High School Copies

[cowtown]

I was lucky to have Uni Profs living on my block or near by and well connected parents. They could often hear me practice (or not), talk about pressure.

But if you have relied on public education solely for your musical education up until age 18, it’s doubtful you’ll have the chops to make a living as a professional musician. I’d say the same about ice skating, basketball and most sports and activities

Sure, you can pick up a guitar rather late in life and maybe score a pop hit but pop music is often not based upon musicianship. So why pretend? If you want to be a professional musician there are other options to learn at a level that will allow you to potentially compete for a professional playing gig. Schools should prepare you for the real world of pay checks and bills

All too often, too much time and energy in high school band is spent baby sitting the window lickers and spazes – it’s a real turn off and a waste

[highpitch_83]

The Teal Cadets?

It always bothered me that band directors were/are so eager to blatantly rip off a corps show. First, its a copyright thing. Second, its truly unoriginal. At least try to change the music a bit. Or, use your imagination and do something new and inspired.

I agree with point #2 but I'd like to think at least some of these High Schools are paying a premium for these arrangements/visual ideas (or is my naivety showing?! I've watched many other groups get burned by the copyright bug and always make sure to cover my *** my organization or move on to another idea if we can't afford it)

[Rifuarian]

I was lucky to have Uni Profs living on my block or near by and well connected parents. They could often hear me practice (or not), talk about pressure.

But if you have relied on public education solely for your musical education up until age 18, it’s doubtful you’ll have the chops to make a living as a professional musician. I’d say the same about ice skating, basketball and most sports and activities

Sure, you can pick up a guitar rather late in life and maybe score a pop hit but pop music is often not based upon musicianship. So why pretend? If you want to be a professional musician there are other options to learn at a level that will allow you to potentially compete for a professional playing gig. Schools should prepare you for the real world of pay checks and bills

All too often, too much time and energy in high school band is spent baby sitting the window lickers and spazes – it’s a real turn off and a waste

Admittedly the first part of your statement is true 9/10 times. My little rural high school in Kentucky has produced more than a couple of successful professional musicians, though. But should music be restricted only to those who wish to be professional performers? What an idiotic sentiment.

And education isn't about learning to pay bills. If that was the case we would send our kids to vocational schools once they learned to read, write, and do a bit of math, with only a select few going on to high school and college. Education is about creating individuals capable of participating in and contributing to a (democratic) society, creating well rounded individuals free from ignorance, etc. and music ed is, believe it or not, a part of that.

Finally, you kill high school band, you kill drum corps (just ask a Canadian). And probably a lot more. I'm willing to wager that much of the audiences that keep non-pop professional musicians in business would not express the same interest had they not been in high school band. You kill band, and in a couple of decades you might see your audiences evaporating . . . well, evaporating even faster than they already are.

[redteamer]

I was lucky to have Uni Profs living on my block or near by and well connected parents. They could often hear me practice (or not), talk about pressure.

But if you have relied on public education solely for your musical education up until age 18, it’s doubtful you’ll have the chops to make a living as a professional musician. I’d say the same about ice skating, basketball and most sports and activities

Sure, you can pick up a guitar rather late in life and maybe score a pop hit but pop music is often not based upon musicianship. So why pretend? If you want to be a professional musician there are other options to learn at a level that will allow you to potentially compete for a professional playing gig. Schools should prepare you for the real world of pay checks and bills

All too often, too much time and energy in high school band is spent baby sitting the window lickers and spazes – it’s a real turn off and a waste

Music education doesn't exist to train musicians. However, it is a welcome byproduct. A musical experience in school is necessary to create better people. Without the musical aesthetic, or something similar to it, students miss out on an outlet for social and emotional development. I am ashamed by your comments.

[CrownStarr]

I was lucky to have Uni Profs living on my block or near by and well connected parents. They could often hear me practice (or not), talk about pressure.

