Marching to the beat
Have you ever been to a high school or college football game? If so, you’ve probably seen the marching bands that perform. It might be hard to believe, but these performances actually began in ancient times on a different kind of field: the battlefield.
Military bands
Long ago, musicians were used in battle to help command soldiers. Instruments like drums could be played very loudly so people could hear from far away and know what they were supposed to do. Later, musicians were used to help soldiers get energized to go into battle. Nowadays, militaries still have bands, but their function is more as entertainers. They perform at special events and in parades.
Football
Marching bands associated with schools also started with the military. Most of the first ones were members of the ROTC, which stands for Reserve Officer Training Corps, a training program for college students who plan to join the armed forces after they finish school. But in the early 1900s, a marching band director named Paul Spotts Emrick decided to try to get the members of his band to make picture formations while they were marching. From there, the corps style marching band developed, where members move to the music and often have a “color guard” that spins flags, rifles and sabres to add to the show.
Strike up the band!
Being a part of a marching band can be fun and teach you a lot of cool things.
First, you get to make music. It’s also a great way to learn to work as a team.
Just like the football team needs to work together on the field, marching band members need to look out for each other and help each other succeed. Many bands also compete with each other, which can be a lot of fun. If you think marching band sounds like fun, the first thing you’ll need to do is learn to play a musical instrument, so talk to your music teacher to help get you on the right track.