MACHIAVELLI
Chairman/C.E.O.
*Kerry Gilliard, Greenbelt, MD and Band Director at Central High School, Capital Heights, MD, former Asst. Director of University Bands, Bowie State University:
?FYI, EUR audience - the 'high step' style, while primarily identified with HBCU bands (04-21-03 EUR), has it's origin in bands such as Ohio State, Univ. of Michigan and Michigan State. In the late 40's when most HBCU bands began to adopt that style of marching, most of the white schools converted their style to corps style (what looks like 'walking' to us). A few schools - like University of Southern California - continued to keep their style as 'high step,? although their counterparts at most other schools converted.
Some HBCU bands - like The Marching Storm of Prairie View A&M Univ. and The Marching Spartan Legion of Norfolk State University do BOTH styles and do them very VERY well.
Folks from Florida A&M will tell you that many of the innovations in HBCU marching bands came from Dr. William P. Foster, former director emeritus at FAMU, who did his grad work at Michigan and adopted their marching style for his band.
Now it IS true that bands like Tennessee State and Grambling State were the first to do things like 'dance routines' (dancing and playing music) and to play popular music, which is one of the things that sets most HBCU bands apart. Dance routines aren't foreign to non-HBCU bands, though - Northwestern University occasionally does a dance routine - RARELY (I believe usually only when they play Southern University).
Please don't let this area of music turn into a 'black and white' thing. Music is - and has always been - a universal language. Our white counterparts and us play much of the same music (traditional marches like 'In Storm and Sunshine,' 'Stars and Stripes' and 'Rolling Thunder' classical pieces like 'Flight of the Bumblebee' and 'Night on Bald Mountain' as well as popular and old-school R&B and Hip-Hop pieces).
Those who understand realize - music belongs to no one, but is a gift to be shared and performed by all, regardless of race, color or creed.?
We always wanna know what's on your mind. Hit us back at: EURfeedback@eurweb.com
?FYI, EUR audience - the 'high step' style, while primarily identified with HBCU bands (04-21-03 EUR), has it's origin in bands such as Ohio State, Univ. of Michigan and Michigan State. In the late 40's when most HBCU bands began to adopt that style of marching, most of the white schools converted their style to corps style (what looks like 'walking' to us). A few schools - like University of Southern California - continued to keep their style as 'high step,? although their counterparts at most other schools converted.
Some HBCU bands - like The Marching Storm of Prairie View A&M Univ. and The Marching Spartan Legion of Norfolk State University do BOTH styles and do them very VERY well.
Folks from Florida A&M will tell you that many of the innovations in HBCU marching bands came from Dr. William P. Foster, former director emeritus at FAMU, who did his grad work at Michigan and adopted their marching style for his band.
Now it IS true that bands like Tennessee State and Grambling State were the first to do things like 'dance routines' (dancing and playing music) and to play popular music, which is one of the things that sets most HBCU bands apart. Dance routines aren't foreign to non-HBCU bands, though - Northwestern University occasionally does a dance routine - RARELY (I believe usually only when they play Southern University).
Please don't let this area of music turn into a 'black and white' thing. Music is - and has always been - a universal language. Our white counterparts and us play much of the same music (traditional marches like 'In Storm and Sunshine,' 'Stars and Stripes' and 'Rolling Thunder' classical pieces like 'Flight of the Bumblebee' and 'Night on Bald Mountain' as well as popular and old-school R&B and Hip-Hop pieces).
Those who understand realize - music belongs to no one, but is a gift to be shared and performed by all, regardless of race, color or creed.?
We always wanna know what's on your mind. Hit us back at: EURfeedback@eurweb.com
