2011 Marching Band Season post--already....

[golfgal]

Why wouldn't he be able to do sports? We have a very successful, high caliber band, and our directors work with the coaches so that kids can do both. There has been a football player or two who was also in band...they wear their football uniform during the field show and march with the band. It may not win points in a competition, but I think it's really cool that our directors/coaches are willing to work together so kids can pursue all of their interests!

Same here. It's a lot of work but it is still possible. I do find that usually by junior year-the most rigorous academically for most kids--that the kids that do both sports and band usually make a choice of one over the other. Our band directors are great about working around sports schedules, etc. Some of the coaches, not so much. The girls soccer coach got bit in the rear big time by making it a policy that you couldn't be in band and soccer--lost about 1/2 of the starting line up to band .

DS16 brought home the price list today. Freshmen owe $200, DS owes $148 because he already has the polo and the shoes. Our fees include: meals at contests, marching shoes, uniform dry cleaning, polo shirt, show t shirt, tech fee, gloves, band banquet meal, $40 deposit for trip.

I think our prices are great. This years trip is to St Louis. It is supposed to be $350. Next year is Ireland, $2,500 and we will have 2 in band. Last year was $1000 for Orlando. The kids can do fundraisers to raise their money for the trips.

Day 2 of Band Camp here today. So far DS is happy! Its so hot, so they march in the morning and play inside in the afternoon.

Are you going to St. Louis to watch. I HIGHLY recommend that you do. If you are going, get your hotel reservations now. If there are still rooms, the Drury Inn across from the ED Jones dome is the easiest but most of the hotels near there are ok.

I would LOVE it if our band trip next year would be to Ireland


I went to watch the run through of our show at the end of their practice yesterday. They have the opener and ballad "done". It is going to be such a COOL show. Their music is amazing and the field design is just FUN. Of course the show is never "done" until the season is over. I just saw that temps next week are supposed to be in the mid to 70's here . Way better then the 126 they had during the first week of band.

 

[tinkerbellfriend]

Just found this thread today. My son is new to marching band this year. He is in 9th grade. His band camp started at the end of July. They started with 4 hour day practices and now they are up to 7 hour practices this week and next week it goes to 10 hours a day. It is crazy. He is loving it though! I love reading about all the other bands on this thread.

 

[Gina]

Today ends the first week of band camp, and DS says it is going great. The show is called "Overthrone," and he said it's music from the Queen of Sheba? He said he really likes the music. I'm looking forward to hearing it for the first time at the parent preview next Thursday night.

My DS is so happy, because they gave him a primary spot. The band is 250+, and so many kids want to be in it, and there are only so many full-time marching spots. A lot of the band members have to "share" spots, switching off from game to game and for competitions. Another group just does props on the field, and only plays their instrument in the stands. My son was a Freshman last year, and was a prop-pusher. He worked really hard all last year, and now has his own sax (which I think his band directors understandably view as committment), and is just over the moon to have primary spot "AS (alto sax) -1" for this year.

I only say the above to illustrate why I think marching band is so great for kids. To see your hard work pay off in tangible results is SO powerful, and builds so much self-esteem at a time in their lives when that can be a hard thing to come by. And kids who are not only involved in time-heavy activities but in activities that build that crucial self-esteem are *so* much less likely to become involved in drugs & alcohol. Plus, they have to learn to work hard both as individuals (for things like UIL solo & ensemble) and as part of a finely-tuned machine in the whole band. It's just an invaluable experience for all of them!

 

[momof1princess]

any clarinet parents want to chime in on a new clarinet for my DD? DH and i are considering replacing hers next year (we just paid it off through our local music store a few months ago-a rent to own deal, and it's pretty old), but we have NO idea what to buy. i'll ask her band director, of course, but i'd also like to hear from the band parent experts!

 

[golfgal]

any clarinet parents want to chime in on a new clarinet for my DD? DH and i are considering replacing hers next year (we just paid it off through our local music store a few months ago-a rent to own deal, and it's pretty old), but we have NO idea what to buy. i'll ask her band director, of course, but i'd also like to hear from the band parent experts!

No clarinet players here but our band recommends these for upgrades;

CLARINET (all solid Grenadilla wood)
1.) Buffet R-13 (with Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece& Luyben ligature)
2.) Buffet E-11 (with Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece & Luyben ligature)
3.) Leblanc Noblet 45 (with Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece& Luyben ligature)

 

[klj27]

Just a half hour and we will be leaving for the parent preview!!!

