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

[momof1princess]

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!

thank you! i appreciate everyone's suggestions! DH and i are completely out of our element, because neither of us plays an instrument. i'm a singer, but that's of no help to me in this case.

 

[jen0610]

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.

For us, marching band is NOT a class, but you have to be enrolled in a music class to march. During the school days, there are 5 different music classes - freshman, intermediate, and concert band. Then there are two different classes for those that do strings. We do have several kids that play both strings and a marching instrument, that for their required music class they do their string instrument, but play their horn/drum during marching band. That way, they get to do both their loves.

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.

It would be so nice if our schools would do this. It would free up 1 period for the kids to take another elective, that they give up, just so that they can stay in the music program.

 

[bombygriz]

I just got back from the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl! I was invited to be part of the marching band. I played bells, and it was so fun! We would never have the opportunity to perform in such a big band (100 kids) at our school, so it was an amazing experience. Plus, we raised a bunch of money for the Shrine hospitals in New England and Canada!

Yay marching!

 

[golfgal]

I just got back from the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl! I was invited to be part of the marching band. I played bells, and it was so fun! We would never have the opportunity to perform in such a big band (100 kids) at our school, so it was an amazing experience. Plus, we raised a bunch of money for the Shrine hospitals in New England and Canada!

Yay marching!

Sounds like a great time, congratulations. I know the Shriner's need a lot of help right now. The Shriner's hospital in our state just announced that they were going to start charging fees based on a sliding scale because funds are so short--they will still have free care for those that can't pay though.

 

[Katy Belle]

Stressed marching band Mom today. DS16 thinks they are announcing principal marchers and shadows today. He was new to marching last year and was a shadow, but really ended up a principal because the other boy had low grades and was usually ineligble to march. There are 12 tubas this year, in our band of 140, counting color guard! Hoping they will march at least 10! DS is not the most graceful marcher at 6'4 and size 16 feet. But he is a trooper and always helping everyone, and has great music skills, does great at concert band contests. Fingers crossed that he gets a principal spot!

 

[momof1princess]

Stressed marching band Mom today. DS16 thinks they are announcing principal marchers and shadows today. He was new to marching last year and was a shadow, but really ended up a principal because the other boy had low grades and was usually ineligble to march. There are 12 tubas this year, in our band of 140, counting color guard! Hoping they will march at least 10! DS is not the most graceful marcher at 6'4 and size 16 feet. But he is a trooper and always helping everyone, and has great music skills, does great at concert band contests. Fingers crossed that he gets a principal spot!

good luck to him!!

 

[golfgal]

Stressed marching band Mom today. DS16 thinks they are announcing principal marchers and shadows today. He was new to marching last year and was a shadow, but really ended up a principal because the other boy had low grades and was usually ineligble to march. There are 12 tubas this year, in our band of 140, counting color guard! Hoping they will march at least 10! DS is not the most graceful marcher at 6'4 and size 16 feet. But he is a trooper and always helping everyone, and has great music skills, does great at concert band contests. Fingers crossed that he gets a principal spot!

Good luck to him. 12 tubas is amazing--we will see several bands that have NO tubas . I think we have 6 (180 kids in the band with color guard). We don't have shadows so that is all new to me. Do you really have 280 kids in the band so everyone has a shadow and they march 140 or how does that work?

 

[Pembo]

I just got back from the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl! I was invited to be part of the marching band. I played bells, and it was so fun! We would never have the opportunity to perform in such a big band (100 kids) at our school, so it was an amazing experience. Plus, we raised a bunch of money for the Shrine hospitals in New England and Canada!

Yay marching!

That sounds very cool. Band with a benefit to the community. How awesome.

Band 2 a days this week. It's still humid here but the temps are in the mid 80's as opposed to 90. Supposed to be 75 on Thursday...the kids will freeze. lol

I love that marching band counts for the PE credit. I really wish that would have been the case when I was in school. Our band kids get a lot more physical fitness than the PE kids! Push-ups are the standard when you make the same mistake more than once on the field during band camp. Misbehavior gets you a lap or 2 around the field. They start every day with calisthenics including jumping jacks. The director gives a # for jj. If one person goes over/under, they have to do them again. My son said the other day a freshman kept messing up the number and they did about 100 jj's!!! Not a good way to make friends

It's fun to read all the differences in marching bands in this thread.

I've got a question - are you an all brass band or not? We are all brass with saxophones.

