As I'm here, sitting back on Saturday morning, following Troy's last-second loss to Wyalusing last night, I'm feeling pretty good about how the HS marching band performed last night.  In all aspects, we are right where we should be going into a very busy week.  We've learned the show thoroughly, nobody seems to be making major errors, most students have everything memorized, lips are in good shape and have endurance, and morale is good.  Plus, our routine in the stands is finally establishing itself, and adds alot to the game experience, in my opinion.  With three major events this week (BSCMEA Cavalcade, Homecoming, and the N. Penn Show) I can foresee the band having one of the best weeks its had in years.  On top of all of this, the weather has been cooperating SOOOO much better than last year, when it rained or snowed the entire season, and everyone in the band got swine flu at some point.  So with all of this momentum going into this week, why is there still an uneasy feeling?

 

I think it must have something to do with some things I experienced this week, from students within the program and outside, but both seem related to the same thing.  The question I've come to in my mind this week is this:  How long, or what kinds of things, will it take for Marching Band, and band in general (all grades), to be considered "cool" anymore?  I can't figure it out.  We are doing good things (maybe not perfectly but very good nonetheless) and yet we still fight the mentality that band isn't cool, that it's only for geeks and losers, and that it is somehow less important than what everyone else is doing.  Just this week, I heard a group of middle school girls making fun of one of their friends around the lunch table for being in band.  The worst part about the whole thing was that some of the girls making fun of her were in band themselves.  The others, to the best of my estimation, have never even been in band before.  Another example I've witnessed, is that students in the HS band with deliberately avoid wearing their band t-shirts on performance days, because they are afraid of what their friends will say to them.   As much as I'd like to see all kids wearing the shirts on these days, I wouldn't want them to do it at the expense of their own self-esteem. 

 

I know what its like to be a band kid.  I was one myself from 4th grade through graduation, and liked it enough to major in music after that.  However, I definitely know what it meant to be a band kid.  In general, we were less athletic, most didn't run with the in-crowds, and we did occasionally have to wear uniforms, including hats with feathers in them.  We actually had a Jr. High Marching Band that performed at the Boyertown Cavalcade and the East-West Jr. High FB Game each year, plus halloween and other parades.  So maybe I was used to being on display by then so much that it didn't bother me, or perhaps I was one that took pride in it while being oblivious to the others who may have seen it as a source of embarassment.  But I don't think that was the case.  I think it was something that we were all proud of, along with our parents, our school, and our community.  I know for a fact that this was the case way-back-when in Troy as well.  I know because of all the people I've talked to who are so proud to tell me of how things were when they were in the band, under the direction of Mr. Boyer, Mrs. Nickerson, Mr. Yearick, and others.  The community loved the band and respected it, and students wanted to be in it.  So what has changed?

 

I could give a spiel here about how "kids today" are different.  But I honestly believe that kids are no different today than ever.  I think what has changed is society, cultural influences, parental care and involvement, and educational priorities.  Our society is focused on instant gratification and information (which goes against practice and hard work), our culture is focused on things that glorify the individual and give all of us what we crave when we crave it (which goes against teamwork, humility, and serving others), our parents have taken to giving their kids more freedom and allowing them to make more decisions with less parental concern (which goes against mother/father knows best, and opens the door for decisions to be made by emotional adolescents, not thorough and thoughtful parenting), and our education system emphasizes product, not process, as evidenced by the REDICULOUS amount of tests our kids take.  Further, if its something that cannot be tested, its perceived as much less worthwhile (which goes against the need for all students to experience the unmeasureable aesthetic and emotional response achieved from ANY involvement in the Arts).

 

I read an article yesterday about a district in Texas, about the size of Troy SD, that REQUIRES all students to play in beginning band when they start kids in 6th grade.  They actually cited higher standardized test scores as the need and motivation for the implementation of the program.  Can you imagine what a world we'd live in if all students had the benefit of a FULL education in Music and the other Arts ?  If you've ever seen the film Mr. Holland's Opus, you may remember the scene where Mr. Holland is in the principal's office, facing the termination of his established music program and all other arts courses in the face of budget cuts and reform. When told by the principal that this was an effort to boost the student's focus on reading and writing, Mr. Holland responds by saying "If we take away the Arts, what will there be left to read and write about?"   

 

So what do we do?  I say, we keep going and keep working. 

 

To those of you in our band program already:  Keep with it!  Your world is telling you that it's not worth it.  But I say, stick to it, and you will expeience the world in way that will benefit you for the rest of your life. In additon, don't take those other students seriously.  More than likely, they are afraid of you because they can't do what you do.  Be nice to them, and explain how they could learn alot by being a part of band themselves. 

 

To those of you who have quit:  Come back!  One thing that band people are NOT is grudgy.  We understand the peer pressure, and would love you for returning to something that we already enjoy doing and want to share with others. 

 

To the parents of any students out there:  Support, encourage, love, care, influence, and above else, hold your ground!  If you think something is valuable to your kids, it probably is.  Don't let your kid's emotions decide how they will run their lives at all times.  Remember the average attention span of an adolescent is less than an a half-hour, and in some cases, less than 10 minutes.  They will always change their minds.  Its your job to help them see the bigger picture. 

