[Menvi-discuss] Being a student leader in band

Wed Apr 17 21:07:02 EDT 2013

Winona,
I am so excited for the opportunity you have.
I was one of 3 flute section leaders in my junior and senior year.
It was tough but I enjoyed it greatly.
My band is a competitive parade band.
In a parade competition, every small detail of the visuals like step 
size, carriage, horn angle were vital to bring score up, so I almost 
never touched on visuals.
In fact, I was still correcting my posture and carriage until my senior 
year season.
What I did as a section leader was musical aspects, especially helping 
struggling freshmen individually or in a small group setting. (The 
flute section was about 30-40)
There were times I felt left out and/or incompetent about myself as a 
leader in marching band.
What my band director constantly told me is "You are a great leader 
because you make people around better. You motivate others to work 
harder."
I didn't take this seriously and stil don't understand its deepest 
meaning.
However, I am more than grateful for the level of trust my director has 
in me and the experiences I had being involved in marching band.
The bottom line is, whatever the position may be, there will be 
difficulties: difficulties anybody will face and difficulties that come 
because of being blind.
Don't focus too much on what you can't do. If you always keep in mind 
"leading by example" and show others you do your best because you love 
what you are doing that will make you a great leader for others, 
especially freshman.
Best wishes and feel free to e-mail me off list.
Miso

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Coates <coatesncr at gmail.com>
To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy 
<menvi-discuss at menvi.org>
Sent: Wed, Apr 17, 2013 5:51 pm
Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] Being a student leader in band

Your three years of experience should give you the experience you 
need.  I would recommend that you approach your director asking to 
write a show and have him critique it.  Use the information you learn 
as a step off to your future and keep trying.  Good luck with your 
audition.  Any more help let me know.  Rick

On Wed, Apr 17, 2013 at 4:38 PM, Kaiti Shelton 
<crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com> wrote:
Hi,

I think for now that sticking with the musical stuff would be good,
but as you go through the season looking for ways to articulate visual
concepts to the sighted band members might be good.  I know for music
ed majors in my school's music department there is a class called
"Marching Band Pedigogy," for all the instrumental band people who
would be possible marching band directors.  If you do go into ed with
the intention of becoming a band director that might be something you
have to take, so coming up with modifications for teaching any visual
material would really help.

On 4/17/13, Winona Brackett <trumpetqueenwb at gmail.com> wrote:
> I have been in marching band for three years. I understand the 
basics
> of marching (the position your feet should be in when marching 
forward
> or backwards, sliding and etc.),  but I don't know that I am
> comfortable enough to teach it. I feel that I would be nervous and
> make to many mistakes.
>
> I would like to do music in college. I'm thinking about music
> education or trumpet performance.
>
> Winona
>
> On 4/17/13, Rick Coates <coatesncr at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Winona:
>>
>>  I am not visually impaired, but I taught a group of blind 
students to
>> perform as a marching band.  It had been many years since I 
did any
>> marching band but a great deal of the visual work is rooted in 
basic
>> skills
>> and movements.  As a visually impaired band student, your 
understanding
>> of
>> the visual aspect of the performance will be different and 
possibly more
>> challenging to share with your peers, especially if the 
training time
>> between shows is short.  You did not state how much marching 
experience
>> you
>> had and I would believe that would play a great role in the 
visual
>> instruction as well.
>>
>> In general, I would encourage you to work towards the musical 
aspect of
>> the
>> band.  It sounds like you would have many challenges that meet 
the goal
>> you
>> are reaching.  The results of this experience would be very 
important
>> should you wish to continue in music.  Remember, that all 
instruction,
>> whether visual or musical, moves in steps and stages.  It will 
require
>> you
>> to plan out your instruction and require you to evaluate the 
results to
>> make you better.
>>
>> I commend your director for allowing you to undertake this 
opportunity
>> and
>> wish you well in this endeavor.  When I was much younger (old 
guy), I
>> tried
>> out as a drum major one time and was very nervous that I would 
make
>> mistakes and the performance would fail.  Luckily, everything 
went well.
>> The last thing I would say is relax and enjoy yourself, it 
will all work
>> out.
>>
>> Keep us informed about your results.
>>
>> Rick Coates
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Apr 16, 2013 at 6:52 PM, Winona Brackett
>> <trumpetqueenwb at gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> I am a junior (grade 11) in high school. I play trumpet 
and I'm in my
>>> school's marching and concert band. My band director is 
letting his
>>> students apply and audition for marching band leadership 
positions. I
>>> would like to apply for Trumpet Co-Section Leader and 
Brass Captain. I
>>> have asked my peers their opinions on how well I would do 
as a brass
>>> captain or co-section leader and I've gotten different 
answers:
>>>
>>> "You have the musical talent, you would be great."
>>>
>>> "I don't think Brass Captain would be the best thing for 
you.You need
>>> to be able to teach marching; control the entire brass 
section;
>>> conduct them; warm them up; and have sectionals.I don't 
think it would
>>> be a good idea to have two captains (a music captain and a 
visuals
>>> captain), it would be confusing and could end badly if the 
two
>>> disagreed with each other."
>>>
>>> Those quotes are for both positions. If I was brass 
captain or trumpet
>>> co-section leader, I would have to learn everyone's music 
ahead of
>>> time so I would be able to help the students in my section 
learn and
>>> memorize their parts. (Field show music and stand music). 
I know that
>>> would take a lot on my part. I want to push and challenge 
myself, but
>>> I also don't want to bite off more than I can chew.
>>>
>>> What are your thoughts? As a blind individual, how do you 
think I
>>> would teach visual block? (Marching basics, drill where 
they are in
>>> the formation). Or, should I be the music section leader 
and have
>>> another student be the visuals leader? I have talked to my 
band
>>> director about having two leaders, and he seems ok with it.
>>>
>>> All opinions are appreciated.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Winona
>>>
>>> Thank you for subscribing to MENVI.  Should you wish to 
unsubscribe,
>>> change your delivery, or set any other options available 
to you, please
>>> view the list information page below.  Should you have any 
questions,
>>> please contact the owner of the list.
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Menvi-discuss mailing list
>>> Menvi-discuss at menvi.org
>>> http://menvi.org/mailman/listinfo/menvi-discuss_menvi.org
>>>
>>>
>>
>
> Thank you for subscribing to MENVI.  Should you wish to 
unsubscribe, change
> your delivery, or set any other options available to you, please 
view the
> list information page below.  Should you have any questions, 
please contact
> the owner of the list.
> _______________________________________________
> Menvi-discuss mailing list
> Menvi-discuss at menvi.org
> http://menvi.org/mailman/listinfo/menvi-discuss_menvi.org
>

--
Kaiti

Thank you for subscribing to MENVI.  Should you wish to unsubscribe, 
change your delivery, or set any other options available to you, please 
view the list information page below.  Should you have any questions, 
please contact the owner of the list.
_______________________________________________
Menvi-discuss mailing list
Menvi-discuss at menvi.org
http://menvi.org/mailman/listinfo/menvi-discuss_menvi.orgThank you for 
subscribing to MENVI.  Should you wish to unsubscribe, change your 
delivery, or set any other options available to you, please view the 
list information page below.  Should you have any questions, please 
contact the owner of the list.
_______________________________________________
Menvi-discuss mailing list
Menvi-discuss at menvi.org
http://menvi.org/mailman/listinfo/menvi-discuss_menvi.org