associations and the goodwill of community businesses as well as constant fund raising is what keeps a band together, not to mention what each students’ family puts into the bands’ efforts, because without parental support, too, it is difficult for students to stay with band—and let’s face it, for the most part, students who start band in sixth, seventh grade tend to stay with band throughout both junior high and high school.
This is just what people need to understand about these hard-working students. Some of what I’ve been talking about might differ from town to town, city to city, but the fact that the arts keep getting funding cut is something that everyone can agree on. It’s the first to go, and that’s just sad and wrong.
Which takes me to the last point I want to make here about understanding band. Often people who don’t understand will say, “well, what’s the point? Who cares about band? What is it good for in the future?”
And I’m so glad you asked.
Band kids learn so much more, beyond the right steps and the right notes, from their years in band. This is where life-long friendships begin. The bonds that hold band kids together is one of those ineffable things that is hard to describe to someone who hasn’t seen or experienced it. Because of everything they go through together, they become a family. Families have crises and fights but the bottom line in most families is that each member will go to the mat for another one, no matter what.
Band is like that.
Band kids learn how to get along, especially with such a wide variety and assortment of people from all different backgrounds, faiths, and ethnicities. They learn about compromise and about work ethic. They learn how to mourn defeat and celebrate victory. They learn how to work together, one unit, one team that cannot be broken.
Band is like that.
I don’t want to get bogged down in statistics, but they are out there, and they show that students who play musical instruments often have higher GPAs, test grades, and are more likely to succeed in college because of their musical training, than other students who have not had the opportunities they have had. Being “musical” works that creative part of one’s brain that sometimes doesn’t get used as much as it should as we go through life. But these students have that; they dig deeper, strive harder, produce more and work better together in a wonderful experience that they miss once they graduate and go on to college or out into the work force. They’ve grown and learned together.
Band is like that. Band is just wonderful on so many different levels.
And people should know that. It really does take a village to raise a child, and it takes a lot of help to keep a band going. Everyone works hard, especially the students, and they should always be respected, and even in times of economic turmoil, they should always be helped, just as athetics always manages to be funded. The band should be part of that funding as well. Our band students deserve that. ALL our students deserve that.
That’s probably more than you ever wanted to know about band, but it’s not even everything. It’s just a start. If anything is obvious, it should be clear that I love band. I support band and appreciate everything that goes into making the band run smoothly.
I only wish everyone did.
copyright 2012
MMM
Beautiful piece. How do we get everyone to know and appreciate music in schools the way we do?
Psssst! I’d love to repost this on http://amparents/blog, with your kind permission!
You most certainly may. You can use my real name, Mary Mackie, instead of “Ladysankofa”. The pictures of the band are all ones I took, so there are no copyright issues. Thank you for asking!
Nice piece, brought me back to Drum & Bugle Corp days and also being in both “orchestra” and “band” in elementary and jr high school. 🙂
Hi Mary! Getting ready to post your piece, but I need a photo & bio of you. Can you contact me, either here or on Facebook at http://fb.me/amparents (use the message feature). Of course, if you post them on your “About” page, I can lift it from there, as well. Thanks!
This is a great piece! You have put in to words what I have been struggling to explain to the parents that have no personal experience in band. They have a hard time understanding the commitment the kids have to each other and to the band, the work that goes in to a great show, or the money needed to make it all happen.
Thanks, Bill, for your kind words. I know how difficult it is to get people who are “not-band” to understand everything that goes into band. We struggle with this on a regular basis here in my small town. Good luck!
Reblogged this on Laura Lamere and commented:
I’ve written about supporting your child’s band – even being the “band manager” – but that’s not the whole story. Read this repost from a mom who supports her child’s band – marching band that is!
You’ve shared a great perspective – I’ve written about “being with the band” as a parent of young rockers (it’s still cool to say, by the way!) I reblogged your post on my blog for parents. Everyone should appreciate the work that goes into a child’s commitment to music! Thanks for your post!
Did I miss where you said where this band is located? It’s great to see kids active in any type of organized music, but marching band is perhaps one of the best things for them. In CT, though, and other northeast states (and a few beyond, who have copied our practices), it doesn’t end with high school, there being a curious thing called “Ancient fife and drum corps” that attracts kids and adults alike. We are a bit different than the high school marching band or the drum and bugle bands one sees at half-time shows, but we are going strong. . . our motto (one of ’em): “Let’s keep the kids ON the streets, where they belong.”
