University Leveled Music.
- Thread starter Legend35
- Start date
- Status
PVSAX99
Well-Known Member
HEY:redhot: Don't hate on the sig!!!!!!!:smug:
lol.......and don't make me get on you about your sig......
"If I don't play trumpet, I'm beneath you eh?":lol:
Forget a trumpet!!!!!!!! LOL......the Mellophones could take what yall have.....LOL:bump: Besides.....I play the trumpet too (barely) LOL......Therefore......I am NOT beneath you!!!!! LOL
Yall brass folks say you can hardly hear the saxes.....That's cool......I can dig that. That's why my sig is the way it is......Picture it......
The band is like a body.....
The Brass represents what everyone can see and hear.
The Box is the Heart Beat.
The Woodwinds are what you brasses don't pay much attention to.....LOL......like the soul and mind etc.
With that said.....without air.....the body won't survive......the saxes representent every breath that the body takes......You don't pay much attention to your breathing.....but you know it's there......JUST LIKE THE SAXES in the Marching Storm!!!!!!!!! Nobody pays much attention to us.....especially Tenors......but we are so dang deep. So you have no choice to know that we are there.
Alto Saxes represent INHALE.....
Tenor Saxes represent Exhale....
Ya feel me? That's just some band philosophy that I just thought up.
question to the posters
i been reading this post off and on.
some of you post some great things.
But my question is this-when you say university leveled music, what are you actually speaking of?
To the educator that are pursuing the degree in music-do your professor teach the different levels of music, and do they tell you what is considered university leveled music.
just a curious question.
i been reading this post off and on.
some of you post some great things.
But my question is this-when you say university leveled music, what are you actually speaking of?
To the educator that are pursuing the degree in music-do your professor teach the different levels of music, and do they tell you what is considered university leveled music.
just a curious question.
dacontinent
Preacher
Re: question to the posters
Back before I graduated JSU as a Comp Sci major 20 YEARS AGO, they did. I made sure of it by asking them. Haughton, Duplessis, Goree, Anthony, and even Dr. James make sure of it. We talked about music education and grade levels...about what it takes to be recognized along side the best in the country...about why they chose the selections that they did. It was all about making music and the fact that the students who left the program there needed a resume that was better than the students coming out of Big 10, PAC 10, SEC, ACC, etc.
If students today are not being told, have them to PM or email me. I will tell them.
Back before I graduated JSU as a Comp Sci major 20 YEARS AGO, they did. I made sure of it by asking them. Haughton, Duplessis, Goree, Anthony, and even Dr. James make sure of it. We talked about music education and grade levels...about what it takes to be recognized along side the best in the country...about why they chose the selections that they did. It was all about making music and the fact that the students who left the program there needed a resume that was better than the students coming out of Big 10, PAC 10, SEC, ACC, etc.
If students today are not being told, have them to PM or email me. I will tell them.
Legend35
Active Member
I personally have not been told by my instructor the definition of university leveled music but, thank you I will surely inquire now. I was basing my definition on the theoretical principles they are teaching me hear. You know Ear training & Sight singing , counterpoint , form and analysis.... I feel that some of these principles should be put into practice now. I forgot what it is called but, each state has a proficiency requirement for K-12 students in music. It also has one for higher education as well as NASM ( I think that's right) requirements to keep OUR music program accredited. I will do some more research on this one and give a more concise answer.
Legend35
Active Member
OK,... I got it. There are music organizations like : N.A.S.M. N.I.M.A.C.(National Intercollegiate Music Association Conference) ,M.E.N.C.Music Education National Conference), N.B.D.A.National Band Directors Association), L.M.E.A.Louisiana Music Education Association), Southern Music Co....anyway ,these organizations have sight readings of various kinds of music and whether it is difficult or easy based on sight reading it is then labled as to what grade level a particular piece would be suitable for what level of musician. I was also told that Marching Bands should pattern themselves after Michigan(Trojans). Realize that the people we are playing to don't know much about music but, we have to reach them and also maintain a level of musical integrity. Example:... Yo Yo Ma'r is one crazy Violin Player doing some strange things to please his audience but, he turns right around and cover all the fundamentals a violinist is suppose to have. So, to sum it up, yes, please the crowd but, make sure in your performance whether in the stands or on the field you are implimenting something that is recognized as standard literature by these music organization.
just like i thought
well first, thanks for your reply.
