band Help! Eighty Percent of the Ensemble is
Saxophones and Percussion! Julie Brown, WMEA State Chair, Band
Show of hands… how many of you band teachers have what you would con- sider to be your ideal instrumentation in the ensemble(s) that you teach? I’d be willing to bet that, regardless of
whether or not we’re talking big school or small school, there is most likely an overabundance or underabundance of some instrument (unless, of course, we’re talking about auditioned ensembles where sometimes a “perfect” instrumentation can be achieved). So, what do we do when we have a 40-piece band and 20 of them are holding either a saxophone or a pair of drumsticks?
Who Cares?
This may go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway. It’s really nice to have balanced instrumentation for a number of reasons. For the students (who are always at the center of what we do), it allows them to experience what the ensemble is sup- posed to sound like, at least when it comes to instrumentation. While the part might get covered, four baritone saxophones does not make a tuba section! A balanced instrumentation also makes blending
together as sections and ensembles that much easier. If an ensemble is overrun with too many of one instrument, it’s go- ing to be pretty difficult for the students who play those instruments to be able to compensate sonorously for their large (or small!) numbers. Students could even develop bad playing habits in order to try to blend into an ensemble where instru- mentation is off.
Ideas for Encouraging Balanced Instrumentation If you can encourage balanced instru- mentation from the very beginning of the students’ study on their instruments, the future ensemble is less likely to have instrumentation issues down the road. One way to do this is by limiting the number of instruments allowed into the beginning band program. I know there are several districts that limit the number of percus- sionists, for example, which not only helps balance instrumentation, but also helps ensure that all students are able to perform on their instruments 100 percent of the time.
At the beginning band level, I encourage students to come with an open mind when they try out instruments. I always ask students to have two or three options that they can see themselves playing and will
“If you can encourage balanced instrumentation from the very beginning of the students’ study on their instruments, the future ensemble is less likely to have instrumentation issues down the road.”
help the students choose the instruments that are (foremost) the best for them and (also important) leading to a balanced instrumentation. If the teacher has the op- portunity to demonstrate the instruments to students prior to their choosing one (or two or three) to try, he or she can also re- ally “sell” the instruments that are needed through music selection and/or by asking a really dynamic player to demonstrate the instrument.
When students are choosing instruments at the very beginning of their time in band, keep in mind that most will likely gravitate towards what is easiest for them to play. Instant gratification feels good, but it’s essential to remind the students that they aren’t going to master the instrument in 10 minutes.
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If you teach older students, you might consider asking a few students to switch or add a secondary instrument. My band teacher asked me – a tenor saxophonist – to consider playing bassoon in concert band and my saxophone in jazz and pep bands when I was a sophomore in high school, and I am so happy I made the decision to do so!
September 2018
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