TromboneChat

I had the Macy's parade on in the background yesterday, and I caught the Band Directors part.

There must have been 400 of them. I didn't know this existed, so I googled, and they all must have come up with $3-4,000 to do that gig. But I digress.

They played pretty well, but everything was memorized, no flip folders. These are grownups - how is that even possible? It's fairly easy for young people to memorize; I never had any trouble at all. In college we did a complete new show every week during football season. But that's something that fades with age, and it's impressive to see it done by 400 older folk.

Great idea, they looked and sounded great. However they should have been comped their costs for the entire gig including transportation.

timothy42b wrote: ↑Fri Nov 24, 2023 7:38 amthey all must have come up with $3-4,000 to do that gig.

I like the stuff on the website about getting your school or the band boosters to help foot the bill.

The conductor of one of the community bands I play in was there; she's one of the few (maybe the only) participant who isn't a school band director (either active or retired). She did the Rose Parade with them last year. What with air transportation to New York, etc., etc., it's not a cheap trip.

I think forum member UTPride1992 either did it this year or knows someone who did, thus this thread from a few days ago:
viewtopic.php?t=33513

Most participants are expected to furnish their own instruments. Uniformity is a big deal, so they want the all the brass to be silver plated, which can mean having to buy or borrow an instrument. The lady I know who did it had to buy a marching mellophone.