Secondly-dacontinent, i am glad you took the time to learn about what make literature, university level.
I hope it help you in your program and i hope you are successful.
So just like I thought, how can we know how to arrange on a university level, if we is not taught.
You all as future educators, need to get all the education and knowledge of all facets of literature as possible.
because there are a lot of lost youth in band programs, that needs knowledge and understanding.
Because when they hear some of these universities, they feel that how music should sound-even the most sorriest arrangement sounds great to them, because they know how to find the one thing that resembles the song.
when you speak of university leveled music, you are talking about the grade of music that a university plays-meaning grade 5 on up is consider advance high school to university.
So my next question is this, should the arranger try to arrange according to the music prescribe list, or should they arrange more musically, and if a high school wants the arrangement, it would be impossible for them to play, because of the musicality of the arrangement.
well first, thanks for your reply.
Secondly-dacontinent, i am glad you took the time to learn about what make literature, university level.
I hope it help you in your program and i hope you are successful.
So just like I thought, how can we know how to arrange on a university level, if we is not taught.
You all as future educators, need to get all the education and knowledge of all facets of literature as possible.
because there are a lot of lost youth in band programs, that needs knowledge and understanding.
Because when they hear some of these universities, they feel that how music should sound-even the most sorriest arrangement sounds great to them, because they know how to find the one thing that resembles the song.
when you speak of university leveled music, you are talking about the grade of music that a university plays-meaning grade 5 on up is consider advance high school to university.
So my next question is this, should the arranger try to arrange according to the music prescribe list, or should they arrange more musically, and if a high school wants the arrangement, it would be impossible for them to play, because of the musicality of the arrangement.
Legend35
Active Member
Let me see if I'm understanding you correctly. Are you asking if we should arrange commercial music with the technical and machanical complexities that is reccomended by these musical organization? Should our arrangements be written in a way that would be difficult for a high school to play? I don't understand what you mean by more musical from the prescribed list.
MY PERSONAL OPINION is that high schools should not be trying to play university music (if it is arranged on a university level) It is not fair to those kids. I feel there should be a major difference in music quality. Is it that some of this rap music that is played on the radio today doesn't have all the theoretical elements to be considered university material unless the arranger deviates from the record by spiking it up and adding more seasoning (Chord resolution with symphonic endings ) to it like FAMU does? High School and University Bands should not be playing at the same level of music. I believe the facets found in the quick step marches or symphonic Sousa marches should also be incorporated in our commercial arrangement. I'm talking about chord resolution , rhythmic and molodic challenges. I'm not an expert but, this is my belief.
MY PERSONAL OPINION is that high schools should not be trying to play university music (if it is arranged on a university level) It is not fair to those kids. I feel there should be a major difference in music quality. Is it that some of this rap music that is played on the radio today doesn't have all the theoretical elements to be considered university material unless the arranger deviates from the record by spiking it up and adding more seasoning (Chord resolution with symphonic endings ) to it like FAMU does? High School and University Bands should not be playing at the same level of music. I believe the facets found in the quick step marches or symphonic Sousa marches should also be incorporated in our commercial arrangement. I'm talking about chord resolution , rhythmic and molodic challenges. I'm not an expert but, this is my belief.
