Why isn't marching bands more popular?

Topics and polls that cover the overall marching band activity

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Solemn Wind
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Why isn't marching bands more popular?

Post by Solemn Wind » Tue Nov 28, 2017 6:45 am

I'm one of those persons that can't wait til my hometown high school hosts it's yearly marching band show in November. I often drive to other cities to watch marching band show as well. This year I will make my first trip to the Rose Parade just to watch the Kyoto Tachibana High School Marching Band. I'm a grown adult but I get goosebumps just thinking about seeing them live.

I found marching band performers to be not just great talented musicians but the best athletes out there with the greatest discipline and dedication.

Yes, I go to the football game just to watch the marching band.

Fore!
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Re: Why isn't marching bands more popular?

Post by Fore! » Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:51 pm

And at the Rose Parade this year you will get to see two great college marching bands - Oklahoma and Georgia -

JCabralBCHS
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Re: Why isn't marching bands more popular?

Post by JCabralBCHS » Mon Dec 18, 2017 9:39 am

As a current student I hear a lot of other kids stereotype people in band and consider them low lived nerds with nothing to do, When I was in middle school after a drum major competition a lot of other student's would say "ew you're in band?'' after they would announce my placements on the intercom and A lot of other people even say I don't look I am in band and I always say " how do people in band look" and they always respond with " A nerd". From what I've noticed a lot of people quit before high school because of stereotypes. It is getting less popular as the years pass by as well too. I guess these are some reasons why school bands are getting less popular

magicsax22
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Re: Why isn't marching bands more popular?

Post by magicsax22 » Wed Apr 04, 2018 10:41 am

Probably a combination of the "nerd" thing already mentioned, and the fact that fewer and fewer schools start kids playing instruments in elementary school. Kids don't have enough time to really build the skills before high school to play really really awesome music, and having beginners in high school is tough because no one wants to play Hot Cross Buns and Mary had a little Lamb in high school as it is thought of as being "for kids" not "for beginners."

The other big problem is squeezing in the time. More and more, high school kids are being pushed to take more of everything and whatever the new shiny education macguffin fix all happens to be, that's where they are pushed. Yet the basic school schedule of 6 periods a day, many of which are already set in stone because they are mandated for graduation, has not changed. So then kids have to choose between taking AVID, or ROTC, or those STEM classes that are being pushed (or whatever) and many of the outside forces in their life push them away from music because "you aren't going to become a musician"...regardless of how much brain research shows working as a musician over years improves the brain for many other subjects, or the fact that kids are required to take math almost every year in school, yet very few of them actually become mathematicians...

In my area it is also a schedule issue from a home perspective. Many kids can't stay after school because parents need them to be babysitters, or their parents plain out don't want to have to deal with picking them up from school at a different time, or would rather them not be involved in anything that takes time outside of school because of often very flimsy reasons (they wont' have time for homework or whatever...which we all know isn't true with the number of kids we have that are the star students in the school)

JLGORMAN
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Re: Why isn't marching bands more popular?

Post by JLGORMAN » Thu Apr 05, 2018 8:05 am

Looking at this from a distance, I think that a major problem in most states is a lack of music support at the State level. As I look at how we do things in TX with UIL I have noticed that there as not been a drop in the amount of support for our music programs. In fact many conversations on our web sites here pertain to how we can make programs better. Since CA does not have State supported Marching Band events like, TX, OK, IN, FL, VA, MS, AZ, CO, NE, OH, KY, and surprisingly enough even Wyoming, you do not have the leverage to insure your programs get state support for Band. Until your state board of education recognizes the need for music in your schools, starting in elementary schools at 4th grade level. you will continue to not grow.

During this spring, many of us have attended the UIL Concert and Sightreading Festivals for Both Instrumental and Vocal music. WE have started state wide doing the C &SR programs at night to allow more people to see what this involves. This has allowed many of us to observe these programs and make comments about things that should be done differently. Yes most of us are not happy with the Sight reading selections this year and find that many Smaller schools are being required to read arrangements more suitable for large wealthy, school systems. Fortunately because UIL is accountable to our schools things will change, not that it will help some schools this year, but the problem will be fixed. Unless you have a Strong Musical Support system in your state, you are fighting an uphill battle. Good luck
Deep in the Heart of Texas. Home of the III Mobile Armored Corps and the 1st Cavalry Division, serving America in Iraq

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