Marching band is a social and collaborative effort at its core. As fun as it would be, a one-person marching band would consist of an exhausted player trying to trapeze across a football field carrying a bass drum, trumpet, tuba, snare drum, flute, bells, and cymbals in a contraption reminiscent of the life-draining machine in The Princess Bride. Every time I walk onto the grass in front of a crowd of semi-apathetic high school students and devoted band parents, pushing an array of wooden blocks and twine sticks, I realize how much of band is a group effort. I have no ability to march or play a brass instrument, which is where marching band started. I cannot throw a flag and guarantee that it won't hit A: myself, B: someone else, or C:
“In the Marching Band and Proud of It” by Debra Nussbaum followed the story of the marching band from Pennsbury High School in Philadelphia. In the second paragraph, Nussbaum claimed that band can be “cool”. Marching bands travel across the US, are becoming increasingly competitive, and perform more interesting shows. The Pennsbury marching band has a respected reputation in the school because they gain national recognition and have a certain prestige within the school. The prevalence of band is growing as the number of band directors and sales of sheet music grows. The author states that the prevalence of band is growing, too. Many students are involved in multiple activities while also participating in marching band. The music the band
Marching band is hands down one of the biggest influences in my life. It has only impacted me in a positive way. From friendships that I know will last a lifetime to experiences i could never forget. My junior year in band I was baritone section leader and my senior year I was low brass section leader and brass horn sergeant. Having to be the leader of 60+ people has really
Even though the process of writing was long and difficult, I am really happy with how it all came together and how much it has evolved from the beginning. Being in a marching band is about more than just playing music in a large group or building life-long bonds and friendships. It is also about the way of life for many people who have dedicated hours and hours of practice and exercise to ensure their performances are perfect. Marching bands are a part of life where many good or even bad things can happen. It's where you experience new things and maybe even emotional feelings.
By many people, marching band members are believed to have ‘fun’ and play ‘games’ all day, but band camp is truly meant to be lengthy, sufficient, and helpful day-long
We have been in band since the fifth grade and gained a tremendous amount of music knowledge. In the middle school years we sought out more experience by starting a jazz ensemble. After middle school, We joined all aspects of band and participated in every event possible. Through our three years of marching experience we led the our respective sections. We focused on making sure our rows and lines were straight. Keeping in step was also a very important
Marching band has had a great impact in my life, it helped me ease into high school a lot quicker. I had many upperclassmen to support me and help me through whatever I needed. The section leaders and marching specialists helped me so much. They especially helped
Marching band has been the most time-consuming and enjoyable extracurricular I have participated in throughout some of middle school and all of high school. I marched alto saxophone when I was in the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades and I have been drum major (also known as field commander) since my sophomore year of high school. Having this job has been a huge responsibility, but it has also given me invaluable learning and leadership experience.
Marching band should be considered a sport because the difficulty is equal to any other sport both mentally and physically. Some students need to carry an instrument up to 30 pounds with perfect posture. Before rehearsal, students also have to warm up, do stretches, and even run. Students have to be able to memorize notes, dots, and stay in step with the entire band. In order to do these things, students have to be super concentrated and must constantly practice. Just like any other sport, the participants have to stay committed, and it’s crucial that they are there for every practice. If a student misses, there is a chance they will lose their spot and be very lost when they return.
When I first joined marching band after seventh grade, I missed the first summer practice to see a concert. At that time, I had no idea how much band would come to mean to me nor the unexpected amount of dedication needed. Before marching band, music was merely a casual thing, but it has transformed this old hobby into a greater priority. After just one season, this shift was noticeable. I certainly did not consider missing two days of a Disney World vacation to march at nationals when first reading the schedule. But this beloved sport worked its ways in a few short months. Through two marching seasons and a winter concert, band became one of the most prominent activities in my life.
Marching band is a culture that many people in the world participate in whether they're in high school or college. Members of any marching bands share characteristics such as hard work, the strength to keep going when things are hard and to stay calm under pressure. Power is distributed in the group from the marching band director to the drum major and to the section leader. Many people think marching band is something anybody could do with ease, but we practice day to day, which means we practice two hours and five minutes to learn the show. The common nickname is being called ‘band nerds’ which I think is fitting because we live for it. Band is more than a hobby - it’s a sport because of all the time we practice.
Despite this, marching band forced me to practice more and perfect my skills, and I am increasingly better now for it. I even made an alternate for all-county, something I thought only “good players” could do. Turns out, I am
Marching band is a place I can feel good about myself. I am a normally quiet, but I am okay with being loud for band.
Not many people are familiar with marching band because the sport only lasts for a fall semester. Because the season is short, marching band does not have many competitions. A typical marching season has only one or two competitions. However, even though there are few competitions, each group practices for weeks on end. Each band strives to meet that one goal, which is to do well in a certain competition. When a marching band performs their absolute
The summer of 2013 was both a time of celebration, as I had just graduated middle school, and a time of insecurities, as I started my journey as a member of my high school’s marching band. In middle school, I was normally a shy, quiet person, so it comes as no surprise that I felt uncomfortable at my first marching band practice. In addition, very few of my band friends in middle school had continued into high school marching band, creating a feeling of isolation over me.
Most schools offer a variety of activities, classes, and clubs. I personally was never interested in school or anything to do with it. Then I came across band and was instantly hooked. Band has concerts, marching band, and you get to meet new people. Band is my favorite class and here are some reasons why.