 

And to those of you who make fun of the "band geeks" at your lunch table:  Keep your mouth shut!  You won't hear a band kid making fun of you for taking an art class, taking a math class, being on the yearbook club, playing football or volleyball, or being on a shooting team...so what gives you the right to make fun of them?  Lets change the course of our world...get involved and stay involved in the Arts. 

 

No one ever regrets involvement the Arts, they only regret it when they never got involved in the first place.

 

I was approached yesterday by a student who asked me to update my blog, since I really only ever made two entries to it.  I admit that I was shocked to find that anyone actually reads this.  But since I had a bit of time today over my lunch, I figured I'd make good use of it.  The people get what the people want.

 

Today's topic of discussion is the Standard Ovation.  That's right, you read it correctly.  I didn't misspell anything.   You may be thinking that I meant to write on the topic of the Standing Ovation, its history, purposes, and uses.  And while that would be a noble and interesting topic to write about, There's already been written a perfectly good article about that.

 

No, today I am discussing an event that my father likes to call, the Standard Ovation.  It's that obligatory rising to the feet of all (or most) members of an audience during a speech, or at the end of a performance when perhaps one person is moved to stand while applauding, thereby warranting that everyone else in the room stand or be somehow viewed as unappreciative for NOT standing as well.  This type of applause comes occasionally as a result of one person's boundless joy for the expereience they just had, which turns others to think, "Yeah, I guess that was pretty good." 

 

Lately, however (in the past 15 years or so), it has become clear to me that the general public seems to think that standing at the end of a concert or similar performance is something that you are supposed to do, and so commonplace that no matter what the quality of the concert was, one should always stand out of appreciation for the work displayed on stage.  I'd like to submit this article as a plea to stop the Standing Ovation from happening as much but by no means am I asking for the Standing O's to stop. 

 

First and foremost, let me state that as a musician, I have been on the giving and receiving end of more standing ovations than I can count.  Even as a youngster, I was at performances my mother played in where the audience would rise at the conclusion of the event.  I have been to performances for major symphonies where the standing ovation lasted for more than 10 minutes.  I have been on the receiving end of similar ovations while on tours with the DU Chamber Singers.  Its a wonderful feeling to be a part of both.  Its a way for the performers and audience members to connect in mutual gratitute for a great performance.

 

And that's just it: a great performance.  When I was young, I was taught that the reason people applaud is to recognize a good performance, and to show appreciation.  I was also taught that a Standing Ovation was something special, and rare, and that it should only happen when louder and longer applause is simply not enough to show the admiration for the performance.  It was related to the greatness of the performance, and the performance should really deserve the Standing O in order to achieve one.  An average or above average concert was simply not enough.  It had to be OUTSTANDING and far above and beyond the average for the type of performance displayed.

 

Nowadays, however, the Standing O happens far too often (in my opinion).   I have seen the majority of these after average, or even mediocre performances.  We all know how it goes:  The audience applauds for a few seconds, until someone's grandmother stands up.  But there is always an awkward moment in your mind as you are seated, waiting for someone to stand up first.  Perhaps someone in front or behind you has risen already, and you are now worried about how soon you should stand up.  And if everyone else around you is standing while you are seated, that's a bit awkward too.  It's only as matter or time before you slowly rise to your feet, acting like you are half-stretching and that's part of the reason for your getting up.

 

What good is there in standing up to applaud a performance that is, frankly, not very good?  Think about it: You are already showing your respect for the performance and performers through your applause. So if standing up is a way of showing honor above and beyond that, what are you trying to say by standing up as well?  Are you saying that you didn't care that the performance was not good, or at least, not outstanding, but rather, are you saying, "thanks for trying?"   Are you saying that you gage excellence differently than other people (a reasonable possibility) or you simply don't really know what 'excellent' is? 

 

The problem with the Standard Ovation lies with the idea that we are confusing applause with accolade.  Doesn't the Standard Ovation cheapen the Standing Ovation so that when a performance really knocks your socks off, you don't really have a way of showing further respect?  What do you do then?  Do you stand up taller, or on your chair?  Do you stand and cheer?  Do you applaud louder, longer, or stomp your feet in addition?  Do you "Euroclap" in beat with the rest of the audience (something that often happens after European concerts)? 

 

I've come to the conclusion that there's no easy solution for this.  I've tried staying seated during a full Standing Ovation to show that I didn't think that the performance was spectacular.  I thought it was good, yes, but spectacular, no.  In principle, I felt like I was doing the right thing.  In practice, however, I felt like a jerk.  I felt like the people around me must have thought, "What's wrong with that guy.  He has no class.  He can't even show respect."  But I was applauding, just not standing.  I've also been to concerts of major symphony orchestras where portions of the audience rose to their feet, but certainly not the majority of the house, and yet the applause went on for quite a while.  It was like the audience was collectively saying to the performers, "Good, but not your best."  And that's OK!  It also may have had something to do with the tickets.  If you spend $50 on a ticket to any given performance, you may stay seated too if you don't think it was the best you could have heard.

