For the last couple of days, I’ve been thinking a lot about our musical priorities in Music Education. Namely, the battle of Concert Music versus Marching Music has been swirling around in my head. More specifically though, I’ve been thinking about the commissioning process.
My biggest career pursuit right now is to “make it” as a composer. (Don’t get me wrong, I love teaching band and want to do it for a long, long time. But, I’ve been a band director since I graduated college. Check. “Make it” as a composer? That’s a lot harder. And it will take a while before I can check that off the list!) I’ve always really loved marching band. I loved doing it in High School, College and Drum Corps and when I started “teching” drumlines I loved every aspect of teaching marching band. So it wasn’t a stretch when I started writing percussion books. In the last couple of years I have started to write marching band wind scores as well.
All of this has been while taking steps to “make it” as a composer.
So within my dichotomy as a writer: a marching band guy (who wears wind pants and should shower more often) and a “classical” composer guy (who drinks fine wine, goes to cocktail parties and has a thorough understanding of the libretto for ANY opera), I often have this battle.
Here’s why: frankly, marching band “pays the bills.” (Truthfully, band directing pays the bills. But marching band is a nice little side income.) At this stage of the game, I can get about as much work for marching band arranging/composing as I can handle. But commissions for new concert works? Well, in 2009 and 2010 combined, I’ve had three. (Conversely, in two years for marching band I’ve had about 15-18 shows that I’ve written, or written the percussion book for.)
Why such a disparity? I believe it ultimately goes to a sense of competition and community. The marching band is THE most visual aspect of the band program as far as the community is concerned. If the band looks good, sounds good and competes well, the general public, administrators, school board and average “Joe and Jane” will be happy with the band. (But, when was the last time you had anyone at your spring concert who wasn’t a family member of a band kid? It happens; sure. But it’s not the overwhelming make up of your audience...)
There’s a lot more to be said for this -- especially when it comes down to money! So stay tuned for Part 2!
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