Well, I don't know about SU, but we got classroom credit for playing in the marching band ensemble at Jackson State. That meant the bandroom, sectionals, practice field, and games combined as a classroom just like English composition, world history, economics, or physical education. As a computer science major myself, I also took courses in the above disciplines that prepared me to excel in my profession. The objective or each of those classes was to educate me. It is the responsibility of the university to do so. It is why I gave them money. Even though I was not an English composition major I am a fantastic writer and grammarian. Though I am a system analyst, I spend much more time reading and writing than I do anything else. I also spend an awful lot more time doing cost analysis evaluations than I do reading core dumps from abending programs. Now, there were English composition majors, economics majors, history majors, and PE majors in those courses with me 25+ years ago who were not taught anything different than I was. The instructors were there to educate all of us. I doubt that things were much different at SU.
Now, there are courses more intended for music education majors where they are taught marching band techniques, drill design, and music composition for the purpose of preparing those persons to be band directors, just like we didn't have many history majors taking courses in database management. Mr. Haughton, Prof. Davis and Poppa Dup never seemed to hold back anything that would help all of us from an educational perspective, regardless to what our majors were. We were taught to be their replacements and not just their protege. They understood that the measure of the university and themselves as professionals was not our performances at the university while under their direct scrutiny but after we left with the sheepskin. I have the same impression of Doc Greggs and his staff.
The excellence in performance is a by-product of the education given to a college band because it is full of AMATEURS who are paying to be taught by professionals. Otherwise, the amateurs could be left to themselves and should be able to do as well or better than they do in being taught.
The "Dr. Lee's" line from the movie DRUMLINE about education before entertainment is right on point. So is "President Wagner's" line about the alumni contributing money. My challenge was to make sure that the alumni were educated and valued that the university's role. As for the fans who yell and scream and generate the rush of emotion and all the "house" , do you honestly believe that 10% of them have any technical appreciation for the work, effort, hours, study that the Jukebox, Yolanda Adams, Stevie Wonder, EWF, or Wynton Marsalis go through to even prepare to produce those excellent performances? No chance. Oh, they certainly know what they hear and see and whether it or not it is a good performance; but they have no idea of the lessons that the performers and the supporting staff learned along the way nor will they be able to help educate and benefit other performers with them in the future. On the other hand, though you were a computer science major and probably haven't marched in a band since you left SU, a local HS band director would love to have your years of experience with marching technique, composition, drill design, and sound production to be able to call on and help the youngsters in those programs.
