STANLEY tells it all – Basics
There are remarkable differences between military and civil bands. The military has it’s own audience plus funding. These also perform in community centers o.b.o. communication for the military. Including Military Music Schools, all is held by one organisation.
Not so for civil bands. Professional bands need to build on the pyramid, representing it’s top. The entire column with it’s broad base has to be plentiful in order to pop out a professional band. Music Societies with their Community Wind Bands play an all important part in both performing and teaching music. Simply because most towns don’t have a Music School.
Myself, I started out in the local Wind Band like many others did. On my 12th birthday, to be precise. Now 50 years later, I clearly see what it brought me. However, we are back in time since the number of Music Schools in The Netherlands has been decimated. Resulting in a growing importance of local bands again, so we do need to take care of them.
Next is the step in between. In 2016 the status of the National Youth Wind Orchestras was of grave concern to us. This is the level in between amateur and professional levels. So I started pushing a little bit here and there which resulted in renewed funding in 2018. Check!
Stanley E. van Wel MM – Music Director
Posted on LinkedIn.com dated 12 October 2023