American School Bands, The Times, And The Men Who Influenced The Music Program

The decade of the 1960s can be said to be a subversion of the United States. From the civil rights movements, anti-Vietnam war demonstration, Kennedy’s presidency, to the assassination of the civil rights leader Martin Luther King, the impact of the surging social movements and political turmoils to the American society is extremely far-reaching. There has been a lot of researches on the various social movements in this period. However, people 's attention seems to be limited to another important cultural phenomenon of this period, that is the prosperity of rock & roll. This paper is intended to analyze the

Not parents, not teachers, but music changed the decade of the 1950s. Welcome to the decade, where rock ‘n’ roll music emerged. Rock ‘n’ roll changed the world, but it wasn’t just the music. The music created a movement. People were not afraid to be different. The Birth of Rock ‘n’ roll, created a major impact on many cultures and society. When I think of Rock ‘n’ roll music, I think of the music, as a stepping stone for Americans. I think of Rock ‘n roll music as a stepping stone for Americans because the music reflects on the change of America after the war. Everybody was afraid to break out and be different. Rock and roll music made it cool to be different. During the 1950s no other genre of music was accepted or despised as much a

Living in a world surrounded by noises and sounds, one cannot deny that music lives all around them. Schools, street corners, sporting events, there is one thing you will always find: music. Music education is quickly becoming defunct in schools, as many try to decry its many benefits. A growing emphasis on the concrete subjects of math and science, whose benefits are more immediate, are pushing the creativity and imagination of music classes to the back of the budget. Music education is no longer described as stimulating and exciting, but rather unnecessary and distracting. But the benefits of having an education in music is undeniable. Simply being around music can have a positive impact on life. Music enables the human race to discover emotions that they have never uncovered before. The human mind is refreshed by music; “our imagination and memories are stimulated by the sounds, and summon feelings and memories associated with the musical sound” (Wingell 15). Without music, the world would be silent. Lifeless. No matter what language one speaks or what culture one is from, music is a universal language, connecting the hearts of people around the entire world. In schools throughout the nation, that connection is being severed because of budget cuts and lack of funding, but the benefits of music education are clear. The benefits of having an education in music are not only present in the classroom; a lasting impact is also left on the social and emotional growth of a person, though the gains may not be evinced immediately. Participating in musical education programs in schools can give students the opportunity to form lasting friendships and to gain skills that will last them their entire lives. Music education can be beneficial to students because it enhances students’ performance in the classroom, aids in improving student’s interest and engagement in school, and advances students’ social and emotional growth.

If music were to be implemented again in Laredo schools, the cooperation of the administration, music educators, and students are all needed in order for this social change to function. Once again, school administration and the district, are to provide the music programs and facilities needed for the operation to run efficiently. The music educator’s job is to implement these music necessities to students as effectively as possible, in order for students to understand the music education properly. Lastly, students must be engaged in these activities to provide support and show evidence that this social change has become a beneficial factor amongst the Laredo society. Social changes are great for societies and allow them to experiment on changes that could help the community. In the end, music is absolute necessity way of life for all human, it provides intellectual guidance in stimulating the brain, interaction amongst social groups, and allows for clear thoughts to

Throughout history music has played an important role in society, whether it was Mozart moving people with his newest opera or the latest album from the Beatles. Where would society be today without music? With schools cutting their music programs, the next Mozart may not get his chance to discover his amazing talent. Music programs are essential to education. To fully understand this one must understand how music helps the human body, why schools have cut music programs, and why people should learn music.

As with most kids, I was a bit nervous about my transition from middle school to high school. One advantage I had was that I participated in band in middle school and planned to be in the band in high school. The Round Rock High School band has a history of excellence and I was looking forward to being a part of that organization. This was an extraordinary time and I looked forward to being a part of the band with great anticipation. Being a part of an organization such as this makes the transition to high school seem much easier and it seemed I had a ready-made group of friends that I could rely on and ask questions of if necessary. After all, the Round Rock High School Band has over 300 members.

In the book, All Shook Up: How Rock ‘N’ Roll Changed America, historian Glenn Altschuler submits that “the rise of rock ‘n’ roll and the reception of it, in fact, can tell us a lot about the culture and values of the United States in the 1950s. A major arguing point that is heavily stated is that the early developments of rock ‘n’ roll, which were tied to the development of the Civil Rights Movement, was an integral part of the post-World War II culture in the United States. As the major thesis of his book, Altschuler argues that rock ‘n’ roll deepened an already existing divide present within families, and that the genre further transformed the culture of the country by placing sexuality at the center of American society. By arguing that

James A. Keene has gathered an incredible amount of information on the interesting beginnings of music education in the United States. This text offers deep insight and a plethora of information regarding the beginnings of an area of education which has largely been neglected by scholars. For decades and in current teaching populations, the historical foundation and insight first developed by music educators from the earliest colonial times through present day has been unknown. From the introduction of vocal music to the growing interest of orchestral and band music and the a cappella choir movement, reactions to music remained both positive and negative, leading to continued advocation for music in the curriculum, arguing that music offered skill development and appreciation through exposure and practice.

