Last night I did something I haven't done in about 15 years--I went to a high school marching band competition. Ridley was holding its "home comp" and I thought it would be interesting to see what's happening in the area after so long away.
Mostly what's happening is that participation is declining--not in number of schools (there were about 20 competing), but in numbers of students in each band. Even schools that once filled the field with marching players are now struggling to have 100 or so. One school had only about a dozen.
Spectators I talked to chalked it up to the pandemic--the loss of a marching band season at all last year and lingering concerns about social distancing, etc. I think it might also simply be because fewer kids are interested in this kind of instruments--they are mostly attracted to guitar and keyboards, and when drums are the focus, rock drum kits, not marching snares.
I hope it comes back...marching band was a big part and a big influence on both my sons.
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