 

[spaceacewannabe]

No clarinet players here but our band recommends these for upgrades;

CLARINET (all solid Grenadilla wood)
1.) Buffet R-13 (with Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece& Luyben ligature)
2.) Buffet E-11 (with Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece & Luyben ligature)
3.) Leblanc Noblet 45 (with Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece& Luyben ligature)

Clarinet player and band director here. Good recommendations on instruments. Luyben ligatures are nice (and fairly unbreakable). The mouthpiece is a very personal thing, so your daughter should try several. I personally would not enjoy playing on a Vandoren 5RV---not because it's not a great mouthpiece, but it's not the best for me.

My bigger point, though, is that you should keep your daughter's old, student-model clarinet for marching. The above clarinets are great for concert band, but because they are wood, the weather can cause them to crack. Plastic instruments are more durable for marching band

 

[rszdtrvl]

Guess I won't be joining your bandie mom club after all.

Picked up my son from camp and explained everything, and he is NOT willing to stop taking guitar lessons (there is no way to do that and marching band, as his guitar instructor teaches only at night) and that he wants to do another option I gave him : Piano!

His first choice would be DJ with the school radio station, but they don't allow that until children are Sophomores (I have no idea if there are exceptions until I talk to his counselor) but he says that as long as he is doing something music in school he is happy.

And beginner piano is definitely a music skill that is good to have! Plus, he can still play drums at home.

Good luck to all of your kids!!

 

[momof1princess]

Originally Posted by golfgal
No clarinet players here but our band recommends these for upgrades;

CLARINET (all solid Grenadilla wood)
1.) Buffet R-13 (with Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece& Luyben ligature)
2.) Buffet E-11 (with Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece & Luyben ligature)
3.) Leblanc Noblet 45 (with Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece& Luyben ligature)

Clarinet player and band director here. Good recommendations on instruments. Luyben ligatures are nice (and fairly unbreakable). The mouthpiece is a very personal thing, so your daughter should try several. I personally would not enjoy playing on a Vandoren 5RV---not because it's not a great mouthpiece, but it's not the best for me.

My bigger point, though, is that you should keep your daughter's old, student-model clarinet for marching. The above clarinets are great for concert band, but because they are wood, the weather can cause them to crack. Plastic instruments are more durable for marching band

thank you both for your recommendations! our weather is very hot and humid most of the time (the only cold we experience is marching in the city Christmas parade, lol), so i was concerned about a wood instrument cracking. price is a factor, as we're currently a one-income family, but it looks like i've got some research to do! (i love looking things up online!)

ETA: HOLY SMOKES! those buffet clarinets are WAAAAY out of our price range, but they're beautiful! better not let DD see them, or i'll end up selling a kidney on the black market!

 

[Mickeyluver37]

Why wouldn't he be able to do sports? We have a very successful, high caliber band, and our directors work with the coaches so that kids can do both. There has been a football player or two who was also in band...they wear their football uniform during the field show and march with the band. It may not win points in a competition, but I think it's really cool that our directors/coaches are willing to work together so kids can pursue all of their interests!

I think I'm all caught up on this thread...some very interesting differences between where we all live and how the band is run. DD is in Color Guard and just finished up her first week of band camp- which is at the school. I have asked several times why we don't have an overnight camp, and been told it's some kind of state or district rule and it's not allowed.

We pay $400 now for marching, and the county/district pays NOTHING. So, since the price of the busses goes up every year, so does our costs. We don't know how much winter indoor guard is going to cost, yet. There is a Spring Trip every year, but it's usually in the $400-$500 range- nowhere too far, and always by bus. I'm just hoping that some time in the next 4 years they'll finally do Disney! We got a new band director last year, and hopefully he's game.

And the above is the biggest difference. There is no way you'd ever see band kids doing sports. There is just too much time commitment, and certainly would conflict. Band camp started August 1st- same time as the tryouts for fall sports. No way to be at both, and both would be mandatory. I supposed a kid that plays an instrument could do a spring sport, but not the guard, as their season ends in late April.

 

[momof1princess]

I think I'm all caught up on this thread...some very interesting differences between where we all live and how the band is run. DD is in Color Guard and just finished up her first week of band camp- which is at the school. I have asked several times why we don't have an overnight camp, and been told it's some kind of state or district rule and it's not allowed.

We pay $400 now for marching, and the county/district pays NOTHING. So, since the price of the busses goes up every year, so does our costs. We don't know how much winter indoor guard is going to cost, yet. There is a Spring Trip every year, but it's usually in the $400-$500 range- nowhere too far, and always by bus. I'm just hoping that some time in the next 4 years they'll finally do Disney! We got a new band director last year, and hopefully he's game.

