Text written by Vince Bruni in 1996

[OperationTaps]

Just thought some of you might find this interesting.

The following was written by Empire Statesmen founder Vincent Bruni as an Introduction to course materials for a class at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester during the Fall 1996 semester. The class was designed for Education Majors interested in becoming Band Directors....

The following was written by Mr. Bruni in 1996, and is directed at those wishing to acquire a deeper understanding of what it takes to lead an effective team in the marching/music activity.

"Attitude ranks high on the list of priorities to being a winner. Work ethic is the direct result of a good attitude toward achieving any goal. Conditioning and stamina are also necessary attributes for a performer in any competitive sport.

The over-riding mind set that you should have is to never give up; you have to finish the race in order to win it. This is a necessary element of being a success in any endeavor.

Loyalty is a very important factor in a band director or coach’s ladder to success. Loyalty from his or her players allows the coach to say “this is what we’re going to do, and this is how we’re going to do it!”

This attitude is a vital ingredient of a director’s ability to make a multitude of people respond to his request. Mess up once and you are disciplined, mess up twice and the punishment is even harsher. Three slips and you’re gone.

In teaching, the end result is going to be proportionate to what the teacher demands, and how persuasively he or she demands it.

The best teachers are demanding teachers, and the level of performance must be continuously improved until perfection is reached.

The “Good Attitude” performer works his way up, The "Poor attitude" performer gives up. Once you give up, you will certainly miss out on the chance to see what you’re capable of. The point of playing in a competitive band or drum corps is the competition process itself. It’s the best possible classroom; playing for people, with people, against people.

What can be gained by playing in a competitive unit? It’s not the score, it’s the competition. It’s not adulation, it’s the preparation. It’s not things being done for you; it’s learning to do it yourself. Winning isn’t everything after all. It’s what leads to winning, the competition that counts.

The experiences we will have in marching units will never be forgotten, and can never be duplicated. Young people who stick with the program, even though it is difficult, in the end will be the proudest group of students anywhere.

Marching units give members an opportunity to master many things that they will use in later life such as:

• The chance to learn, or "learn how to learn"

• To develop both intellectually and socially, and to make a difference in their community."

Teamwork in Music Organizations

© 1996 Tom Allen

Edited May 8, 2008 by OperationTaps

[Fran Haring]

Timeless words from a drum corps legend.

Fran