🙂
Susan
HistoryOfTheAncients.wordpress.com
Susan, you did not miss a location for this band, as I intentionally did not include it because I think it’s a universal situation and as such meant to leave it up in the air. But I can tell you that it is Claremore, Oklahoma and all those band kids in the pictures are very proud members of the Claremore Zebra Marching Band. Most of them are also members of the Claremore High Symphonic Band as well. Thank you for the comment and I’m glad you liked the post!
Laura, thanks for sharing the post, and thanks for letting me know. Obviously I feel very strongly about band!
Third picture down, clarinet out of step, tisk tisk… Seriously though, being a high school band member and a professional player now, this article is right on. So often the work and dedication of the bands go unnoticed and as I know the other school teams work hard to perfect their sport, as does the band to perfect our sport.
Thank you! I am glad to hear that you enjoyed the article. Yes, band works very very hard to perfect what they do—both marching band and concert band (and jazz band too!)!
Reblogged this on JenAmI and commented:
For all of the science I do, and did, music was always my first love. And I was a band “geek,” (though we we usually called a much less flattering word,) a competitive band geek at that. I learned hard work, and discipline, and responsibility…and I would be nowhere near the person I am today if I hadn’t been in the band.
I taught band for 30 years, the first 10 in small schools in rural NW Ohio. The first school had only 425 students in K-12 when I started there. On behalf of all small town bands everywhere, thank you so much for this blog post. I am sharing with my “music geek” friends.
Thank you, Sara. I hope your “music geek” friends enjoy it too! I feel very strongly about the goodness that is band, and wish everyone could experience it and feel the same way!
I am the Band Booster President for a small school in Alabama and I would love to share this with our community with your permission please….
Tammy, please go ahead and share this with your community. I am a member of the Claremore Band Booster Association and would be happy to know you’ve shared this with another wonderful organization. Thank you for asking!
I am a band parent…..this is my 7th year working with our band program, and my last year as my youngest child graduates this year. This article is absolutely the best article I have seen and speaks the absolute truth! I love every single one of my “band kids” over the years, I have lifelong friendships that started over 9 years ago when my oldest child did band, and band kids who see me out and still remember me, as I remember them during these 7 years that we have helped. The dedication and determination they show is inspiring to say the least. Thank you for such a great article!
Thanks for your kind words, Nicole. I feel very strongly about band, and how hard everyone involved in it works, from the director through all the students (guard and musicians), and all the Band Booster Association members who also work long and hard to support everything Band does. Glad you liked the article!
This is an awesome article. I am the Colorguard Instructor with our local High School Band and I felt every point you made. Have you written others that can be shared to express more to our schools the impotance of a Music Program?
Please feel free to share more at my e-mail address below..
Thanks, Bill. I am working on more articles and hope to post more within the next few weeks.
Thank you for a great article! My son is a senior baritone player in our schools marching band and concert band; he plays trombone in jazz. Band, especially marching is a huge commitment and so worth it! I wish everyone in our huge (3400 kids!) school could read this and realize the marching band IS a sport. During band camp our football players are also practicing…but getting ‘nap time’ after an air conditioned work out and lunch. Our kids…sit under a tree for an hour and then back at it! And our parents…most of them…are as equally devoted! It’s been a fabulous experience for our son. So much so that he’s planning on continuing it at Purdue University in the fall! I can’t get the whole school to read this, but I CAN share it on our band pages! Thank you again!
Congratulations to your son on his decision to continue with band in college! College bands are an incredible experience as well. I’m’ glad you liked this piece and I’m happy to have you share it on your band pages. Best wishes!!
Great, great article! I started in band in 5th grade and at too close to 40, I still enjoy playing in a local community band. I also marched in the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps in 1991 and it was a TON of hard work, but more than worth it. Sometimes, I wish I had marched another season or two. Every time I watch a band or DCI show or concert I’m sad that we only seem to hear about the bad kids running around causing trouble and that not enough good is ever said about the great things young people do.
There is an extra special place in my heart for drum corps too! Back in the 70s, our small corps played host to the Santa Clara Vanguards when they were on the East Coast and I fell in love with all things DCI. Bayonne Bridgemen too. The 27th Lancers and the Boston Crusaders. Your reply here is taking me back to all those incredible performances, thank you! I’m glad you liked the article~
Bluecoats 91 was such a good show
AMEN and AMEN! Well stated! One of the other “benefits” of band (or any organized music) is students are better at math than other kids because they understand fractions (because of 1/4 notes, 1/8 notes, ect) and can quickly move through moderately complex math in their head because they are already used to adding and subtracting these fractions in their head! Preach on!
