*Walks in…Dusts off the virtual furniture and keyboard…*
It’s been a minute since I’ve taken time to drop my thoughts on VFTS, but I figure that it’s time to take this venerable blog out of mothballs for another season. Lots of things have changed when it comes to the craft; The landscape’s looking a bit different these days, so it’s gonna take a minute to get back up to speed for the folks that have been faithful followers of this blog. Bear with for a bit and I’ll be back in the groove before the season hits. For all of you that have followed VFTS over the years, Thank you!
Now on to the topic of this edition of View From The Sidelines
LEGACY…TRADITION
Those are words and a concepts that means different things to different people.
In our world, entire programs are historically built on it. The culture of HBCU bandom itself is predicated on a performance legacy being passed on from one class to the next for years on end, or decade after decade. In other words, TRADITION is essential to the craft. There are plenty of folks that read this blog that can share stories of their experiences receiving those lessons within their respective band programs. The great majority of them are humorous; a minute portion of them are borderline tragic. In the ever-changing landscape that is the world of today’s Black College marching bands, the concepts of LEGACY and TRADITION have kinda been put under the proverbial microscope.
This scrutiny is visible nowhere more than when it comes to the current generation of matriculating HBCU student. In a lot of ways, millenials are the essential lifes’ blood of where HBCU marching band culture (and HBCU visibility in general) can ultimately go. Band programs across the landscape are seeing a resurgence that’s been driven by the millenial student. While the culture is still rich in popularity, there’s a bit of a disconnect from a portion of today’s bandsmen when it comes to some of that accumulated legacy that’s made the spectacle of Black College Marching Bands famous.
If you’re reading this blog entry and you automatically associate some of what’s being adressed with the very real and dangerous behavior that comes with extreme forms of hazing, then you’re not quite in the same place as this discussion. Some of the abuses that go along with extreme hazing are indeed problematic, but they’re NOT part of this discussion (In fact, those concerns are valid for a seperate dialogue worthy of it’s seriousness, but I digress).
Nah…we’re talking about the very basic and essential concepts associated with building esprit de corps within a group or, in this case, an ensemble that’s tasked to perform at a very high level consistently. The traditional ‘blueblood’ programs that we typically identify at the top of our performance artform (i.e. the Southern’s, FAMU’s, Tennessee State’s of the world) all have a traditional framework that’s condusive to the consistent success and longevity that these programs have now. A student enters into these programs with the expectation that the standard for performance and accountability has to be maintained. Some programs have re-made themselves and established new success by embracing new concepts, creating new traditions, etc. At the end of the day, the millenial bandsmen is still just a student; Regardless of legacy or tradition, you put bandsmen in positions to grow, develop, and ultimately to succeed. From an off-season conditioning framework for your students to structured guidelines that prep that prospective musician before the first day of pre-drill, consistency in these things provides a sound foundation for a healthy bandroom culture.
THAT’S how healthy traditions that last are built; It’s how long-standing legacies are built. When you take in your fill of halftime excellence this season, take note of the differences in execution between programs. Some traditions and legacies mean more to some programs than others. The RESULTS associated with those traditions manifest themselves in the level of performance we see as fans.
If you’ve got a problem with today’s student when it comes to the culture, maybe it’s high time you take a closer look at the ‘culture’ you’re bringing that bandsmen into and adjust accordingly…
Just a thought…Until Next Entry
#ProtectTheHistory
#PreserveTheCraft