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Post by bbrocuber on Nov 14, 2021 16:21:23 GMT -6
Thought it would be interesting to compare bands in this regard. Does making a marching band program audition only affect how good the band is?
To start off as a general idea, some audition only groups are Broken Arrow and Blue Springs. Some non-audition groups that are very good are Carmel and Avon (I'm less sure on Avon.) Some non-audition groups also do alternates for a handful of students. American Fork did this when I marched '17-'18 but they don't do it anymore.
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Post by ilikeguard on Nov 14, 2021 17:23:40 GMT -6
By non-auditioned, do you mean they field everyone who wants to march? If some of the top groups are doing that then it’s an outstanding testament to the quality of instruction that they can get just about anyone to march and play at the highest caliber.
I don’t want to further complicate the prompt but it’d be nice to also look at groups that require everyone to march vs groups where marching band is optional. Just at the local level here, I know that Rock Bridge HS only requires Wind Ensemble to march and it’s optional for the rest (therefore if you want to play with the top band, you have to march, and if you don’t want to march you don’t get to be in the top band) while Camdenton HS requires everyone in all concert ensembles to either march their instrument or be in color guard.
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Post by dbalash on Nov 14, 2021 17:37:55 GMT -6
Required to march at Marian. Bimm will take anyone, including beginners at their instruments.
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Post by paddy on Nov 14, 2021 17:55:06 GMT -6
Required to march at Marian. Bimm will take anyone, including beginners at their instruments. Heck, I know bands that plug holes mid-season with kids who can’t play at all |
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Post by ilikeguard on Nov 14, 2021 18:04:51 GMT -6
Required to march at Marian. Bimm will take anyone, including beginners at their instruments. Heck, I know bands that plug holes mid-season with kids who can’t play at all We filled a mellophone hole mid band camp in 2017 with a junior who had never touched an instrument before. He marched Madison Scouts this summer and is on my university drumline and plays horn in multiple concert ensembles. With good instruction and dedication anyone can learn! It’s a shame that there are groups that won’t take kids that don’t have x amount of experience. |
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Post by bandguy123 on Nov 14, 2021 18:52:44 GMT -6
Are you sure Blue Springs is audition? Last time I knew it wasn’t
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Post by bbrocuber on Nov 14, 2021 18:54:23 GMT -6
By non-auditioned, do you mean they field everyone who wants to march? If some of the top groups are doing that then it’s an outstanding testament to the quality of instruction that they can get just about anyone to march and play at the highest caliber. I don’t want to further complicate the prompt but it’d be nice to also look at groups that require everyone to march vs groups where marching band is optional. Just at the local level here, I know that Rock Bridge HS only requires Wind Ensemble to march and it’s optional for the rest (therefore if you want to play with the top band, you have to march, and if you don’t want to march you don’t get to be in the top band) while Camdenton HS requires everyone in all concert ensembles to either march their instrument or be in color guard. Yes, that's what I mean by that. And we could add that to this. I didn't know some schools require their students do marching band. At American Fork it's completely optional for all students at all concert band levels. |
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Post by ilikeguard on Nov 14, 2021 18:55:40 GMT -6
By non-auditioned, do you mean they field everyone who wants to march? If some of the top groups are doing that then it’s an outstanding testament to the quality of instruction that they can get just about anyone to march and play at the highest caliber. I don’t want to further complicate the prompt but it’d be nice to also look at groups that require everyone to march vs groups where marching band is optional. Just at the local level here, I know that Rock Bridge HS only requires Wind Ensemble to march and it’s optional for the rest (therefore if you want to play with the top band, you have to march, and if you don’t want to march you don’t get to be in the top band) while Camdenton HS requires everyone in all concert ensembles to either march their instrument or be in color guard. Yes, that's what I mean by that. And we could add that to this. I didn't know some schools require their students do marching band. At American Fork it's completely optional for all students at all concert band levels. And see, I was surprised to find out that it was optional at some places! |
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Post by hewhowaits on Nov 15, 2021 8:27:03 GMT -6
Yes, that's what I mean by that. And we could add that to this. I didn't know some schools require their students do marching band. At American Fork it's completely optional for all students at all concert band levels. And see, I was surprised to find out that it was optional at some places! William Mason requires students to be enrolled in a concert band to participate in marching band (exception for guard) but not the other way around. |
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Post by nomorehoney on Nov 15, 2021 8:38:19 GMT -6
It may have changed since I left, but at O'Fallon, in order to be in wind ensemble you have to be in marching band. There weren't any official auditions to be in band, although some students were "evaluated" by staff and leadership and chosen to be shadows and whatnot. It wasn't all too common though, we mostly marched everyone.