Thanks, Karen, and you are absolutely right! There are so many statistics out there that show just how much band helps our students in so many ways, even outside of band. I want everyone–or as many people as possible–to know just how important and incredible and necessary music and arts education is. Thank you for your kind words!
All I have to say is Bravo!!!!
This piece touched my heart and made me tear up. I was a “bando”, & will forever be one in my heart. My closest friends were from band and they will always be my best friends. A lot of people don’t appreciate the arts and it is sad.
Again, Bravo! Everything you wrote has so much truth. Thank you for writing this article!!! I will for sure pass it along for others to read as well!
Thanks for your kind words, Katie! The close friendships and incredible bonds formed between people in the band are some they will have their entire lives. I’m happy to hear you plan on passing it along for others to read–thank you very much!
Loved your post! My husband and I met in college band and have 5 kids, all of whom are band geeks. I agree with all of the points you made concerning the merits of band and the hard work that goes into it. In some schools here in Ohio, students are now being allowed phys. ed. credit for participating in marching band, which is awesome (and, in my opinion, well deserved). A step forward! Being in band helped our oldest son to write some wonderful college admissions essays and win a full scholarship to a very expensive private college. The excellent reputation of his high school band also enabled him to get a $2,000 per year grant to be in that college’s wind ensemble. Our second oldest was not very focused and had a lot of trouble in school until he joined the high school marching band. Suddenly he had motivation and ambition. He is now a police officer who graduated near the top of his academy class. He’s not afraid of hard work and was not intimidated by long hours in the sun doing calisthenics during academy training. I could go on, as band has been wonderful for our youngest three children as well. In fact, in considering his future career choices, growing up to be a high school band director is currently at the top of our freshman’s list. Thankfully, being in the marching band does not come with a high risk of ACL and MCL injuries or brain damage from taking a hard hit on the field, so count me thankful that my kids chose band! It doesn’t give them glamorous reputations, but they do love it.
Thanks for this response, Jan C. I think “band geeks” rock! Congrats to your oldest on that full scholarship! I’m hoping that will be the case with my Sweet Sophomore Saxophone player, too!
Make sure he/she auditions for the music department, even if he doesn’t plan on majoring in music. We made the mistake of not doing that, and Ryan missed out on what might have been an even larger monetary reward.
P.S.: In case you’re interested: http://janconnair.wordpress.com/2007/08/17/band-nerds-of-the-world-unite/
Beautifully written. I was a “band geek” as well, and some of my best high school memories are from band trips. It saddens me that the fine art programs are the first to go. I recently heard a speaker say we are squashing our children’s (our future adult’s!) creativity by making sure that everyone is the same and participates in the same activities. I wish people would wake up and realize just how important the arts are. I live in a small Oklahoma town. There is no band, music or art program available to the students here. I came from a small Oklahoma town, graduated in the mid 80’s and our band was absolutely awesome. It seemed that there were relatively few who were NOT in band, and the only reason, I think, was that we had to choose between band and art. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this subject!
Michelle, the pictures in this piece and the band I refer to is from a small Oklahoma town as well. Not as small as some of them are, but not large like Owasso, Broken Arrow, or Tulsa. I’m glad you liked this; it seems to have touched a chord with a lot of people, and that makes me happy.
I would like to repost this as well for my friends (band geeks) here in West Virginia. Wonderful piece!
West Virginia! Wow! My little piece is making its way around the country! By all means, please go ahead and share, Greg. Thanks for asking! I have relatives in South Charleston; maybe they’ll see it too!
I just recently received this from a friend and had to comment, both as a former band kid and as (just recently) a former band parent/booster. This was great! Everything you said here is true. One line kind of jumped out at me – “well, what’s the point? Who cares about band? What is it good for in the future? I would say the same about sports. So a kid plays sports growing up, maybe is lucky to get on varsity during high school, some might make it to college level. VERY few make pro. Then that’s it. For kids in the band, at least some that I know, they form their own bands and perform locally for many years. they join community-based bands and put on concerts throughout the year or perform at the city parks or events in the summer. Performing musically is something that can be done for the rest of their lives, but not so much for sports as one ages.
anyway, thanks for a great post
Thanks for letting me know how much you liked this piece. I’m glad it is touching so many people!
