THE NEW JERSEY MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION a federated state association of NATIONAL ASSOCIATION for MUSIC EDUCATION News From Our Division Chairs
Past President William McDevitt
billnjmea@aol.com Random Thoughts Are We Killing Marching Band?
I looked back into my archives and found this “Random Thoughts” that I had originally written in 2007. I re-read it wondering if my thoughts had changed any in 10 years. I have noticed a bit of a gain in respect for the marching band recently. Not only is it receiving more recognition than 10 years ago, it also seems to be getting a larger following at its performances. I do, however, wonder if we are not pricing ourselves out of a future. With budget dollars being carefully pursed, I see many
programs that are relying on incresing revenues to continue to make themselves relevant with elaborate props and costuming, ever increasing paid instructional staff, and travel costs to perform throughout the country. I wonder what it will be like 10 years from now? Here’s what I thought 10 years ago: As we approached the starting line at our first competition this season, one of my marching band staff members noticed the lack of audience in attendance. His question was, “Are we witnessing the death of an art form?” I didn’t have an answer for him, but it made me start to think. I am writing this as the 2007 marching band season is drawing to a close, and wondering what has happened to the art
form that sparked an interest for so many of us to join the profession and continue in it as long as we have. I’m wondering why audiences at competitions have dwindled, student participation in most programs has decreased, and funding has not kept pace with our athletic counterparts that share the same fields. With a few exceptions it looks like the marching band is headed for extinction. Let’s start by looking at where we have been. In 1970, Bennett Reimer wrote in A Philosophy of Music Education: “while it is true that activities which interfere with music education as aesthetic education can weaken the profession, it must be remembered that, as with the general program, American society expects certain non-musical functions to be served by the performance program.” At this time, marching band was in its artistic infancy. Pop music and fragmented classical selections dominated the field. Bill Moffit was king of the marching band arrangers and “pageantry” was the accepted drill design formula. The band was seen as entertainment and really was not a musical endeavor. No wonder Reimer saw this ensemble as a “non-musical function” that interfered with aesthetic development. I wonder if, in 37 years, we have not come full circle to watch history repeat itself. Drum corps has had a major influence on the development of our programs. Most directors were dragged kicking and screaming into the 20th century in an effort to remain current and follow the trend. While it has caused our programs to develop quickly, the question is: has it caused our programs to develop wisely? Is it educationally sound to focus such a large portion of our already diminishing time on such a short presentation without stressing the educational value of the music, the artistic value of the form, and the physical benefit to our sedentary students? How many of us have chosen our 8 minutes of music based on what the judges will score well as opposed to what our audiences will be able to understand. How many of us have forced students to choose between athletics and/or other activities in order to participate in our programs? How many of us have put the goals that we have set for our students ahead of the educational goals that have been set for our programs? I pose these questions because many times I have asked them of myself. I remember 20 years ago, and even 10 years ago, when the bleachers at marching band competitions were packed and band parents
had to arrive well before the bands to get good seats. Nothing would keep these die-hard fans away from supporting their kids’ programs. Why do the audiences at football games leave the stands at halftime, opting for the concession stand instead of watching the band perform? It’s easy to see why when you look at the faces of those that do stay. Their faces are saying, “I don’t understand this and it isn’t entertaining.” “American society” has spoken and the silence is deafening. We should be encouraging the public to hear concert band music in the concert hall, not on the football field. It’s difficult to find the balance between entertainment for our audience and education for our students, and we are the ones that make the distinction. I have come to realize that Bennett Reimer is correct.
TEMPO 6
continued on page 8 JANUARY 2018
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