But if you have relied on public education solely for your musical education up until age 18, it’s doubtful you’ll have the chops to make a living as a professional musician. I’d say the same about ice skating, basketball and most sports and activities

Sure, you can pick up a guitar rather late in life and maybe score a pop hit but pop music is often not based upon musicianship. So why pretend? If you want to be a professional musician there are other options to learn at a level that will allow you to potentially compete for a professional playing gig. Schools should prepare you for the real world of pay checks and bills

All too often, too much time and energy in high school band is spent baby sitting the window lickers and spazes – it’s a real turn off and a waste

Pretty much what Rifuarian said in response to this. The primary problem with your argument is the idea that being a musician is only worth doing if you're making a living from it. It's well worth it to play an instrument just for fun, or as a side job. Also, if it's run well, a school program will teach a kid how to play effectively in an ensemble, an extremely important skill if you want to be a professional musician but one that's harder to come by purely through private lessons (obviously drum corps helps with that too).

And god forbid, if school were to only be about preparing you for the dreary side of the real world that is paychecks and bills, kids would care about it even less. School (more so the longer you're in it) is just as much about making you a functional, mature and well-educated adult in today's society. Of course, don't take that to mean I think our American school system always works all that well, I'm talking theoretical ideals here.

[cowtown]

Admittedly the first part of your statement is true 9/10 times. My little rural high school in Kentucky has produced more than a couple of successful professional musicians, though. But should music be restricted only to those who wish to be professional performers? What an idiotic sentiment.

that would be an idiotic sentiment and one I don't share

It allocation of resources – and I think public funds should be put towards the more academic pursuits or vocational pursuits as a better investment for society. We do have several vocational high schools in the city even had some vocational programs in my high school – those got you ready for a paying job….so that you can pay taxes.

I’m just not convinced of the value or the return for the money that is dumped into band programs, more so after having sat in those band programs. I would support a pay to play model – on your own time. I feel the same about sports, theatre and other activities too (but not physical education which I think is necessary). Actually, theatre at my school was on your own time and you had to pay to participate, it was not treated as ‘a real class’ – it was a good model, weeded out the window lickers, they had a higher standard and it didn’t waste school funds

[highpitch_83]

I was lucky to have Uni Profs living on my block or near by and well connected parents. They could often hear me practice (or not), talk about pressure.

But if you have relied on public education solely for your musical education up until age 18, it’s doubtful you’ll have the chops to make a living as a professional musician. I’d say the same about ice skating, basketball and most sports and activities... /cut/

/cut/....All too often, too much time and energy in high school band is spent baby sitting the window lickers and spazes – it’s a real turn off and a waste

Being a professional musician and learning to play an instrument to use as a creative outlet are two different things entirely. Sounds like someone is resentful towards parents that stole their childhood.

I've been working with the "spazzes" you refer to year round at a local high school (Marching Band and Indoor Drumline) and have seen kids with "professional" talent first hand that would've flown under the radar if they hadn't had the opportunity. Coming from a supposed corps veteran, I'm shocked that you feel that way... what would your fellow alumni think of your statement(s)?

[redteamer]

that would be an idiotic sentiment and one I don't share

It allocation of resources – and I think public funds should be put towards the more academic pursuits or vocational pursuits as a better investment for society. We do have several vocational high schools in the city even had some vocational programs in my high school – those got you ready for a paying job….so that you can pay taxes.

I’m just not convinced of the value or the return for the money that is dumped into band programs, more so after having sat in those band programs. I would support a pay to play model – on your own time. I feel the same about sports, theatre and other activities too (but not physical education which I think is necessary). Actually, theatre at my school was on your own time and you had to pay to participate, it was not treated as ‘a real class’ – it was a good model, weeded out the window lickers, they had a higher standard and it didn’t waste school funds

The scant funding that high school band programs typically receive is well worth it. Your assertion that there is little or no value drawn from the band experience seems off. Also, a band program's measure of success should not be based on how it sounds. My high school band did not perform very well at concerts or on the field. Value is found in other more important aspects of the experience. Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there.

[garfield]

What the holy heck is on top of their shakos?

Looks like a big Christmans tree ornament.

[liebot]

*obligatory reference to self*

Siegel Band 2009

What drum corps show is that? I have no recollection of that being performed anywhere, nor do I recognize the music.