“In the Marching Band and Proud of It” by Debra Nussbaum followed the story of the marching band from Pennsbury High School in Philadelphia. In the second paragraph, Nussbaum claimed that band can be “cool”. Marching bands travel across the US, are becoming increasingly competitive, and perform more interesting shows. The Pennsbury marching band has a respected reputation in the school because they gain national recognition and have a certain prestige within the school. The prevalence of band is growing as the number of band directors and sales of sheet music grows. The author states that the prevalence of band is growing, too. Many students are involved in multiple activities while also participating in marching band. The music the band

In pages 55-60 of Green’s book, On Teaching Band: Notes from Eddie Green, the author discusses the successful introduction of playing instruments to students at the approximate age of 11-13 years. He offers techniques to maintain student engagement when beginning to teach instrument-playing. Green states that he prefers to keep a neat classroom to encourage students to be equally organized. He also determines the physical needs of the classroom, including wire stands and playable instruments for each student, stating that he prefers the students receive their instruments at school.

On reading the article The L.A Scene: Teaching Race and Popular Music in the 1950’s, the article talked about multiracial and interracial in the 1950’s. The significance of the article is how African American and Mexican American set the stage for the civil rights, starting the end of racial segregation, and the mixture of race. The most interesting thing I took from reading the article is Mexican American Ritchie Valens of “La Bamba”. He learned his trade from mentors in the Pacoima district. Another thing that I enjoyed is how African Americans and Mexican Americans music went past the entertainment concept, but into the political concept. One thing I did not like about this article

Across the United States many elementary school music classrooms are filled with simple and popular tunes such as Hot Cross Buns and The Ode to Joy, played on the recorder, while high school students may be playing collegiate or professional pieces of music such as Armenian Dances and Carmen Suites. I have been very fortunate to have gone on the journey of progressing through different music education programs within Fairfax County Public Schools. If I was never exposed to music while in elementary school I might not have ever found one of my greatest passions or been able to create such fond and unforgettable memories. While music education programs across the country appear large and strong, many schools are beginning to experience budget reductions. As a result, music is often the very first component of a school 's curriculum or programs to be cut or significantly reduced, but I believe this is not the right course of action. It is important to preserve and promote music education in public schools because of the proven cognitive, character,and academic benefits for students.

In Joanne Lipman’s “A Musical Fix for U.S. Schools”, she describes the benefits music can bring to a student’s IQ that allows them to perform superior in school. Music forces a person to think differently than how they usually may in other classes. This allows for new thinking strategies to form, improving the cognitive side of the mind. This positive difference is shown when a canadian study was done with music training where the results showed an increase in IQ in the group of people children studied (Lipman). With that study, the favorable results of music is clear for children. An IQ measures the intelligence of people, which is related to the cognitive abilities of the mind, and therefore the person. People may think that music may

Throughout its history, music has permeated the significant events of American history. Its effect on American society and the way the American people cope with each event has only grown as popular music evolves and new genres reach more and more individuals. People can remember where they were and their exact surroundings to amazing detail when asked about life-changing events in history. Older generations will remember the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Their children will remember when Kennedy was assassinated and when man walked on the moon. Their grandchildren will remember much of the turmoil of the ‘70s and ‘80s and their great grandchildren grew up in the world impacted by the events of September 11, 2001. Even one’s surroundings during the start or end of a relationship or personal events such as graduation, getting a driver’s license, or getting married can all be paired with the music that was popular at the time.

The history of American music begins with a fundamental process of exchange through all different social lines, where diverse cultures meet, and mix. Music has and always will be defined as sounds that are arranged in a particular pattern that are played to be meaningful and pleasurable. The chronology of music began in the Medieval period, when chanting was introduced into the Church. Music has then moved its way through many stages: renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic and leading up to 20th century American music. American 20th century music is made up of a diverse number of styles that are reflected by cultural traditions and the era’s of the past. Immigrants from Spain, France, England, Germany and Ireland all contributed and brought their own unique styles to the forefront, hence creating American music. African Americans created influential musical traditions that include rhythm and improvisation that were later combined with European traditions and other indigenous music.