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WGI starting a Winds division


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And how does 'guard members hearing more music than playing it' factor into your contention of them needing, requiring, demanding only recorded music to support all the multiple responsibilities in movement and expression in winter guard? Especially when guards have already been doing those complex things to live music in other marching arts such as DCI, BOA, TOB, UIL,ad infinitum?

Sorry I'm tardy in replying. I was watching WGI FN today. I suppose guards could perform to live music depending on their experience. I went to a local guard contest a few weeks ago. An exhibition guard appeared to average 6 years old. Recorded music with a simple tempo would be recommended for them. If the live music group can set up and take down as fast as the guards unravel and pack up their floor, then there should be no logistical issues in using live music for an experienced seasoned guard.

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Though a valid point, I think if a school program gets caught up in that kind of arms race it's because of a faulty educational philosophy. I used to run an indoor percussion and indoor guard program at my school until last year. Both were kind of small and neither was successful, and the staff (consisting of myself and my wife) were spread thin. We dropped the indoor percussion group this year and combined forces to run the Winter Guard. A huge difference! All the horn kids who were interested picked up a flag, the ones who weren't practice more (had a kid make All-State!!) and the into-it percussion kids joined an independent group with great staff and lots more resources/opportunities that I could never provide.

I understand completely, but we still see that kind of arms race mentality in band programs. At least where I live, it seems to be the big programs are always trying to outdo each other, and the smaller programs try and play catch-up with them. All part of a competitive activity I suppose. That's good that your kids were able to focus and improve their program after dropping the winter drums.

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I understand completely, but we still see that kind of arms race mentality in band programs. At least where I live, it seems to be the big programs are always trying to outdo each other, and the smaller programs try and play catch-up with them. All part of a competitive activity I suppose. That's good that your kids were able to focus and improve their program after dropping the winter drums.

This is a great point that we were even concerned about when starting out. The key will be in the rule book. If there are a maximum number of students, lets say 50, a smaller school that can get together even 20 horns have a much better chance at being competitve with a historically BOA dominant school than in a marching band setting where a small school with a 50 member marching band can only dream of being competitive with a 200 member band. In theory, kids of smaller less successful schools consist of very commited members(because it takes heart to be in a band that doesnt win every competition) and will likely be able to recruit at least 50% of their kids for a "Winds" program. That would be 25 kids right there. And if the BOA band is only allowed to use 50, then the smaller school might actually stand a chance.

The other level of concern in relation would be a rule book that would be able to control the amount of electronics. If there are little to no restrictions on electronics, a BOA band with money can just buy the world of electronics and essentially drown a smaller school with amplification.

If WGI can figure out a way to regulate just these two areas of the rule book, then this activity can be exponentially more competitive than marching band.

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This is a great point that we were even concerned about when starting out. The key will be in the rule book. If there are a maximum number of students, lets say 50, a smaller school that can get together even 20 horns have a much better chance at being competitve with a historically BOA dominant school than in a marching band setting where a small school with a 50 member marching band can only dream of being competitive with a 200 member band. In theory, kids of smaller less successful schools consist of very commited members(because it takes heart to be in a band that doesnt win every competition) and will likely be able to recruit at least 50% of their kids for a "Winds" program. That would be 25 kids right there. And if the BOA band is only allowed to use 50, then the smaller school might actually stand a chance.

At the same time, you need to consider the winter-time conflicts for those kids, most notably concert band and jazz band, plus wind ensemble/orchestra (if a school has them). The best musicians who participate in those ensembles, or at least a significant proportion of those kids, will most likely still look to participate in those ensembles. A smaller school, in theory, might not be able to scrounge up enough wind players for something like this WGI thing, and the ones they do get might not be the best talent. That's not altogether bad as this could provide an outlet for those students to improve even more for when it comes time to get back to marching band in the fall. A larger school with a better overall program would still probably have an advantage, at least in numbers. But really, I can't imagine that many band directors at a small school who are already having difficulty filling out their ensembles will be looking to add a program like this, when all it would do is provide conflicts for his students to have to choose one ensemble struggling to find members over another ensemble struggling to find members.

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Thank you for posting the WGI clarification; and I am glad to know that about WGI. I was responding to the posting by Nukeme70 where apparently the Texas Color Guard Circuit Independent World Class does 'not' allow for such an ensemble and just figured it also applied to WGI.

several local circuits devaite from following the WGi rulebook for a variety of reasons. Usually it's because of more regional or circuit wide issues than issues for those on the national level.

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But really, I can't imagine that many band directors at a small school who are already having difficulty filling out their ensembles will be looking to add a program like this, when all it would do is provide conflicts for his students to have to choose one ensemble struggling to find members over another ensemble struggling to find members.

Yup. Plus, when you have multiple groups at a small school competing for kids, most of them end up being mediocre.

If anything, this winds division would replace/combine a school's existing indoor program, if that's what the director wanted. Poor guard girls, though... our girls would MUCH rather do winter guard than do a second season of marching band. The wind players have enough challenging outlets.... :-)

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