As a booster and percussion mom you made me cry. These are the things I wish everyone, including non-band students, would understand and appreciate. I am going to share with other boosters, the kids- anyone I can. Thank you for verbalizing my thoughts exactly.
Thank you for your kind words, Amy. I’m glad to hear you are going to share it with other boosters and as many people as you can. It’s amazing to me to hear back from people who are reading it, and seeing how far my heartfelt story is making it around the country! And our Band Director cried when he read it, too! I’m happy to be able to touch such a chord in so many people. Share away!
Band is the most important thing in my life. No one will ever understand the feeling you have when you go to the biggest contest if the year & you march your heart out. Or how much you wanna cry at band camp, but there is so much more to it. I would relive my band season over and over again if I could.
You rock, Alexandra! Band is wonderful and I’m glad you’re in it and I’m glad to read how important it is to you! You are making friends and memories that will stay with you for the rest of your life!
Love this article. In high school I cheered and really didn’t think much about the band and how much it took for those students to do that. However flash forward to now. My 12 year old is in the middle school band. She is in the 7th grade and started band in 6th grade. It is one of the best activities she is in. People need to know all the time, effort, work and money that is put into it. Even the smallest instruments can cost a great deal of money for example a good step up flute will run you $1600.00 and who do you think pays for that, the parents. So am I defensive about the band–you bet I am.
I felt very strongly when I wrote this piece (and still do feel strongly) that I wanted just what you say here–for people to know all the time, effort, work, and money that goes into band and how little monetary (and otherwise) support a lot of bands don’t get from their school systems. Many of them rely almost 100% on the support of the community and their Band Booster Association. It’s expensive, but it is so worth it for our children, for the next generation!
There are a group of people that I have as friends on FaceBook. I have about 198 friends. More than 120 of us have a common connection. We are all close above and below the age of 53. Have you figured it out? These were much beloved band students under the direction of Larry Keating and the late E B Coleman of Murphy High School, Mobile, Alabama. We all cried on Christmas when our school was damaged by tornadoes. But we will never forget those days, hard, painful, yet highly rewarding days! Many of us now are business owners, technical people, scientist, doctors, PhD’s, still students, teachers, symphony directors, band directors, writers, missionaries, insurance agents, retired, psychologists, chefs, restaurant owners, decorators, retired, land managers, politicians, parents, grandparents—I could go on. But here we are more that 25 years later still sharing our love, our losses, our pain, our fears, our hates, our memories, and so on. Our directors expected no less than perfection on the field, and helped us learn to be prepared, to strive for those difficult tasks in life. Yet our school systems throughout the country want to cut programs like these? Murphy HS still is marching strong under the wonderful direction of Stan Chapman. I had the opportunity to meet some of his students from last summer. They have the same “best of the best” arrogance we had at that age. I stand proud to say these are some really great people old and young because they were “band” students. My proud hats also go off in thanks to cheerleaders and pep-squads who backs us up in cheers and support. They too were special and often overlooked.
I love this story, Julia, because it talks about the life-long bond formed by people in and associated with the band. It doesn’t surprise me that your high school in Mobile is still marching strong. Long may they continue their tradition of excellence! Thank you~
Thanks so much for this article, and for your willingness to share this exceptionally well-written piece! I’m sharing it with everyone I know!
Thanks, Lynn, for your kind words. I’m glad to hear you are sharing it around! It’s amazing to me how many people this has touched and continues to touch. I hope everyone responds so I can see just how far around the country it gets! Thank you!!
i RECEIVED THIS From my daughter. Angela Turner from Henderson County, Kentucky,, I have 3 kids and all were in the High School Band. I was in the old Hendereson City High Band. Our City High and County High merged back in the 60s. My mom and Dad were very muuch invold with band boosters which my dad was president for 4 yrs. Angie and her husband David Turner are so invold that it takes alm ost ALL OF THEIR FREE TIME. Very nice article. Bill Nelson from Henderson, Ky.
Thank you for your kind words, Bill. Kentucky, huh? This article really is touching people and is moving around the country and I’m so glad!
