Brass Band Logo

NJH Music Logo

Some of the contents of the pages on this site are Copyright © 2016 NJH Music
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Brass in school, and when the children leave!

-----Original Message-----
From: Colin Johnson <colin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Bamd Mailing List <brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: 27 September 1999 07:42
Subject: Brass in school, and when the children leave!


>A first message from a new address:
>  This is possibly a topic that has been debated before, but it is a new
>medium for me. When I was at school, a couple of years ago!, the area where
>I lived had a half-decent wind-band. But what was one of the problems was
>that the children were discouraged from playing with the local brass-bands,
>so consequently, when they left school, they had no musical contacts out of
>the schools. So as a result, they packed in playing. A couple of the girls
>were tidy players, and could hold a seat at any of the local bands, and
>possibly gone on to bigger things. Does this have a familiar sound across
>the country? or is/was my region a one off? Has anybody done any sort of a
>study into the number of kids who play in school bands, and what they go on
>to do when leaving, and how many continue playing.
>Also, please forgive my possible ignorance, but cornet players,
trombonists,
>horn players, euphoniumists? etc can continue to play in a brass-band, of
>which there are hundreds and hundreds of, but where can a clarinet player,
>or a flautist, or any other woodwind instrumentalist continue their hobby
>twice a week?
>An interisting debate could ensue!

>
>				     Colin Johnson

Well, I play in a wind band as well as a brass band, and I'm sure there are
many of them about the country - in fact I play in two wind bands, one of
them is a navy volunteer band and the other is a local community band. I
agree with you that there is not much encouragement at school for children
to join these groups, and we have struggled in both types of band to get
some to come along and play. Occasionally the children have had the nerve to
go against their teachers wishes and joined the brass band, but we can't
break through to the schools at all!

When I first started playing (flugel) my teacher put me on it because the
local band needed a flugel player. I've played it ever since, although when
my teacher left and we got a new brass teacher he wasn't at all keen on
brass bands. My friends who also played brass instruments continued to play
in the band, but the younger ones just didn't join. I think he put them off
it! Although he did encourage me to take up the trumpet as well, which means
I play in wind bands too!

Our brass band - Clydebank Burgh Band has tried to get a link with some
local schools, but have found it difficult in the past. I don't understand
why since a lot of very good players have come from our band in the past -
surely these children deserve a chance to participate in music groups where
they are mixing with different age groups. I know that I was scared stiff my
first day at Elgin City Band at age 11 or 12, playing a lone instrument, but
I learned to sight read and to listen to everyone else and that every part
in a group is important.

Does anyone agree?
Kirsty McCafferty
>
>
>--
>
>from this list, send a plain text mail to listserver@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
with


--

[Services] [Contact Us] [Advertise with us] [About] [Tell a friend about us] [Copyright © 2016 NJH Music]