Legend35
Active Member
The more I research, the more this one question becomes a non absolute. It depends on what type of program you want for your band in terms of color and usually there are some prescribed literature that fits that format. If a professional ,college student , high school and jr high student was all playing a simple "Three Blind Mice" , there has to be distinct differences in playing in terms of phrasing, intonation horn control ....that seperate each group. There are those who believe the arrangements we are writing for bands today is not at that level. In some cases I would agree.
All I can say is I will comply with the requirements of these organization and they will be included in my program because I not preparing students to compete in a battle of a bands. - I preparing these students to compete with the world.
All I can say is I will comply with the requirements of these organization and they will be included in my program because I not preparing students to compete in a battle of a bands. - I preparing these students to compete with the world.
Legend35
Active Member
I'm not talking about a student. I'm talking about a band. Like I said before there is not an absolute to this one question. It's a matter of what you want in your program. Yes, I want to push students as far as I can without pushing them away from the art of music. There are even some high schools up north that are playing more complicated stuff than a university band is. More power to them IF THEY CAN PLAY AT THAT LEVEL. I will not push students beyond that just to keep up with the musical Jone's.
PsychoJag
We Run The SWAC
I know alot of talented kids in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge area that can play professionally NOW if they wanted to. If u were to hear some of them u would not know that some of them are 8-15 years old. There are alot of talented kids out there. Age or grade level has nothing to do with it. I've been to gospel workshops and I've seen 8 year old kids that are amazing on drums and piano. I was cleaning out college kids and some people out of school on piano and organ when I was a freshman in high school.
Legend35
Active Member
I'm sure there are. I am talking about a band as a whole. Those kids in that area are exposed to jazz at a early age. They are so serious about music down there that some have private lessons or was taught by family members who was professionally influenced. The majority of the kids in Grambling's band alone did not have the finances to have these private lessons. If the band as a whole can compete at that level, I am all for it but, no one will get left behind because they can't keep up. They have to perform at the level prescribe by these organizations. That's the foundation of what (I) will require. If talent persist then we will take it up step by step. However, I WILL NOT put too much on them trying to take it to the next level and the quality as a whole suffers. You should enjoy playing music instead of being under pressure because a director is looking for musical perfection in kids who haven't even got a good taste of life yet.It's about the area too. Do you know there is not 1 jazz club in North La.?
dacontinent
Preacher
I have worked with the local HS band for the last two years (my son is a sophomore) and all of the music has been arrangements obtained from universities around the country...Michigan, Michigan State, James Madison, Southern Miss, Florida State, and Texas. Our band director has connections in all of those places and the kids play the stew out of the charts. The middle school program is solid, expectations are high, and challenging music is a tradition. So, the students step up to it. It calls for strong leadership by the upperclassmen. It is so ingrained that there is no going back. As a result the program has reached a standard of excellence that others measure themselves by. Combined with that is the numbers: 300+.
In our case it is not a matter of keeping up with the Joneses...unless they are the bands from prior years.
My encouragement is to push the envelope. Over time you can make some great gains. Most kids are more capable than adults think they are.
Legend35
Active Member
Well,... my question to you is this: Where are all these talented kids going? The program you are describing to me sounds HOME GROWN. Meaning elementary through high schools are all working together to train these kids correctly and sending them to another level of training within that body of school system. I don't see that kind of talent coming here. If they were coming here, this band would be out of sight. Should we take another look at how we go about recruiting?
dacontinent
Preacher
Where are they going? Michigan, Michigan State, North Texas (jazz), Florida, Florida State, Miami (jazz), South Florida, Central Florida (jazz), North Florida (jazz and coming fast!), Berklee, Julliard, Eastman, and North Carolina from our school.
Another look at recruiting? Sure. I will say it again: HBCU's who want top students will have to compete for them by developing competitive programs that produce top graduates.
More importantly, you should be looking at growing your own system so it feeds itself. Today's top programs are going to get their picks of kids. What you need is depth so you can pick off some of the top kids today and have enough others that you can grow the program to gain a higher percentage of those top kids every year.
- Status