by Piano Kaewchaiyo (7th)
Featured in the CMS band, there are over a hundred 6th, 7th and 8th graders participating in the band-- whether concert band, jazz band or wind ensemble.
When many people think of bands they just think of it as a loud, somewhat entertaining musical activity. Well, there is so much more to that. Band is not just your average activity-- sure, it may be to your family and friends, but trust me, there’s more to band than just an average, stereotypical hipster loud musical group. So, what is the band really made of? Is band a good activity? Let’s dig deeper into this activity and the different aspects of it.
Part I: Acceptance:
How can you feel accepted by being in a band?
In the CMS band, you feel accepted because there are so many different kinds of people there.
From the range of 6th to 8th graders, to different cultures and races and different instruments! There are snare drums, flutes, trumpets, clarinets, saxophones, alto-saxophones, tenor saxophones, bassoons, french horn, tubas and other percussion instruments included in the band!
There are so many opportunities for band students, not only at CMS, but the whole world.
Band accepts many different aspects of people’s lives and their cultures. Maeve, a band student who plays flute says, “Band helps you feel accepted because you can meet new people with different interests than you might see on a daily basis.”
Mr. O’Neill, the band director at CMS also suggests, “There are many different instruments in Band. Each instrument has a unique sound just like each person has a unique personality. We couldn’t have a band without all the different instruments and personalities, so we learn how to accept everyone’s uniqueness and work hard to get along to make good music.”
Not everyone can fit in or connect with a band, but the majority of people feel accepted because Mr.O’Neill is always open to help people who decide to join a band or are interested in this musical activity.
Mr.O’Neil says, “It’s never too late to start playing an instrument! All you have to do is stop by the Band room and I will get you started. I can even play all of the different instruments if you’re not sure which one you want to start.”
6th graders who just joined band in CMS also feel accepted, especially with the help of encouraging band members from older grades; 7th and 8th graders! Band is a place where you can express yourself and not be afraid to say or do something-- especially in CMS where anything is possible! Band is the ultimate opportunity to feel a PART of something. A part of a real community and a part of a real activity! It’s up to the person to make themself feel a part of the band.
Part II: Benefits: Can playing an instrument increase your abilities?
Learning to play a musical instrument can enhance your ability of spatial reasoning and literacy skills and even verbal memory-- as studies show from researchers. Not only this, but playing an instrument is known to strengthen both sides of the brain, which increases your ability to memorize things better! Those who do play an instrument also have enhanced reasoning skills.
According to research, studies show that volunteers who played an instrument had the highest score increase by 9.71% than those volunteers who didn’t play an instrument. So, playing an instrument does improve abilities which is why the band seems to be leaning towards a good activity. However, playing an instrument can end up in quitting-- and many people in CMS know that band is an important activity to be active in.
Part III: Forced To Play: Are band students being forced to play music they don’t like?
Although some students that participate in band at CMS debate that the music Mr.O’Neill gives out isn’t good, most students disagree. Being in a band exposes students to music they don’t know and may not like when they start learning new music.
There are also instruments that never get to play the ‘melody’. For example, lower-toned instruments like trombones and tubas have parts that are ALWAYS expected to be the harmony rather than the melody. If you join the CMS band, depending on what instrument you play, determines what notes you play and your role in the musical band. It depends on if you like the sheet music or not, and when it comes to opinions, the band can be very diverse in opinions.
Part IV: Music Taste: Can a band increase your music taste and develop interest for different music genres?
The real answer cannot be determined, because studies can’t figure out the exact answer. Although, this really depends on the person who joins the band. In Mr.O’Neil’s perspective, he explains, “The music we play in band is fun to play even though it’s very different from what you normally hear. Because it’s music you’ve never heard before, it definitely increases your musical taste.”
The thing is, band is a very musical influenced activity that can possibly increase your taste in music because as said before-- many students in CMS band are diverse and have different tastes and interests in music choice.
Final Part, V: Expenses & Time: Is the band expensive or time consuming after all?
Instruments in the band can cost anywhere between $800-$8,000 depending on whether it is a student, intermediate, or a professional model, according to Mr.O’Neil. If your guardian makes lower income to provide for this, a band might not be a good choice.
For starters, Mr.O’Neil is happy to accommodate new band students with school instruments, and if not-- he recommends renting instruments! He says, “We even have a few school instruments you can borrow for free!” Though the pricing of the instruments are rather high in some people’s perspective, it’s all worth it in the end to be part of the band and being able to play an instrument can actually get you a scholarship IF you’re good enough.
Research shows that the rarer the instrument you can play-- the chances are higher to achieve a scholarship. Band instruments such as: french horn, bassoon, tuba, and so on. Now, what about time constraints? Band can be time consuming throughout the middle school experience because it requires you to stop at rehearsals and attend lessons occasionally.
Even more time consuming are further advanced band activities such as wind ensemble or jazz band! Mr.O’Neil describes, “Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band meet after school and the music we play is more difficult than concert band music.
The Jazz Band also competes in several festivals against other schools in the area. Even though it takes up more time to be in these groups, it helps everyone improve and become better musicians.” To conclude, it’s up to the person to determine if they have enough time for band activities.
So, will you decide to join the CMS band? The answer should be yes -- what are you waiting for?
Image Citation:
"Band Instruments." Oxford Area School District. 2022. https://www.oxfordasd.org/Page/6877