As a past President of our HS Band boosters, I have been preaching this same message to anyone who will listen! The most difficult challenge I faced for 6 years was getting PARENTS involved in our boosters and becoming involved with what their kids were doing and experiencing. Too often we lost really good music students because their PARENTS were not engaged, nor did they want to put in the time or effort to have a successful program. I also ran concessions on Friday night home games (both sides!) and had a really good core group who always volunteered and we made great money for the band programs. However, you know the 80/20 rule……
I, too, wish we had a higher percentage of parents join and be active in the Band Boosters, but the ones we have give 110% to concessions, fund-raising, cheering on the band, being there for each and every performance, no matter how far the band has to travel. We try to connect with the students whose parents aren’t engaged, and encourage them as “pseudo-parents” … I’m sure you all do that, too!
I have beautiful memories of high school band. This is a very well written piece. Thank you.
Thanks for your kind words, Jonathan. Those memories will never leave you, you know 🙂
Great article! I played varsity sports all year around throughout high school, so I guess I was technically a “jock.” But the kids I always hung around socially with were the band members. They were such a good group of kids – friendly, inclusive, smart, supportive, good senses of humor… (And as their friend, I always got the best drum rolls at pep rallies!!!)
Ironically when I went off to college with some of them, I wasn’t good enough to play sports at a college level, so I eagerly became the “band manager”. So I finally got to hang out with the band in a more official capacity, helping with setting up the pit, carrying flags onto the field for flag changes, etc… There’s good kids in all kinds of organizations throughout our high schools, but the band was certainly my niche! (If only I had taken the time early on to develop some musical talent of my own!!!)
Oh, I should mention that I married a “band geek”, and we have three budding young band members, with a couple of more who’ll be joining when they’re old enough! Everyone plays a different instrument (including me now, to some degree), so Christmas time is great! We have our own family ensemble for Christmas caroling for some of the local shut ins and nursing home residents in our parish. Music is a talent you can do so much with, even long after you graduate!
Sounds like you have a most excellent Christmas! I can close my eyes and imagine how wonderful that must be, all that music in your house! Music–and band–ROCKS!
I thoroughly enjoyed this article. I’m in my 7th year as a band booster /parent volunteer at Smithfield-Selma High School in Smithfield, NC. Your article could have been written about our kids’ band program versus any other band program in the country it is so close to the truth. The Spartan Regiment at Smithfield-Selma usually has about 80-90 students in marching band and they compete against bands 3 times their size. Their dedication, talent and pride comes through some very big challenges – not just funding, but space constraints and things most people never think about. We parents design, build and haul some pretty elaborate props. I’ve told my kids many times that you WILL USE ALGEBRA AND GEOMETRY as an adult, especially if you have a child in band. Here’s a linke to the performance of the Gold Medal winning Spartan Regiment at the USBA DeMoulin Challenge at Wake Forest University in 2012. Note the props that are loaded with flags, sabres, rifles and swing flags – all designed, built and hauled by band parents. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jhmIzQj43U
Thanks, Jennifer, and thank you for that link to the Spartan Regiment performance. Excellent! Great sound and what an incredible guard!
To this day my mom cries watching the bands march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade because, as she say, ‘those kids have worked so hard!’ She remembers when my sister and I were in band…
Tell your mom that I do that, too!
I am a trumpet in the Madison High School marching band, jazz band, and concert band. On behalf of my band, and all the people involved in keeping it going: Thank you.
You are most welcome, Jakob. What state is your high school in? I’m amazed at how far this piece has been shared around. Trumpets ROCK!
Thank you for sharing this with so many for I am posting this on my facebook, with your permission. We have a wonderful band with dedicated students, faculty and parents…you really did a beautiful job with the article and I am so proud to be able to post if so others can read it as well…Our Pocahontas High School Redskins Band absolutely Rocks!!!
Thanks for asking, Kay, and yes you may, just make sure I get credit! Where is your high school located? What state? Thank you for your kind words and I’m glad you enjoyed the article! I love band–obviously–and everyone who works so hard for it! I want everyone to know how wonderful it all is! Thanks!!
Thank you for this piece Mary!! I’ve been a “band mom” for 4 years now and I have 4 more to go. People have no clue the amount of work, effort and money that goes into marching band. The 9am to 9pm days during “band camp”, competitions every week-end from Labor day til Halloween, or later if you go to Nationals in Indianapolis. But we love it!! We wouldn’t have it any other way!! I have 3 kids in band, who love what they do. My oldest got a contract to march Madison Scouts this coming summer and he’s over the moon!! Our kids march for the Eastern High School Eagles, in Middletown, KY. Thanks again for bringing attention to this wonderful activity!! All the best to you!! Veronica B.
