Is Covid the end of the community band?

[timothy42b]

In my area many of the bands were using churches to rehearse.

My church like most traditional ones has a congregation that is both elderly and shrinking. The risk of letting the band back in is seen as too great.

Our 80 year olds are at significant risk. And besides the human cost, financially none of the traditional denominations are doing well, so also practically we can't afford to lose either people or income.

[windshieldbug]

Band around the corner is rehearsing outside in the parking lot, socially spaced. Weather permitting, of course.

[timothy42b]

Band around the corner is rehearsing outside in the parking lot, socially spaced. Weather permitting, of course.

Not going to work in Wisconsin!

[groth]

I thought the vaccines were supposed to bring this all slowly back to normal, I mean..masks coming off, covid numbers almost non existent, and everything. Most seniors should already have their vaccines, bands will be coming back soon (at least most of them that want to).

[GeoffC_UK]

Here in England our route map is here:
https://www.bbe.org.uk/what-we-do/covid ... -resources

[timothy42b]

Most seniors should already have their vaccines, bands will be coming back soon (at least most of them that want to).

I dunno. This may be what causes some re-evaluation of the community band.

i think that it has been dying for some time, at least a couple decades. Even military bands rarely play with the full ensemble.

The audiences aren't there- nobody attends a traditional summer band concert in the park. Many of us grew up doing that every week. Now if we play at all it's for a nursing home. (depends on your area of course)

The members aren't there. Bands are mostly older and as we die the bands shrink. This tends to be an older white male demographic (again depending on your areas somewhat) and that isn't what a lot of our communities are now. Those of us who play heavy or awkward instruments are having age related joint problems.

As membership drops, the number of skilled players becomes insufficient to drown out the number of unskilled ones. For me personally, as the band's standards drop, and the membership cares less about good performance, it becomes less fun. At my age i still spend a lot of hours in the practice room trying to maintain what little ability I have, only to find too many in the local bands don't care to try.

Ah well, enough whining. We'll see what happens.

[JaxBen_20J]

Most seniors should already have their vaccines, bands will be coming back soon (at least most of them that want to).

I dunno. This may be what causes some re-evaluation of the community band.

i think that it has been dying for some time, at least a couple decades. Even military bands rarely play with the full ensemble.

The audiences aren't there- nobody attends a traditional summer band concert in the park. Many of us grew up doing that every week. Now if we play at all it's for a nursing home. (depends on your area of course)

The members aren't there. Bands are mostly older and as we die the bands shrink. This tends to be an older white male demographic (again depending on your areas somewhat) and that isn't what a lot of our communities are now. Those of us who play heavy or awkward instruments are having age related joint problems.

As membership drops, the number of skilled players becomes insufficient to drown out the number of unskilled ones. For me personally, as the band's standards drop, and the membership cares less about good performance, it becomes less fun. At my age i still spend a lot of hours in the practice room trying to maintain what little ability I have, only to find too many in the local bands don't care to try.

Ah well, enough whining. We'll see what happens.

I don't think that's quite accurate across the board <acknowledging your statement that it depends on area>. I get that it may well be your experience in your location, but in my area we've seen growth in both membership and concert attendance for the local community bands, and we have a LOT (metro ATL). In addition, most of the participants in the two groups ensembles in which I play tended to be well under age 50, and the one that was open to everyone had an average age of no more than mid-30s. I do hope we're able to get back together soon, but we're kind of at the mercy of school district rules for one group, and church building rules for the other. I think once those two sets of guidelines are firmly established, a lot of community groups could bounce back stronger than before as people have more appreciation for the experience.

[groth]

Most seniors should already have their vaccines, bands will be coming back soon (at least most of them that want to).

I dunno. This may be what causes some re-evaluation of the community band.

i think that it has been dying for some time, at least a couple decades. Even military bands rarely play with the full ensemble.

The audiences aren't there- nobody attends a traditional summer band concert in the park. Many of us grew up doing that every week. Now if we play at all it's for a nursing home. (depends on your area of course)

The members aren't there. Bands are mostly older and as we die the bands shrink. This tends to be an older white male demographic (again depending on your areas somewhat) and that isn't what a lot of our communities are now. Those of us who play heavy or awkward instruments are having age related joint problems.

As membership drops, the number of skilled players becomes insufficient to drown out the number of unskilled ones. For me personally, as the band's standards drop, and the membership cares less about good performance, it becomes less fun. At my age i still spend a lot of hours in the practice room trying to maintain what little ability I have, only to find too many in the local bands don't care to try.

Ah well, enough whining. We'll see what happens.

In my area, Southern Cal the 2 community groups (45-70 members each) were very busy Pre-Covid. Nov 19' Vets day concert had 800 people in attendance, the other band was playing to a packed sidewalk on March 7th 2020. The community band isn't dead at all, I think that's just your perspective based on your own situation.

[timothy42b]

The community band isn't dead at all, I think that's just your perspective based on your own situation.

Maybe all I need to do is move........................

[groth]

The community band isn't dead at all, I think that's just your perspective based on your own situation.

Maybe all I need to do is move........................

To contradict my own statement earlier, both groups (make that ALL community band groups in this state that I know of) are still awaiting instruction from the schools or churches they previously rehearsed in as well, so technically..until then, it's still dismal here. But I suspect, by September with all the vax's out now, and no more masking...stuff will ramp up fairly quickly everywhere (if it wants to).

[tubeast]

Over here in Austria, I´m confident tradition will prevail and so will community bands.
There´s just too tight relationship between town government, church parish and institutions such as amateur fire brigade, soccer club, and band, which form THE cultural triad in our rural areas.

We´re sponsored by the town´s cultural fund and play on official and semi-official occasions in return, such as inauguration of newly-elected town government, opening of publicly-funded buildings and senior citizens´ anniversaries, when mayor will congratulate and band will play for people´s 80th, 90th and 100th birthdays. That´s when band is going to a local pub afterwards and the first two rounds of beer are on the town hall...

Just had first public practise in 9 months a few days ago. Most people showed up, so we´re good to go...

[GC]

Ours is under the auspices of the local community college, and we will start back in mid/late June for a July 4 concert (4 rehearsals). The local brass band restarted 3 weeks ago. Things are looking up.

[iiipopes]

I found out a couple of weeks ago that our regional community band is starting rehearsals back up June 3. So I got out my tuba and started practicing. Oh, boy! Have I developed some bad breathing habits and lost all stamina to the embouchure. The road back is going to be long and winding, indeed! Time to start from scratch with fundamentals.

[hup_d_dup]

Reports of the death of community bands are premature.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=99719

[The Brute Squad]

Not going to work in Wisconsin!

My community orchestra is doing a summer season (we've already had one concert even) and starting rehearsals again with a community band next week. I know of a couple other area bands that are playing again.

All in Dane County, so it is working in Wisconsin!