This weekend is the TOB Chapters, the qualifying events for the Atlantic Coast Championships.
We Americans are a competitive lot. Some believe that competition should not be a part of the arts, including marching band programs.
Look, competition is part of life, and that includes the arts. If you don’t believe me, think about the world famous Van Cliburn piano competition, or even the competition that values things the “finer things” of life every day at the Sotheby’s auction house.
Do all bands have to compete? No. Several bands I enjoyed this year right here in Anne Arundel County do not compete: Annapolis HS (with a great rock tribute titled Styx & Stones), South River HS (a big band with a big sound featuring the movie music of John Williams) and North County HS (reminding me of Texas high school “drill teams” with their pom pon girls). And throughout this year I have seen several bands that, well, were competitive, but not as enjoyable as the three noted above.
As this blog progresses I’m sure I’ll share my thoughts about competition. But for now, I wish the competitors their best performances (you make your own luck) and thank those who perform for the sheer pleasure of performance.
1 comment:
Art and competition.
You bring up some good points. Maybe that's why so many of us are afraid to create in the first place... But we have to remember, who exactly are we doing this for???
For whom... for who.. whom.
whatever...
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