Alright… I’ve got a question.
When did simple physical training become taboo among bandsmen? Maybe it’s just me, but more and more young folks that come to participate in the “craft” seem to think that they can just “show up” and excel at entertaining the audiences we do. Don’t get me wrong; the breed of musician that’s coming to our programs today are just as talented (maybe even moreso) as the the kids from our era and before.
So where’s this change coming from? Is it secondary teaching? Is it just the nature of the times these new bandsmen find themselves in? I’m not sure we can really put a finger on a single reason. What i do know is what I observe as a fan and lately, that apathy that we all dread for our programs is becoming more and more common place. Performances like the one posted here didn’t just happen because players figured they’d loaf it on the practice field…It takes preparation, hard work, and dedication in order to gie our fans wha they deserve; A high energy, high quality, and unique halftime experience. That being said, this isn’t a “bash the young folks” entry. We’re just as much to blame (collectively) for waht we’ve seen. It’s about time we older heads start passing down more in terms of knowledge and less in terms of pride and bravado.
Either way, we’re still privleged to see the fruits of our work as bandsmen in the next generation. let’s not let that generation lose sight of what that really means…
Wha do you think???
You write very well.