 

[tlbwriter]

In our district, band is a year-long class that covers PE credit. In my SIL's district, there are two different classes - marching band (fall) and concert band (spring). You can enroll in one without enrolling in the other. Does anyone else have that setup?

 

[Katy Belle]

Good luck to him. 12 tubas is amazing--we will see several bands that have NO tubas . I think we have 6 (180 kids in the band with color guard). We don't have shadows so that is all new to me. Do you really have 280 kids in the band so everyone has a shadow and they march 140 or how does that work?

No, most dont have a shadow. Last year there were 9 tubas, they only marched 8. 7 were given principal, or permanent, poistions, and 2 had to share that 8 th spot, both are called shadows. They do this with all instruments. I dont really know why. Perhaps it just makes it easier to fix things if someone cant march. DS16 is a Junior, but I dont think that matters!

 

[golfgal]

That sounds very cool. Band with a benefit to the community. How awesome.

Band 2 a days this week. It's still humid here but the temps are in the mid 80's as opposed to 90. Supposed to be 75 on Thursday...the kids will freeze. lol

I love that marching band counts for the PE credit. I really wish that would have been the case when I was in school. Our band kids get a lot more physical fitness than the PE kids! Push-ups are the standard when you make the same mistake more than once on the field during band camp. Misbehavior gets you a lap or 2 around the field. They start every day with calisthenics including jumping jacks. The director gives a # for jj. If one person goes over/under, they have to do them again. My son said the other day a freshman kept messing up the number and they did about 100 jj's!!! Not a good way to make friends

It's fun to read all the differences in marching bands in this thread.

I've got a question - are you an all brass band or not? We are all brass with saxophones.

We are a "full" band with brass, woodwinds and percussion. We don't really see any just "brass" bands around here. We even have an Oboe (solo, not marching). One band near us had a bassoon solo in their show several years ago. That was pretty cool.

In our district, band is a year-long class that covers PE credit. In my SIL's district, there are two different classes - marching band (fall) and concert band (spring). You can enroll in one without enrolling in the other. Does anyone else have that setup?

We are on a trimester system so the kids that are in marching band have "marching band" as their first trimester class and then are shuffled into the 8 different concert bands for winter and spring trimesters. You have to be in band all year to be in marching band. Our band is by audition for freshman and then "at the recommendation" of the directors after that.

 

[Katy Belle]

In our district, band is a year-long class that covers PE credit. In my SIL's district, there are two different classes - marching band (fall) and concert band (spring). You can enroll in one without enrolling in the other. Does anyone else have that setup?

Nope. Here you must be in both.

As for PE credit...in our school district NO PE is required after grade 5. Carrying the tuba certainly helps keep my 2tuba players fit!

 

[jen0610]

Good luck to him. 12 tubas is amazing--we will see several bands that have NO tubas . I think we have 6 (180 kids in the band with color guard). We don't have shadows so that is all new to me. Do you really have 280 kids in the band so everyone has a shadow and they march 140 or how does that work?

We don't do shadows either. The only shadowing we do, is if a newbie has an issue following the drill, one of the returning members will march that newbies spot, with the newbie shadowing them. But they only do that for a few days, until the newbie gets the hang of reading and understanding a drill layout.

If we have an over load in one section, the kids will switch up and play a different instrument. DS normally plays clairnet, but because he learned the tenor bass last year for jazz band and they only had 1 returning tenor player, he was asked to stay on tenor for marching his year. He was fine with it and actually perfers it over clairnet.

 

[KiminChicago]

In oour school, if you are enrolled in Symphonic band, you're in marching band. Most freshman start out in Concert Band, but the middle school band directors can recommend that a freshman skip Concert band and go straight into Symphonic. DS says that there are only three other freshmen beside him.

As far as PE goes, our district offers PE as a summer school class. DS did 6 weeks of PE, 4 days a week, 5 hours each day. I wish marching band would count as PE, we could have saved the $300 it cost to do the summer PE. Our district does allow two PE waivers so if he takes PE as a freshman and sophomore, he'll be able to use his waivers junior and senior year.

 

[Pembo]

In our district, band is a year-long class that covers PE credit. In my SIL's district, there are two different classes - marching band (fall) and concert band (spring). You can enroll in one without enrolling in the other. Does anyone else have that setup?

You can be just in concert band and not marching band here. You are enrolled for the full year but in the fall the cb only kids meet for a 30 min class period only. The MB meets for 1.5 hours a day. We are on block scheduling. The cb only kids join up with the rest of the band kids after marching season. All kids audition and are separated into 2 bands for concert season.

