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 "We're
on "block" scheduling & it's very difficult to deal with. Previously, we were
on a "4 by 4" block where we only saw the kids for the first half of the year.
From January to June, they weren't even in band. The last couple of years
we've been on an "A, B" block schedule. On an "A" day, we have band for 90
minutes, on "B" day, there is no band. We don't get to see them every day,
but at least we have been able to maintain some consistency throughout the
year.
I'm
the marching band director of sorts - not in official title, but I put the
show together, coordinate the staff, set up the schedule and run the rehearsals.
During the concert band season, we do a lot of 'legit' percussion ensembles."
Check
out a few more pictures of the Dartmouth marching percussion section!
1 | 2 | 3
People
see me as a just a marching person & think that's all I care about. That's
not true. All the kids are required to get involved in playing mallets. Some
people say that you should put the marching drums away and just do percussion
ensembles, but we do both. I think the kids get excited about both aspects
of our program.
 One
example is our "Night of Percussion & Dance" that is held at the end of March
or beginning of April. We originally began this concert to showcase our program
as a fundraiser for our annual trip to WGI. The first part of the concert
is made up of percussion ensemble music. Then after intermission, the audience
goes down to the gym to watch our indoor show, along with the colorguard's
indoor show. In addition, we invite other groups to participate - U. Mass.
Dartmouth, King Philip High School and Westport High School. It's been very
successful, not only as a fundraiser, but also as a showcase of our entire
percussion & colorguard program.
 Our
last page features the Dartmouth Indoor Percussion Ensemble, with audio
clips from their 1999 Championship show and video from this past year's
show !
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