Madison Scouts! How excellent is that! Congratulations to your oldest, Veronica, that is excellent news! Thank you for your kind words; I’m glad it struck a chord with you. It pleases me to see that it’s made its way to Kentucky!
Looks like Kay Dawn Vaughn beat me to the punch! I’m the director of her grandchildren’s band. We’re a program in Pocahontas, a small rural town in Northeast Arkansas. Your article was/is outstanding, and I have shared the link with lots of colleagues. Thank you for putting into words the way things really are. I think it means more from someone whose job isn’t directly involved with your subject.
I need to share with you that we’re among the lucky ones. Our state hasn’t seen much in the way of cutting programs, although for many, funding could be better. I am blessed in that I work for a district in which we thrive. The parental, community, and administrative support is far and above what most programs our size enjoy.
Our booster organization is very strong, but of course could have more folks involved. I think your article will go along way to bringing in those who want to help, but maybe aren’t sure about what to do.
Again, thank you. You have done a great service to the young people who decide to share their lives and talents with those of us who want to share ours with them. God bless you for your contribution!
You are indeed among the lucky ones and I’m so happy to hear of it! I love our Booster organization, as well, and like you wish that we had even more people as dedicated as the ones we have. I really DO hope that this article will help along those lines. I’m glad to hear that you have shared this with colleagues–that makes me happy to know it is striking a chord with people. Let me say a great big THANK YOU to you, as a band director, because I know the long hours you put in, not just in marching season, but in concert band season as well and then throughout the summer in getting ready for marching season again. On behalf of all music parents and band students, thank YOU for all you do!!
Mary, I just saw your article someone shared on FB and would like to ask your permission to use this as our band once again starts to try to raise money for the upcoming marching season. This article is heartfelt and I don’t believe could have been written any better! I will certainly see that you are credited, but would like to use our own pictures… from Woodstock, GA – Woodstock Wolverine Marching Band [rocks!]
You may use it, Nina, with credit to me. Note also that when you use it to point out that you have substituted the original pictures with those of the Wolverine Marching Band. And I would love to see a copy when you do it, if that’s okay? It pleases me to know that my piece on band has made it all the way to Georgia! I love Band and want everyone else to love it as well! Good luck with the fundraising! I hope this piece will be of help to you all! Best wishes to you all, Nina~
Hey all you fellow band geeks, I just got some astonishing news from my son, who is a freshman percussionist in his high school band. Apparently our school is going to begin having Advanced Placement music classes next year, and the kids will get an extra 1/4 credit for participating in marching season. I thought the day would never come when the music program would get this kind of recognition. Fantastic news for all who love marching band.
That’s great news Jan C. Our band program (Smithfield-Selma in Smithfield, NC) began offering something similar this year. It required our band director to take some courses, pass a test and become certified, so we appreciate his efforts.
What a well written article! i wanted to add my two cents: I think one of the most important reasons for marching bands (and the arts in general) to exist is to teach creativity! The type of out of the box thinking that you don’t typically get in geometry or history class. This is often left out of the analysis when making decisions because the core subjects (tested subjects) don’t care about creativity. It doesn’t help you score high on a test, so how could it possibly be important?
This was a wonderful work. As a lifelong “bandee”, I can testify that you hit it spot on. Been involved in the activity since 1978. A student, college student, then band director (now retired). I still judge, and follow my son around as he marches the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps. Bravo on a great job. Chris
Thanks for your kind words, Chris, and thank you for a life-long involvement in all things Band! I love that your son in with a drum corps too! I hope they have a wonderful season this year~
One area not addressed here is that “Once a Band Geek, always a Band Geek”. Playing an instrument since the 5th grade, I cannot tell you how many fine friends I have made through the years. To this day, after 55 years, I am still playing my clarinet in the local Community Band in Oklahoma. And I am still making new friends. Your article was spot on, I enjoyed it very much. Charlie
Thank you so much for your comments, Charlie! And I’m glad to hear you’re still playing the clarinet! Keep it up! Band Geeks Forever!
As a retired music teacher I thank you for posting exactly what my students went through. The music teacher also goes through the same stereo typing. Believe me, I was a big champion for my students. Not only for them to be recognized but also for funding. I have many a story I could tell on this subject but I think the students I taught during my 35 years of teaching know how hard I fought for them to be recognized in a positive manner and how hard they worked to break the stereotype of perception out there. Good to see the response from your posting. NR in Kansas
Thanks for your comments, too! I have been amazed at the strong comments I’ve been getting from people. Obviously I am touching the heartstrings of so many people who are associated with band and music in one way or another! Thank you~!
