<p>Our high school is small but has a fabulous concert band program…no marching band (although they do march in a couple of parades…no football team each week). But there was no orchestra (no strings program…school too small to support orchestra and band instrumentation). In middle school, the directors encouraged both of my kids to pursue outside orchestral opportunities. In our school, the players who could play the parts best got them. If a senior and a freshman were both able to do them…the senior usually got the part. BUT my son played many a solo part as an underclassman…so did DD. </p>
<p>Our directors emphasized the concert nature of the band program. Some band directors make students who play double reeds (for which there is no marching band music) switch instruments as a requirement of marching band. Our director did NOT do that. We wouldn’t have let our daughter switch from oboe to something else anyway…good that this didn’t come up as an issue. DD actually started a color guard for her band…and used it as her college essay topic. DS hated marching. BUT so funny…he’ll do it if he’s paid to!! He has had a couple of small marching gigs while in college. It makes me laugh. </p>
<p>Youth orchestra/precollege program was very important to my kids. Luckily we don’t live even an hour away from Hartt. Both kids also made wonderful friends there. In fact these are the kids they keep in touch with still.</p>