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bloke wrote:Percy Grainger - Lincolnshire Posy

SLOWLY I TURN....STEP BY STEP.....INCH BY INCH.........

Can someone explain to me why ALL wind band directors are obsessed with this piece? Why are all pieces compared to this one? When I was doing my senior student teaching @ a small middle school in rural central New York, the host band director told me a hilarious story. He was at a conference of other band directors discussing middle school level band music. When discussing a particular work one director said to the group "....it's a nice piece but it is no Lincolnsire Posy." To which my wise-@$$ host director replied "Does your middle school band play Lincolnshire Posy?"

I don't think the point of the interlochen band is to win. Its a great piece and that's why it will be played. I'm sure the academy band will do wonderfully.

tubainty wrote:I don't think the point of the interlochen band is to win. Its a great piece and that's why it will be played. I'm sure the academy band will do wonderfully.

I'm sure it will be a wonderful performance. You're right. Camps like Interlochen that focus on the art and quality of musicianship are not about winning anything....just like how the NY Phil and Chicago Symph are not about winning either.

I don't want to hijack this thread....but....

To be perfectly clear about my post, I have no problem with Lincolnshire Posy or any group performing it. I just happened to stumble across quite a few art-musician-type band directors (read: froofy) that treat LP as if it were holy grail of band lit. I often wonder if it was because a) some teacher(s) along the way implanted in them that LP is the stick by which all band lit should be measured b) they are prejudiced to certain music c) they simply don't KNOW a lot of band lit d) they honestly and truly love that piece.

In my short 3 year career as a band director I worked to build a program from nothing. In my final concert before leaving the school and changing careers, I recall my most advanced band (mixture of middle school and high school players) playing some wonderful music. They weren't terribly difficult pieces, but I worked to help them make music out of it. More importantly I helped them to perform pieces that the audience surely never heard, but they were able to hear it and enjoy it for what it was......music and entertainment. I'll be honest. I don't recall what I conducted, but I enjoyed it, the kids enjoyed it and the audience enjoyed it. To me.....mission accomplished.

When I'm playing in a band (or an orchestra) I really like to play more modern and innovative pieces rather than the standard lit. The old literature is great, but in order for us to progress musically as a society new music is very important. I know that interlochen plays new pieces quite often, and on several occasions plays commissions written specifically for them.

bloke wrote:...and they don't mind calling a "band" a "band" either.

bloke "What, really, IS a 'symphonic wind ensemble' ?"

Hahaha...this is so true.