No audtions for marching band. Everyone is included. There are tryouts for color guard, majorette and drum majors. But I know this year that everyone who tried out for cg and m are in! lol So the only real competition was drum major and we have 2.

 

[marcyinPA]

You can be just in concert band and not marching band here. You are enrolled for the full year but in the fall the cb only kids meet for a 30 min class period only. The MB meets for 1.5 hours a day. We are on block scheduling. The cb only kids join up with the rest of the band kids after marching season. All kids audition and are separated into 2 bands for concert season.

No audtions for marching band. Everyone is included. There are tryouts for color guard, majorette and drum majors. But I know this year that everyone who tried out for cg and m are in! lol So the only real competition was drum major and we have 2.

When you audition for the HS band at the end of 8th grade, you are auditioning for both marching band and concert band. Everyone does both. Band is first block (90 min.) every other day. The band kids have gym on the alternating days. (freshmen and sophomores actually have health and gym. Health one semester, and gym the next. Jrs and Srs have gym one semester, and either study hall or a .5 elective the next semester).

Pretty much everyone makes the band here too, except for percussion (highly competitive), majorettes, and bag pipes. We also have auditions for band sargeant major and drum major. If you try out for something and don't make it, they will usually offer you to play baritone, and most kids will take it just so they can be in band.

 

[marcyinPA]

First day of band camp for both of my kids. I have on in MS and one in HS. They were both up and at'em this morning, but I'm sure that will not last!

My 7th grader is in orchestra and marching band, and decided this morning that he wants to audition for jazz band at the end of band camp, so he goes from 7:30-11:45 every day for the next two weeks. He is a drummer, and is pretty good for his age, but jazz is competitive so we shall see!

My older one is going to be exhausted. Band from 8-2, an hour and a half of physical therapy after that, and more band from 6-8. Eh, it's all good. Keeps him off the streets.

 

[golfgal]

Nope. Here you must be in both.

As for PE credit...in our school district NO PE is required after grade 5. Carrying the tuba certainly helps keep my 2tuba players fit!

WOW!!! Here they have a 7 trimester requirement in high school. Most kids take 3 trimester freshman and sophomore year (a tri of health each year and 1 tri of driver's education is included in that). Then they take the last required tri somewhere junior/senior year. We have suggested to the kids that they wait until 3rd tri senior year to take that .

 

[Katy Belle]

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 hadn't even thought about going to St. Louis, but you put the idea in my head I checked the Drury Inn, they are all sold out for that weekend. It looks like there are many hotels very close. Now to talk DH into it! Maybe I can use hotel points... I love planning trips!

The director did not announce shadows and principle marchers yesterday. Hoping for today. He is confident he will not be a shadow... I sure hope he's right! Hopefully he will know by lunch time.

It is cooler today!!!! Supposed to be a high of 99, rather than the 108s we've been seeing everyday! Its only 76 right now! My tuba player has been coming home with white all over his shirts...salt from his sweat!!! Ick.

 

[golfgal]

I hadn't even thought about going to St. Louis, but you put the idea in my head I checked the Drury Inn, they are all sold out for that weekend. It looks like there are many hotels very close. Now to talk DH into it! Maybe I can use hotel points... I love planning trips!

The director did not announce shadows and principle marchers yesterday. Hoping for today. He is confident he will not be a shadow... I sure hope he's right! Hopefully he will know by lunch time.

It is cooler today!!!! Supposed to be a high of 99, rather than the 108s we've been seeing everyday! Its only 76 right now! My tuba player has been coming home with white all over his shirts...salt from his sweat!!! Ick.

IT'S 67 HERE RIGHT NOW WITH A HIGH OF 75

After a month straight of 100+ temps (even a lot of 120's 130's) It is SOOOO nice. All the windows are open, nice breeze blowing through the house. I am actually considering putting on a light sweatshirt

St. Louis is a BLAST. You will get to see several top bands just because of where you live but it is so much fun to see all the other bands and their shows. There is a LOT to do in St. Louis too. If you go, take your other kids to the City Museum. It's downtown and SOOOOO worth it. Plan on spending the better part of the day there. Bring a book for you, the kids will be running around having a blast. It's just amazing. The zoo is also nice, free beer at Grant's Farm . Of course the arch is a big attraction but going UP in the arch really isn't worth it. There is a free museum under the arch that is pretty cool though.