S/O-Band vs Orchestra?

[o_mom]

Band at our HS is huge, but there are also many ways to participate without it sucking the life out of you. You can play in the "regular" band, which has a normal level of commitment - you have the class during school, a few concerts during the year, solo and ensemble competition if you want. You can also audition for higher level bands, with more commitments. Then you can do marching band, as a separate extracurricular activity with all the intense summer practice, weekend competitions, etc. They have various other extracurricular bands, like Jazz Band, with their own schedules. You can be part of the orchestra for the theater department as well - not sure how all that gets worked out, but I know they use band members. I know some kids that just do the lowest level to fulfill fine arts credit. I also know some that are in 5-6 different groups and seem to do nothing but band. Orchestra seems to have the same level of options (minus marching band).

[KrisM]

All 3 of mine are in band. DS1 is in the high school marching band, but no other band any more. So his band season is end of July to end of October and then a couple parades. So he only plays for a few months these days. Marching band is twice a week once school start in August. Then 3 Saturday competitions and the home football games. They do not go to away games.

DD is in both band and orchestra and has been throughout middle school. She alternates days. She likes both. Band is much bigger than orchestra. About 25% of her grade is in band while maybe 10% is in orchestra and she is the only one in both this year. She is still deciding what high school will be - either or both.

DS2 just started band.

Marching band is fun and somewhat time consuming, but that depends on the school. Orchestra kids join the marching band as color guard or some percussion, since they can read music. Most kids can join for something if they want. The pit orchestra for the high school musical each year is a full orchestra with both strings and band instruments, but it's easier to make as a string since there are fewer.

Our music department does trips together - band, orchestra and choir will go to Disney in 2021. The middle school kids go to Mackinac Island in the spring all together. Festivals are together too.

As a parent, I enjoy orchestra concerts more than band at the beginning. They just sound more interesting to me. It might be because I was in band, so know more about it and it's hard to sound great after 2 months.

[hellokitty]

I think that the band definitely has more of a community feel. As much as I am not a fan of football, I do enjoy watching/listening to the marching band. We have a very good band director who has taken us to competitions, his pride and talent definitely reflect and the students love him. The parents are all dressed up in band mom/dad gear. It is a HUGE deal in our community. Most of all the kids have a ton of fun, so I think that is nice. My oldest who is in high school doesn't have a lot of friends, but all the band kids are nice and everyone gets along. I like that.

Orchestra is much more subdued, I have never known enthusiastic orchestra directors, they're all kinda serious and perfectionistic so they set the tone. Those of us who took private lessons, which put us ahead of other players in our section had many more opportunities (ie: first chair, pit, other youth orchestras, competitions, etc.). Like anything, it is based on your commitment. I had some orchestra mates who never took private lessons and loved orchestra. For me, bc my parents invested so much money and time into private lessons, orchestra was like another serious subject at school, I took it very seriously and didn't really do it for fun. I discovered my senior year when my orchestra teacher (who never EVER mentioned this, so I feel like it was mainly his fault, bc I was not going to major in music) found out which university I was going to be going to, that I most likely could have qualified for a scholarship if I played in the university orchestra. he said he could have helped me with that if I had asked him to help me to apply. I was first chair, so I was good, but having tiger parents I always thought I was chopped liver and sucked (yes, imposter syndrome) so it never occurred to me that I would ever qualify for any scholarships...

[egoldber]

You need to talk to the band director or the head band parent at your school in our district some high schools require you to be in marching band if you’re in band class but some don’t my oldest was in band and it was a wonderful experience for her the band became her school family.but it’s a definite time commitment her band had rehearsals several hours a day in the summer plus mandatory band camp in the fall they had rehearsals every day after school and competitions pretty much every weekend plus a few long weekend overnight competitions but all the kids loved it and the band director was amazing.

[icunurse]

Orchestra is much more subdued, I have never known enthusiastic orchestra directors, they're all kinda serious and perfectionistic so they set the tone.

You haven’t met enough Orchestra Directors lol Admittedly, we are very fortunate to have the one we do. Extremely active in the community and the kids adore her. She is very fun and goofy, but gets the job done. She incorporates modern (and 80s) music, has the kids do fun projects (turn a modern commercial into classical), and encourages exploring different sounds. Classes go on trips to local colleges to get advanced education on their instrument and learn about scholarships and music programs.

Our band is so competitive, the directors are kinda known as a$$holes. But they win competitions. Band parents have told me that our school practices so much more than others in the region. My interactions with the band directors is always cordial, but I’m not a fan.

[MSWR0319]

You haven’t met enough Orchestra Directors lol Admittedly, we are very fortunate to have the one we do. Extremely active in the community and the kids adore her. She is very fun and goofy, but gets the job done. She incorporates modern (and 80s) music, has the kids do fun projects (turn a modern commercial into classical), and encourages exploring different sounds. Classes go on trips to local colleges to get advanced education on their instrument and learn about scholarships and music programs.

Our band is so competitive, the directors are kinda known as a$$holes. But they win competitions. Band parents have told me that our school practices so much more than others in the region. My interactions with the band directors is always cordial, but I’m not a fan.

Our orchestra director is wild and goofy as well! He also incorporates modern music and the kids just love him.

[hellokitty]

Well, I have no experience with recent orchestra directors. This was my experience 25 years ago. Our orchestra directors were either very grouchy people (the one in middle school was a damn scary guy) or just quiet. It is good to hear that there are some who are more enthusiastic now. I also had a piano teacher who always made me cry and my private violin teacher was also a hardass. So, my general experience has not been good. That is why I have been so impressed with our band director at our school district.

[TwinFoxes]

I think this varies from school to school. When I was a kid, if you were in band it meant marching band. At the school my kids will go to, there are other bands as well. For example, if you play a band instrument you can be in jazz band instead of marching band. Same with orchestra, there are ensembles in addition to orchestra. They also have symphony (!!) which is band and orchestra together.