MARCHING BAND

One of the fun things about depression is you get to catch up on your television viewing.

I just watched HBO's presentation of "Drumline" which I really liked.

It's the first movie I've seen about marching band. Now having been a band geek large it's nice to see that the sports movie world has grown large enough to include marching bands. Watching the movie I learned (or rather it was reinforced) that brass and drums are the most important instruments which makes my flute playing seem a little pointless, fun but pointless. I say this because you can't really hear the woodwinds above the brass unless of course you play the saxaphone but that's for another time. It's about time Marching Bands got a movie. After all the baseball, basketball, football, cheerleading, skiing, skateboarding etcetera movies, Marching Band got its due.

Being that I started playing the flute in 4th grade I marched in 9 Memorial Day parades, goodness knows at how many football and homecoming games and competed in at least 3 marching band competitions at Hofstra University.

I missed the competition my senior year because when riding my bike to join the band for the bus at my high school my big enourmous Q-tip hat got caught in the front wheel causing me to fly over the handle bars and landing on my front teeth, smashing my face and bruising my hands as well as other parts of me. It hurt. It happened 5 minutes from the school. I landed in front of Dave Farrante's house and his brother called my mom. When she arrived I expected that I would just wipe myself off and continue to the competition. I ended up at the hospital with nothing worse than two broken front teeth and a bloody mouth.

I was also in orchestra and in Senior Year I was the first flute. I played POMP and CIRCUMSTANCE at my graduation sitting in front in my cap and gown.

Good times, good times.

If you were or are also a member of the band feel free to contact me and tell me about your marching band or orchestra experiences. And when you do write, let me know if you want me to post your email or not.

I keep hearing that music programs are being cut all over the country. Maybe some good stories from people who benefitted from SCHOOL MUSIC programs will help the cause.