My name is Kaitlyn White, I am a JR at Cisco High in the little bitty town of Cisco, TX. I am in the band at my school and I love it. I play the clarinet and have been in band for 6 years next year (my SR year) will make 7 years. I think what you said in this article is very true I have 4 brothers and all except 1 play football and we sometimes get into arguments on which is harder band or football, but the truth is they’re both equally hard, but my brothers don’t see it that way. As for the money our tiny high school only has 70 students in 1 band and thats only because we let 8th graders join and everything is combined, marching, concert, and we have a small Jazz band that meets after school only. We have a bunch of instruments, but most of them are broken and we don’t have enough money to get new ones/fix them. The athletic department recently took away JR high football concession stand away the from us and this year we just recently lost one of the best band directors we’ve ever had because the school wasn’t paying her enough and it took the school board a long time to find anotherone I was worried we were going to have to cut band altogether because of no teacher we had to reschedule some of our summer activities because we had no teacher. As for the recognition, it’s all about football here we recently took 7 ensembles to Solo and Ensemble(1 of which I was included) and all 7 ensembles made it to state, but we only got 1 day of recognition where as our football team the Cisco Loboes would have been talked about for 2 or 3 weeks maybe even 4. We hardly ever get any recognition.
Thank you. I’m a band mom starting my 6th year as “Momma Dils” to 140+ band and guard kids. This piece is perfect and rings so true. I cannot begin to put a price tag on what band has done for my children and for me when I was a student. My band kids treat me just as good and sometimes better than their own moms. I get the honor of watching them excel at something they are passionate about. Thankfully, at our high school, the band is treated with respect by the student body … something that certainly wasn’t so when I was in high school.
Thanks for your kind comments, Cynthia. Band moms rock!!
Also, forgot to add, that this fall, my daughter will be at The Citadel and be a member of their Regimental Band and Pipes. I’m super proud of her hard work and dedication to her music and that she will continue to follow the music in college. She started in 6th grade on the clarinet, in 7th grade was given a bassoon and the fingering chart, and in 11th grade she picked up the tuba to help out the band. Her senior year (last year) she was the tuba section leader. She’s going back to her roots at The Citadel and will be playing the clarinet. She hopes to learn bagpipes and march them before she leaves The Citadel.
Congrats to your daughter! That’s a wonderful accomplishment and I hope she has a most wonderful time at the Citadel! My daughter has also expressed an interest in learning to play the bagpipes. She’s a junior in high school, so we are just now starting to look at colleges–her main question of any college is “does it have a band?”–and she plays alto and bari sax as well as just now starting to learn oboe. Your daughter sounds wonderful! Best of luck to her!
Loved this piece it speaks exactly how I have grown to feel about my Band Kids. I have been involved with our local band boosters for 3 years and have another 5 years to go until my youngest graduates. Could I please share this with our parents so that everyone can see how important the Band is at our school. Thank you so much for sharing this.
[…] playing now for five years, one of which was playing bari sax. This post was originally published here. Photo credits: Mary […]
This is an awesome piece. I am the very proud grandmother of 14 grandchildren! Several are too young to even be in school, however my daughter has 2 that are in high school marching band now (freshman and soph), following in their older brother’s footsteps who was in marching band throughout highschool including a year as Drum Major, and who is now attending college on a full scholarship for music performance and education! I have been amazed at how hard these kids have worked, the incredible commitment of the students AND the parents and the school staff. It truly takes a village, tremendous commitment on all parts, constant fundraisers, and the giving up of everyone’s “free time” to make the program possible. Your article said it all, and said it so well. Important to mention, my son has two children who are very athletic, and are involved in softball, football and baseball. Those parents spend just about ALL of their time taking the kiddos to practices and games. Travelling to distant cities. Buying uniforms and equipment. Practicing with them. Encouraging them…very similar to band families, athletic families also work very hard. In both cases, the participants learn so many life lessons, keep their grades up and are success oriented. I guess the bottom line here, is having parents and school organizations that encourage participation! What a difference it makes to a child to have this kind of activity…friends….skills…..support….fun…education… that they certainly wouldn’t get “hanging out at the mall”. This is what successful families are all about.