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MOUNT BAKER
MUSIC DEPARTMENT
Why Do MBHS Music
Groups Travel? |
An
Open Letter from Mr. Sutton, Band Director—Below
are some of the reasons the Mountaineer Band takes the trip to southern
California every third year. Some of the reasons are directly related to
curriculum, and some of them are intentional byproducts that are valuable to the
70+ students who travel to California.
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The band performs on a
world-class stage. The experience of marching down Main Street, USA in
Disneyland in front of thousands of people from dozens of nations is
something that the kids will never forget. The preparation to do this is a
very intense process. This is a performance highlight of a lifetime.
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The Mountaineer Band
takes part in a clinic that, in years past, has been directed by one of the
finest professional musician/teachers I’ve ever met – a man who has, among
other things, conducted world premiere performances of John Williams’
compositions, and who has conducted the orchestra at the Grammy Awards. The
clinic we experienced three years ago propelled our band to unparalleled
heights, and we are still feeling the effects today – even the kids who
weren’t there three years ago have benefited from this clinic.
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The Jazz Band takes part
in a professional-oriented clinic. Three years ago, the Jazz Band
experienced a clinic from a working jazz musician – one who described his
recording experiences with American Idol. He led the jazz band in the
simulation of a recording session – similar to the very real recording
sessions in which he participates .
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We experience a major
industry – show business – that relates to what we do as musicians.
Universal Studios, in addition to being an amusement park, is a functional
movie studio, and many, if not most, of the attractions are very
educational, as well as entertaining. A former student got valuable
personal audition information from her Disney clinic – she later
successfully auditioned into the prestigious Boston Conservatory of Music.
At least two former MBHS music students now have ties to Disney – one
attends Disney College and the other works for Radio Disney.
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We get to experience a
different culture of sorts. We tour Los Angeles and we get a taste of life
in a city where Caucasians are in the minority. We often discover the fact
that the climate can be sunny and warm in April. This trip always opens the
eyes of some students who don’t often stray far from Whatcom County.
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There is an aspect of
this being a reward of sorts. They must be good enough to pass the audition
in order to perform at Disneyland. The band members must be trustworthy
throughout their years in the band. I won’t travel with them if they show
any signs of being less than honorable in all of their interactions with
each other, with me, and with the public when they represent the band.
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They must earn the money
to take the trip, and this money comes from our community. The community
supports us because we provide a public service, and we do it with quality
year after year. The band performs at football and basketball games, where
our primary function becomes entertainment, not education. While
entertainment is one aspect of being a musician, it should not be the
primary responsibility of the student musician. It is a borderline
connection between the learning in the classroom vs. the entertainment
provided at a sporting event.
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In order to make this
trip a reality, the students take responsibility for organizing and
implementing fund-raisers. When the leaders do a good job, everyone in the
band has a better opportunity to raise significant funds. If they don’t
prepare, the fund-raisers won’t work as well, and all of the students in the
band literally pay the price by not earning as much. Current leaders teach
future leaders. Leadership training. Work training.
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All of the kids are
given a great deal of responsibility on this trip. The responsibility to be
on time, in order to be respectful of others. (I don’t remember the last
time that we had any student more than 1-2 minutes late to any deadline on
any trip in several years). The responsibility of being on a loading crew to
load/unload instruments, uniforms and suitcases. The responsibility of
being supportive of fellow band members and encouraging them to make good
decisions. The responsibility of cooperating with three other people in
your motel room and find a way to get along with others for a week. The
responsibility to treat everyone we encounter with respect. The
thoughtfulness to tip the maids and the bus drivers. The responsibility of
being given a task and the expectation of following through. Employers look
for these qualities in people they hire.
In addition to all of the
above, and maybe partially because of the above, the kids have a lot of fun on
this trip.
I welcome and look forward
to your comments.
Doug Sutton, Band Director
Mount Baker High School
dougs@mtbaker.wednet.edu
360 383-2069
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