 

Now that you've read this, I admit that I have a slight fear that I will never see another Standing Ovation for any performance I'm involved in, no matter how well the group I'm with has performed.  But by all means, stand if you think it was a superior performance.  And if you don't think it was superior, do us a favor, and stay seated.  Perhaps the people on stage will appreciate your applause that much more, because if any of them have ever pondered the Standard Ovation, they might realize that you actually know, understand, and appreciate what you just listened to, and that you liked it.   

Ok...this is rediculous.  What is so different about this year that we all keep getting sick?  Is there some reason that fall of 2009 has caused the THS Band Room to be one big germ factory?   I mean it.  This year has caused our school to look like a sample test tube in Alexander Fleming's lab (yeah, thats right...I did a book report on him in 9th grade.  Look him up). This marching season will certainly be remembered as one of those periods when everyone gets sick with something.  You name it, we've had it.  Bronchitis, Swine Flu Novel H1N1 virus, Regular Flu, Sinus Infections, Strep Throat, Laryngitis, not to mention countless fevers, runny noses, headaches, stomach aches, and plain old colds.  Imagine what that means to the band director: more whining, complaining, and groaning than ever.  And that's just what you hear out of me. 

    We were lucky...I've heard of other bands, of comparable size and in our area, who were missing a third to half of their band on some game nights.   Kudos to you, THS Band, for carefully arranging to each take your full week or more off from school at staggered times so as not to entirely deplete the group of playing members.  Double kudos to you also, for doing it in the mist of perhaps the rainiest stretch of Friday nights ever in the Western Hemisphere.  Seriously!  Wyalusing, nice.  Wellsboro, rained.  Towanda, rained.  Cowanesque, I can't remember.  South Williamsport, rained.  Athens, rained.  Sayre, rained/snowed.  North Penn, rained.  Forecast for tomorrow night at Muncy: rain showers.  All this rain cannot be good for your health. 

    Which brings me back to why I am writing.  At one point, I looked around at a practice or game (last week I think), and realized that we were all there, save one or two kids, of whom one was not sick.  I considered this to be the moment we crossed from being in the woods to out of them.  I was feeling good!  I was sucking down Vitamin C drops at the rate of 400% RDV a day.  Kids were happy and working hard. Wouldn't you believe that less than one week later, here I am sitting at my desk not feeling well again.  Believe me...I don't like to complain about my health.  I don't usually want others to know, and besides, have you ever been excited to hear that someone isn't feeling well?  Imagine the following conversation: 

So thats generally why you won't hear things from me about being sick.  I just don't want YOU to freak out.  If I'm sick enough that you shouldn't be around me, you'll know.

 

Basically, it would just be nice to know when I'm going to have to wear a facemask to school.  I mean it.  I want the place to look like China in the middle of a SARS outbreak, or I'm outta here.  You guys can rehearse yourself!  Just kidding.

 

 

PS.  Thanks Bri, Erik, Jackie, and Sarah.  You guys made my afternoon yesterday :-)

 

Mr. Schwanger

First of all, welcome to my first attempt at any sort of a public blog!  While the information you read here will be trivial at best, I just thought it would be a good idea for me to send out to anyone, in writing, some of the things that I get to thinking about from time to time.  I honestly have no plans to keep this blog updated with any scheduled regularity, but I do hope that when the mood strikes, I can remember to go here to open up to readers about what I'm thinking.  I plan to keep it updated with tips on playing, practicing, warmup, or just give simple life lessons.  There may be times that I add a link to a cool site I found.  There may be time that I post a funny picture.  Who knows?

 

In college, I actually earned a nickname among my music education classmates; they used to call me "Deep Thoughts."  Now, any of you who have ever had a lesson with me must surely know that I NEVER talk too much, over-explain a concept, or ask a lengthy series of rhetorical questions aimed at inspiring you to perform that concert b-flat whole note with the most beautiful tone, rhythm counting, and emotion, so much so that it would make Beethoven jealous.  So hey...if you can't get enough of Mr. Schwanger's short and consise, less-talk-more-doing style of teaching, go ahead and hit "SUBSCRIBE" and read my posts in your most favoritest RSS feed reader. 

 

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Its about this time of year that I begin to realize that alot of what I've said in a lesson or in a band rehearsal is all old material.   It's either stuff I've already said this year, stuff i've said last year, or stuff someone else has said.  Don't get me wrong; I don't consider myself a walking encyclopedia of band knowledge.  I just remember alot of things that people used to tell ME in the past, and I pretty much just regurgitate that out to my students.  Yes, there are plenty of times that I have thought up my own analogy on the spot, but for the most part, I am telling you something that someone else has (or I have) said already.  So, the next time you are at home practicing your instrument, just think to yourself "What did Mr. Schwanger (or anyone else, for that matter) say about this?"  If you can't answer that question, think "What would someone like Mr. Schwanger say to me (besides 'Do it again!')."  It may just help to keep you practicing, that is, assuming you've begun to do that in the first place!