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Post by OldSchoolTrumpet on Nov 15, 2021 9:32:53 GMT -6
Homestead used to utilize an Alternate program, later called an Understudy program. Contrary to what I'd occasionally read and heard, this was not a case of them not marching Freshmen. The gist of the program was that freshmen in larger sections would be paired with another freshman in the same section. It didn't matter how good or bad you were, as a freshman in a large section you were an alternate/understudy. The two freshmen would share a spot. Practice time would be equal and they'd sub in and out like hockey players during rehearsal. They'd generally alternate performances in the early season, though by the latter part of the season usually one alternate would be seen as the stronger of the two and get prioritized to the more important competitions. But all of them would have performance opportunities throughout the year, and the uniformed kids you'd see lined up on the track one week wouldn't necessarily be the same kids as the ones from the week before.
This program was abandoned this year. Given the reduced overall numbers and that there were effectively two full classes of new marchers, it wouldn't have made much sense anyway. I doubt we'll see them return to it. It's the type luxury that you only have when your numbers are very large.
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Post by Allohak on Nov 15, 2021 11:17:14 GMT -6
And see, I was surprised to find out that it was optional at some places! William Mason requires students to be enrolled in a concert band to participate in marching band (exception for guard) but not the other way around. When I was there, members of the audition level concert bands were required to do marching band in some capacity unless they were participating in another fall sport. Of course those were the days of 4 concert bands, not 7. |
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Post by ilikeguard on Nov 15, 2021 11:23:28 GMT -6
And see, I was surprised to find out that it was optional at some places! William Mason requires students to be enrolled in a concert band to participate in marching band (exception for guard) but not the other way around. Well, this makes sense. If you weren’t in a concert band you’d lose that hour-ish of music rehearsal…unless there are bands that practice concert music in the fall? At Camdenton we worked on show music during the class hour and anyone in color guard would practice outside in the cafeteria (anyone playing an instrument had to be in concert band, but you could get out of marching your instrument by doing color guard. Otherwise color guard came from outside of the concert band). Extras, or “visual ensemble” who played an instrument in concert band (you would get into this kind of situation by moving part of the way through the school year or missing placement auditions) would just sit and do homework during the hour. Are there bands that are rehearsing concert music during marching season? That just seems counterproductive to me, but I grew up with it a certain way. |
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Post by hewhowaits on Nov 15, 2021 11:25:55 GMT -6
William Mason requires students to be enrolled in a concert band to participate in marching band (exception for guard) but not the other way around. Well, this makes sense. If you weren’t in a concert band you’d lose that hour-ish of music rehearsal…unless there are bands that practice concert music in the fall? At Camdenton we worked on show music during the class hour and anyone in color guard would practice outside in the cafeteria (anyone playing an instrument had to be in concert band, but you could get out of marching your instrument by doing color guard. Otherwise color guard came from outside of the concert band). Extras, or “visual ensemble” who played an instrument in concert band (you would get into this kind of situation by moving part of the way through the school year or missing placement auditions) would just sit and do homework during the hour. Are there bands that are rehearsing concert music during marching season? That just seems counterproductive to me, but I grew up with it a certain way. Mason's concert bands do not practice any marching show music in class. Marching band is marching band and concert bands are concert bands. |
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Post by paddy on Nov 15, 2021 11:28:53 GMT -6
Well, this makes sense. If you weren’t in a concert band you’d lose that hour-ish of music rehearsal…unless there are bands that practice concert music in the fall? At Camdenton we worked on show music during the class hour and anyone in color guard would practice outside in the cafeteria (anyone playing an instrument had to be in concert band, but you could get out of marching your instrument by doing color guard. Otherwise color guard came from outside of the concert band). Extras, or “visual ensemble” who played an instrument in concert band (you would get into this kind of situation by moving part of the way through the school year or missing placement auditions) would just sit and do homework during the hour. Are there bands that are rehearsing concert music during marching season? That just seems counterproductive to me, but I grew up with it a certain way. Mason's concert bands do not practice any marching show music in class. Marching band is marching band and concert bands are concert bands. I would say it is more typical in the upper Midwest (IN, OH, MI) for marching band to be a primarily extra-curricular/after school activity. Lots of Indiana programs I know not only have concert band in the fall, but perform a concert or 2 as well as run a marching band. |
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Post by hewhowaits on Nov 15, 2021 11:29:08 GMT -6
William Mason requires students to be enrolled in a concert band to participate in marching band (exception for guard) but not the other way around. When I was there, members of the audition level concert bands were required to do marching band in some capacity unless they were participating in another fall sport. Of course those were the days of 4 concert bands, not 7. IIRC, the only concert band members who were required to participate in marching band at that time were freshmen in the Wind Symphony. The directors wanted those students to get the broad experience that doing both marching band and concert band afffords. Most years that accounted for just 1 or 2 students, as that has always been a very difficult ensemble to get into. |
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