Music For Everyone: Part Two by Robert Rawlins
Since America loves to make music, your students of today could be the backbone of tomorrow's community bands
As with most activities, there are two ways to become involved in music–either as a spectator or as a participant. There is no question that the proliferation of sound and recording technology over the past hundred years has brought more music to more people than ever before. With the recent advent of Internet broadcasting, iPods and satellite radio, the average person can now access a myriad of musical styles at any time, in any place, for minimal cost. Yet in spite of this–or perhaps because of this–recreational music making is clearly on the rise. People don't just want to hear music; they want to make it.
In a 2003 Gallup poll, 54 percent of households in the US reported that at least one member played a musical instrument, the highest figure reported since the study began in 1978. In at least half of those "musical" families, one or more other household members played instruments as well. And if you think that music participants are mainly children, guess again: 42 percent of adults between the ages of 35 and 50 said they currently play a musical instrument. Clearly, Americans are not satisfied with being musical spectators–they want to participate, even after leaving school.
Over the past several years, a wealth of data has emerged on the benefits of music study for children. The facts are clear: children who study music get higher grades, achieve higher SAT scores, have substantially lower lifetime incidents of substance abuse and are better socially adjusted than their nonmusical counterparts. While the precise reasons for these facts are not known, the association is enough to convince the overwhelming majority of Americans that music is good for children. Evidently, they are convinced that music is good for adults as well.
There are many ways to participate in music beyond the school years. Millions of people play the piano or some other solo instrument in their homes. Others sing, perhaps as a soloist, with a church choir or as a member of some other vocal group. A very active recent trend is the drum circle, in which people gather to create spontaneous music on percussion instruments. For those who have acquired a minimal degree of proficiency on some instrument, there are countless ensembles of various types that invite participation. Of these, one of the most widespread and rewarding is the band–for instance, your community band.
Band playing is not new to America. Community bands began to assemble after the Civil War and remain common to the present day. By the early years of the 20th century, there were well over 10,000 bands in the United States. Practically every town had a local band, and concerts in the park were regular events. The tradition has survived radio, movies and television, and it is presently experiencing a revival. Today there are some 1300 community bands in the United States, and the number is rising.
Band members generally cite two reasons for their participation in community groups: the social environment and the sense of accomplishment they feel. People like to work together, and they like to be challenged. Band playing provides the perfect environment where participants can collectively apply themselves in a setting that is both rewarding and relaxing. While there are some competitive amateur bands, most will welcome members with only a rudimentary knowledge of their instruments. Surprisingly, only 10 percent of community band participants have had private instruction. Most were initially members of a school band and never lost their love for the instrument that initially attracted them to music.
Without a doubt, most students who participate in school band stop playing after high school. In most instances, the rigors of college life or starting a career push nonessential activities to the background. After not playing for several years, many former instrumentalists simply don't know how to get back into the game. By this time they have lost their embouchure, their instruments are likely in ill repair (if they still own them), and they don't know where they might play even if they did have working instruments.
As a college music department chair, I regularly receive inquiries from adults wanting to get back into music. Fortunately, it has never been easier to participate in instrumental music making. There are more quality band instruments at affordable prices on the market than at any time in the past. Resources are easily found on the Internet, and enthusiasts for virtually every instrument have websites, news groups, bulletin boards and e-mail exchanges. A search for "community bands" will provide links that will direct you to contact information for hundreds of bands throughout the United States.
Music making is a highly rewarding activity that can contribute to well-being, relaxation and self-gratification. Many people report that playing in the school band was one of the happiest experiences of their youth. There's no reason that has to end with graduation.
Dr. Robert Rawlins is chairman of the music department at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. His publishing credits include Jazzology: The Encyclopedia of Jazz Theory for All Musicians, a new release from Hal Leonard that he coauthored. He can be reached at rawlinsr@rowan.edu.