And the above is the biggest difference. There is no way you'd ever see band kids doing sports. There is just too much time commitment, and certainly would conflict. Band camp started August 1st- same time as the tryouts for fall sports. No way to be at both, and both would be mandatory. I supposed a kid that plays an instrument could do a spring sport, but not the guard, as their season ends in late April.

same here. a band kid could never try out for a fall sport (football or basketball), as there are just too many scheduling conflicts, and the band and football team practice pretty much simultaneously. once football and marching season is over in december, it would be much easier. spring sports (baseball, golf, etc.) would be doable, i think.

 

[marcyinPA]

I think I'm all caught up on this thread...some very interesting differences between where we all live and how the band is run. DD is in Color Guard and just finished up her first week of band camp- which is at the school. I have asked several times why we don't have an overnight camp, and been told it's some kind of state or district rule and it's not allowed.

We pay $400 now for marching, and the county/district pays NOTHING. So, since the price of the busses goes up every year, so does our costs. We don't know how much winter indoor guard is going to cost, yet. There is a Spring Trip every year, but it's usually in the $400-$500 range- nowhere too far, and always by bus. I'm just hoping that some time in the next 4 years they'll finally do Disney! We got a new band director last year, and hopefully he's game.

And the above is the biggest difference. There is no way you'd ever see band kids doing sports. There is just too much time commitment, and certainly would conflict. Band camp started August 1st- same time as the tryouts for fall sports. No way to be at both, and both would be mandatory. I supposed a kid that plays an instrument could do a spring sport, but not the guard, as their season ends in late April.

same here. a band kid could never try out for a fall sport (football or basketball), as there are just too many scheduling conflicts, and the band and football team practice pretty much simultaneously. once football and marching season is over in december, it would be much easier. spring sports (baseball, golf, etc.) would be doable, i think.

Is band a class for your kids? In our district, at the high school level, band is a class. They are graded in it, and it counts toward their GPA. Everyone in band has it first block, which is 90 minutes (3x a week). The band also practices every morning before school, from 7 am through the end of first block. This is how kids in sports are able to participate. They work it out. We have a world renowned band, and our football team was state champs 3 years ago, so both very high caliber, and they still are able to work it out. I'm not saying every kid does it, but many do.

 

[momof1princess]

Is band a class for your kids? In our district, at the high school level, band is a class. They are graded in it, and it counts toward their GPA. Everyone in band has it first block, which is 90 minutes (3x a week). The band also practices every morning before school, from 7 am through the end of first block. This is how kids in sports are able to participate. They work it out. We have a world renowned band, and our football team was state champs 3 years ago, so both very high caliber, and they still are able to work it out. I'm not saying every kid does it, but many do.

band is a class for our kids (it's 2nd period for DD13), and they do receive a grade. however, band practice is after school, which is also when the football team practices, so it wouldn't be logistically possible at DD's high school, unless the kid was able to get permission from both the band director and the football coach to miss multiple practices per week, in order to go back and forth between the two. i'm new to the HS marching band (2nd year), so while i don't know of anyone who's done it, it might be possible, with a great deal of juggling and dedication.

 

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by golfgal
No clarinet players here but our band recommends these for upgrades;

CLARINET (all solid Grenadilla wood)
1.) Buffet R-13 (with Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece& Luyben ligature)
2.) Buffet E-11 (with Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece & Luyben ligature)
3.) Leblanc Noblet 45 (with Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece& Luyben ligature)



thank you both for your recommendations! our weather is very hot and humid most of the time (the only cold we experience is marching in the city Christmas parade, lol), so i was concerned about a wood instrument cracking. price is a factor, as we're currently a one-income family, but it looks like i've got some research to do! (i love looking things up online!)

ETA: HOLY SMOKES! those buffet clarinets are WAAAAY out of our price range, but they're beautiful! better not let DD see them, or i'll end up selling a kidney on the black market!

Check online at Woodwinds/Brasswinds but also check Craigslist and other local ads. Often you can find used instruments--even in music stores if you have one locally, you can find used instruments. In most cases a used instrument is often better since it is "broken in". Also, no everyone needs a top of the line instrument. If she isn't planning on playing past high school, I wouldn't get her one. Upgrading her mouthpiece and ligature can help in many cases.

I think I'm all caught up on this thread...some very interesting differences between where we all live and how the band is run. DD is in Color Guard and just finished up her first week of band camp- which is at the school. I have asked several times why we don't have an overnight camp, and been told it's some kind of state or district rule and it's not allowed.

We pay $400 now for marching, and the county/district pays NOTHING. So, since the price of the busses goes up every year, so does our costs. We don't know how much winter indoor guard is going to cost, yet. There is a Spring Trip every year, but it's usually in the $400-$500 range- nowhere too far, and always by bus. I'm just hoping that some time in the next 4 years they'll finally do Disney! We got a new band director last year, and hopefully he's game.

