MoonHill Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 Agreed,can we move on to happier thoughts,please? How's this for uplighting: I just helped negotiate a deal wherein my local corps gets $1400 worth of work done on their uniforms, and it costs the corps nothing. The woman who did the work gets paid full rate, and the business that's paying her gets a tax deduction against next year's taxes. Screw You, Bad Economy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairbear Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 I'll help...a friend offered to sell us his old Honda CRV (he just got a new truck and had been driving the CRV for the last couple of years.) -- same model as my wife's car, but a few years older -- and at a rate that means by August we're paid off. Takes care of ONE major problem! as bad as things are,we all are blessed to have friends willing to help out,from time to time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 as bad as things are,we all are blessed to have friends willing to help out,from time to time! Tell me about it...I was going to ask if I could BORROW it for work next weekend, but he pretty much saved our ###! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrappyslap Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I don't get how anyone can claim that Drum Corps isn't affected by the econ.. I feel blessed to work as a Music Teacher... because I get paid to do what I love. BUT I certainly don't take that for granted. And dont think that I'm not saving up every penny I can just incase... so yes, the econ. has definitly (A)ffected my participation in DC. Deny it if you wish, but you are living an egocentric pipe-dream.The Rochester School District is a prime example of how "important" the Arts are being viewed in the big picture... over 50 Art/music/phys-ed jobs are being cut or cut back to half time positions. NOBODY is immune to cutbacks. One of these cuts in Rochester is a man who was awarded the "Mr. Hollands Opus" award. Sad, sad, sad. Agree, or disagree if you wish, but by cuts being made in our Nation's music programs, Drum Corps, and the future of Drum Corps is being affected. To everyone looking for new work, or worrying and saving like me, good luck to you all. There IS a plan... but sometimes its hard to see what that is until far into the future. I teach music in northern California. I've been layed off and I got teacher of the year in the district. I will be in Rochester though. see ya in August Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_D Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I teach music in northern California. I've been layed off and I got teacher of the year in the district. I will be in Rochester though. see ya in August Hey, i'm not saying not to march corps... If you can do it, then do it. My post was more directed twords the sad state of the Nation where people like you, who is obviously a great teacher, having been awarded "teacher of the year" are laid off because music and artistic thought lose out to standardized testing. Best of luck to you, and enjoy your summer! Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xsnaredrummer Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Hey, i'm not saying not to march corps... If you can do it, then do it. My post was more directed twords the sad state of the Nation where people like you, who is obviously a great teacher, having been awarded "teacher of the year" are laid off because music and artistic thought lose out to standardized testing.Best of luck to you, and enjoy your summer! Patrick Interesting note on that, studies actually show that musicians (or people trained in music) do better on standardized testing. But I wanted to ask you guys a question, since many schools are getting rid of their music departments do you think drum corps will see a large increase in membership? ... lets hear the theories! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomPeashey Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 This is very bad for Drum Corps and everyone should fight it any way they can. We need music in our schools. There was a time in the 50's and 60's when we had a corps on every corner and at every level. We trained our own players. That is no longer the case. The entire "entry level" drum corps activity has been dismantled and put on the shelf. It would take many years and a lot of money to resurrect it. That leaves us at the mercy of the school system for training potential members. There is an argument to be made that this would be an opportunity, but I just don't see any way to funnell the money necessary into this opportunity to create a "drum corps music school" opportunity... For now, it's a lot easier to help fight these stupid decisions on the part of states and school boards... "support your local band parents" becomes more important than ever before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_D Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Interesting note on that, studies actually show that musicians (or people trained in music) do better on standardized testing. But I wanted to ask you guys a question, since many schools are getting rid of their music departments do you think drum corps will see a large increase in membership? ... lets hear the theories! I absolutely agree... and lets not forget the "Mozart effect" 20 years from now, if we continue with this trend there will be far fewer people in this Nation who think creativly and outside the box, and far more people who are simply full of facts and have a hard time with problem solving. I think drum corps membership will remain steady, as the interest in music will always be there, but I think that with every music program lost in a school you will see a decrease in the musicianship and knowledge kids come into the summer with. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOSMarcher Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Agreed... however, many of the smaller community corps that taught kids how to play went away BECAUSE of the rise of school music programs. It doesn't make sense financially for a parent to pay for a student to learn how to play an instrument in a corps when they could learn for "free" in a school. Keep in mind, marching band is not where people are learning... it is the classroom. I know some bands charge concert fees, but I have not discovered programs that kicks out students, just because they cannot pay. I think using schools as training gounds is fine... maybe even better (they see the kids every day in most situations). Drum corps (quality) has benefited from it. There are not as many... but that is because we have marching bands now. Drum corps has moved from the community and become an elite group of marching organizations. $0.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sopbabe Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Agreed... however, many of the smaller community corps that taught kids how to play went away BECAUSE of the rise of school music programs. It doesn't make sense financially for a parent to pay for a student to learn how to play an instrument in a corps when they could learn for "free" in a school. Keep in mind, marching band is not where people are learning... it is the classroom. I know some bands charge concert fees, but I have not discovered programs that kicks out students, just because they cannot pay.I think using schools as training gounds is fine... maybe even better (they see the kids every day in most situations). Drum corps (quality) has benefited from it. There are not as many... but that is because we have marching bands now. Drum corps has moved from the community and become an elite group of marching organizations. $0.02 You nailed it Artie! Very well put my friend!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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