FaithManor Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 I am at my niece's high school homecoming game. Now I have taught band in multiple locations, directed marching band, pep band,....my tolerance is very, very high though I expect my students to practice diligently. But folks, I have been out of the biz for a while and haven't been attending games or concerts. So OH MY GOSH my ears are bleeding!!!! I thought the standard was "when we are done practicing the music shoukd be recognizable and not represent a hers of dying cows!" LOL...definitely been out of the music education business too long. My tolerance wore off! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 LOL I played in a high school band for a couple of years that was really, horrendously awful. The national anthem of the country I was in will forever be out of tune in my memory. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 Now, this was middle school, but my mom would come to my band performances and get the worst case of the giggles the entire time. She'd sit there shaking with unrelenting laughter at just how horrible the band was. She would try her best to hide it, which just made the giggles worse. It was torturous for her. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 Get to go hear my dd's band at tonight's football game. They are actually a very good concert band, but they are not really a marching band. Marching band was a very serious thing at my California high school--competitions, weeks working on the field performance, flag team, majorette--the works! That doesn't seem to be the thing here in Oregon. Dd's band will do a good job with pep music in the stands, but the half-time performance would be amusing to anyone who has been in a serious marching band. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 Our local high school is quite good. They always be a good show. I know nothing of choreography and costumes. I wondered why the flag corps gets new costumes years. This year the flag corps is dressed like Elsa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El... Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 Haha! I taught piano lessons at a fine arts academy for a while, and we had large recitals. It seemed like the beginning violinists always did Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and WOWEE were they rough! That's a hard instrument to play. It made me feel a little lazy with the piano. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted September 23, 2016 Author Share Posted September 23, 2016 LOL oh yes those newbie string players. pAINFUL! Make a joyful noise and all that. But the anthem was virtually unrecognizable. In my day that would not have been acceptable. That at least woukd be rehearsed unto proficiency or death which ever came first!:D 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellifera33 Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 My college (!) band got horribly lost in a piece during a performance tour. The conductor had to stop us and start over. Most embarrassing moment ever. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbecueMom Posted September 23, 2016 Share Posted September 23, 2016 LOL! I was a music ed major/band director wannabe and married the guy that sat next to me in the bleachers during high school marching band performances, I mean, football games. I have been floored by some high school performances. And... others not so much. There is nothing quite like a sixth grade winter band concert though. Parade of the Wooden Soldiers. Woodwinds always end up six measures behind the brass (or vice versa), and the percussion section is still too afraid to make a sound, except that one show-off kid that got the snare drum part. Egads. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Yell Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 Some schools around here make machine band a requirement to participate in all other band ensembles, so even the talented kids aren't really into it, and it can show. 😞 More painful to me is all-student orchestras for school musicals. I have seen extremely well-trained and talented dancers, actors, and singers do a truly amazing job, but the music is painful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 Here's something to soothe your ears and eyes, The Fightn' Texas Aggie Band: You're welcome. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 Did it sound like this? This is the sort of thing my mother got the giggles to. I can understand the struggle. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 The first time I heard my dd in the middle school band (she was homeschooled but took band and choir at the middle school) I wanted to laugh out loud! But I loved it at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 Oh man that brings back memories. Our high school orchestra was awful! Twice a week the first and second chairs from each section of band had to go practice with them. I'm pretty sure we only went to help cover the sound of the strings. Individually there were several good musicians but together they were painful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted September 24, 2016 Author Share Posted September 24, 2016 (edited) I played the video of the parade for dh. The poor kids tried to play "anyway you want it" by Journey when really their ability level was a bit more Kum Bah Yah! He just about snorted. He had to listen to a good 16-20 measures to figure out what it was. Poor, poor band! In my day, band directors were crazed lunatics always hovering on the edge of mental break down while displaying strong maniacal tendancies. Would probably appall and frighten most parents today, but it was effective!:D Edited September 24, 2016 by FaithManor 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 My band director used to throw stuff at us from the scaffolding! Drum sticks, usually. But one day, the assistant band director threw a chair across the music room. That was exciting. I wonder if we had the same director? Mine used to throw his conductor's stick across the room at students who weren't paying attention. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 I played the video of the parade for dh. The poor kids tried to play "anyway you want it" by Journey when really their ability level was a bit more Kum Bah Yah! He jusy about snorted. He had to liaten to a good 16-20 measures to figure out what it was. Oh, yes! Trinqueta plays in a small string group of homeschoolers. Their first concert was a catastrophe. Then they figured out that if they played super easy music, they could stay together and sound decent. It may be Kum Bay Yah, but you can tell what it is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 (edited) Here's something to soothe your ears and eyes, The Fightn' Texas Aggie Band: You're welcome. Now that is class! Our HS played home football games at Kyle Field -- which means my marching band marched there. I can remember our band director telling us we -were- going to get this routine down. We were not going to disgrace THAT field by not knowing our left feet from our right out on the field. (When I was a freshman) If you cannot march well and play well at the same time, hold your instrument up in position As IF you ARE playing and march with ALL YOUR might. We can work on the other. (And yes we played Noble Men of Kyle since that was our field) Edited September 24, 2016 by vonfirmath 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 (edited) My son's college pep band is student directed. They like to make noise, so dont tune. No real reason to actually follow the music. It grates on his ears badly, so he had to drop out. Edited September 24, 2016 by Heigh Ho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted September 25, 2016 Share Posted September 25, 2016 I sympathize completely! I have 2 dc who play violin (very well now) and all 4 dc have been in a homeschool concert band. I get to hear all the squeeks and squawks at home all year-round! By the time the concerts roll around I'm somewhat de-sensitized. The only thing that bugs me is if the concert is longer than an hour. Keep It Short and Simple is what I hope for. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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