And the above is the biggest difference. There is no way you'd ever see band kids doing sports. There is just too much time commitment, and certainly would conflict. Band camp started August 1st- same time as the tryouts for fall sports. No way to be at both, and both would be mandatory. I supposed a kid that plays an instrument could do a spring sport, but not the guard, as their season ends in late April.

Our band practice during the school year is at 5:30 PM, after sports practices are finished. The kids that usually do both are generally the top kids academically/musically/athleticly so missing a practice here and there isn't really going to hurt them much. Some sports are easier than others to do both. Volleyball is impossible to do both because they play in tournaments almost every Saturday and marching band competitions are every Saturday. Swimming and cross country work the best. Many tennis players find it pretty easy to do both. Soccer for boys is fine but the girls soccer coach won't allow the kids to do both. Football is actually the easiest to do both because they have to be at the game for both football and band. They take their jersey off and put on their band uniform top and just march in their football pants for the halftime show.

Is band a class for your kids? In our district, at the high school level, band is a class. They are graded in it, and it counts toward their GPA. Everyone in band has it first block, which is 90 minutes (3x a week). The band also practices every morning before school, from 7 am through the end of first block. This is how kids in sports are able to participate. They work it out. We have a world renowned band, and our football team was state champs 3 years ago, so both very high caliber, and they still are able to work it out. I'm not saying every kid does it, but many do.

Band is a class here too. The kids in marching band specifically have "marching band" as their band class, graded, part of their GPA. Band kids not in marching band are part of various concert bands in the fall. There are several schools around our "circuit" that have the morning practices like you do. It works out fine for them.

 

[Pembo]

Band is a class here too. Marching band meets during school and again for 2 hours after school to march. Kids in fall sports have band during the day but don't march after school. Then all the kids are split into 2 concert bands. If you're in marching band you don't have to take PE.

Band camp 3/day's are over. The kids are way ahead this year. The director is quite pleased.Next week they go from 8-3, the following week is 6-9 three days and then school starts. Our first game is Aug 26.

 

[golfgal]

Band is a class here too. Marching band meets during school and again for 2 hours after school to march. Kids in fall sports have band during the day but don't march after school. Then all the kids are split into 2 concert bands. If you're in marching band you don't have to take PE.

Band camp 3/day's are over. The kids are way ahead this year. The director is quite pleased.Next week they go from 8-3, the following week is 6-9 three days and then school starts. Our first game is Aug 26.

I wish our school gave PE credit for marching band (or any sport for that matter). The football team always comes to watch the marching band during breaks and every year it's the same thing--you guys work WAY too hard .

 

[Tracy Savage]

My sons first band parade and they played this for me! Not really but I love it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=722p-eNubgA

 

[golfgal]

My sons first band parade and they played this for me! Not really but I love it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=722p-eNubgA

What song are they playing (my ears don't work well).


We have a Smurf band too--our show shirts are that same color this year.

 

[Tracy Savage]

Mickey Mouse March

 

[GoofyBaby]

I am a private clarinet teacher for several middle and high schools in my area...you certainly do not want a wood clarinet for marching due to cracking and warping that can be caused by extreme weather conditions. If her old horn is plastic, let her use it for marching band.

I love Buffet clarinets and have played an R-13 for years. While they can be expensive, you can find some great deals if you work with your high school's private clarinet teacher (or any clarinet teachers working in your school district). Good E-11 clarinets can be found for under $1,000 that are in great working order.

I also agree that mouthpiece selection is a very personal choice. I also do not like the Vandoren 5RV, but many of my students do. I play a Vandoren M30 and found it works best for me (after trying more than 20 other mouthpieces). She will want to try several different mouthpieces (and at least 3 of the same brand/model of mouthpiece) to find the one that will work best for her.

Hope I could be of some help!

Originally Posted by golfgal
No clarinet players here but our band recommends thesefor upgrades;

CLARINET (all solid Grenadilla wood)
1.) Buffet R-13 (with Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece& Luyben ligature)
2.) Buffet E-11 (with Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece & Luyben ligature)
3.) Leblanc Noblet 45 (with Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece& Luyben ligature)



thank you both for your recommendations! our weather is very hot and humid most of the time (the only cold we experience is marching in the city Christmas parade, lol), so i was concerned about a wood instrument cracking. price is a factor, as we're currently a one-income family, but it looks like i've got some research to do! (i love looking things up online!)

ETA: HOLY SMOKES! those buffet clarinets are WAAAAY out of our price range, but they're beautiful! better not let DD see them, or i'll end up selling a kidney on the black market!