[Dixielandjazz] Public Schools & the concept of "dumbing down"

[Russ Guarino]

Hello guys,

Here's my two cents worth....

I was involved in junior and senior high school music as a student from
1948 to 1954.

In college I got a credential in public school instrumental music, which
I didn't use until I retired from business in 1988. At that point I did
a lot of substitute work in about six districts and got to work with
kids in both middle schools and high schools.

Frankly, the school music programs are the same now as they were then.
Here's why.

1]  The core literature for schools is classical music, transcribed by
current arrangers for various ability levels.  This literature is
extensively used because it will accommodate strings, woodwinds, brass
and percussion, all in one orchestra and serves the greatest number of
students.  The "concert band" is similar to the orchestra but there are
no strings.  But the material is about the same.  There may be a little
more emphasis on movie and stage music.

2]  Marching band literature is also used extensively because many
schools want a marching band to compliment their football programs.
Marching band music, as you know, accommodates brass, woodwinds and
percussion and attracts a very large number of students.  Marching bands
are excellent training groups as they require the kids to be highly
involved in team work, discipline, time schedule control, uniform care,
etc. and etc.  The best marching bands attend festivals and competitions
and  are rewarded with honors that are taken very seriously. The kids
work very hard in a well run marching band program.  A marching band
program takes a tremendous amount of work and is, frankly, exhausting.

3] Specialty music, such as string ensembles, brass ensembles, stage
bands, be-bop, rock, dixieland, sax quartets, etc. This music serves a
small number of students and usually requires a rather large school to
have enough quality players to make up these small ensembles. My
experience has been that the orchestra and marching band take up 80% of
the students and teachers time, with the balance left over for
developing small ensemble work. The small ensembles will meet before
school starts or after school a couple of days a week.  Usually the
music teacher's personal interests tend to guide what kind of small
ensemble groups are offered. If a group of students ask for help with a
certain type of music, most teachers will do some study and then help
out.  Bottom line, a really good violinist who teaches public school
music will probably have a dynamite small string ensemble program with
very adept students, but not much of a stage band.

4]  School musical drama programs. [ I remember "Kiss Me Kate" in my
high school days ].  Here the music is the same literature used by
professionals.  The music teacher rents the music as part of the
material the drama teacher gets for his students.  The school has to
have quality instrumental students who can play or come close to playing
the material.  Sometimes the music teacher rewrites difficult parts
making them easier for his kids.

I don't think current music teachers are dumbing down the programs.  I
think they are just as good today as 50 years ago.   Most of the music
teachers I have known had a tremendous love of music, love the kids and
are highly trained. There is a lot going on in the programs and demands
made by parents and administration push them in certain directions.

I remember one teacher who left a school district because "there was no
appreciation of the arts".  You have to have a real dedication to leave
a safe job.

Russ Guarino