Posted by Jason on April 08, 2008 at 09:58:20:
In Reply to: another marching question- very small band- should I even do this? posted by anon. on April 08, 2008 at 08:32:54:
I have a similar situation in that I do teach in a small school and we traditionaly march in one parade. Our athletic league decided to move the distric ttournaments up a week and now they conflict with parade day. The first year I found a parent with a big flat bed truck that we put hay bails on and played fun pep music in the parade. After that there was so few kids that it did not represent our program so we have not participated. Make sure anything you put in front of the community is a representation of the success of your program. It sounds to me like playing in a stationary setting would be great for your group.
: I teach in a very small rural school. It is my first year at this school. My MS band ( grades 5-8 ) is only 14 kids.- only alto sax, clarinet, trumpet, fhorn, and bass clarinet and 3 percussion) Basically I am rebuilding after a teacher who had been here forever. The teachers here told me that before I came, they used to play "name that tune" at the concerts because they couldn't recognize the songs. Anyways, we are having a great year so far, I have challenged these kids more than ever- our concert stuff is great- I have received so many compliments about how well the kids are doing. only problem is, there is a parade on memorial day that they marched in every year.( this is the only marching event) I have no experience with marching whatsoever. I would love to just have the kids play at the ceremony at the graveyard- and not march. My question is, should I even have them march if there are only 14, or should I talk to my superintendent about just playing at the ceremony? I really feel that the kids would look and sound alot better if we could just play seated at the ceremony. I am the only music teacher here, and I want to concentrate on concert band. What should I do? Also- only one kid signed up for "marching band" at the beginning of the year!