Have you wondered what the performers are going through during a parade? Are they tired? If they are, how are they still playing and marching almost perfectly? As a member of the marching band who has performed in several parades, I can answer your questions.
Parades are incredibly tiring to partake in. Many new members think it will be easy, but they face the truth about halfway through the parade. Before the parade, we have the rehearsal. We gather and try to memorize our piece to the best of our ability, as well as practice marching. During the parade, we usually play our piece 6-8 times, depending on the length of the street and how fast we’re going. You will get tired, even fatigued, from holding your instrument very quickly, no matter how small it is or what angle you have to maintain it. Although we put our horns down between repetitions, that time is not enough to fully recover, and your arms, especially the upper arm and shoulders, will be destroyed by the time you finish. Not to mention, it will be cold outside. However, temperatures have been getting warmer at our parades.
So how do we appear perfect to the spectators? This is due to a variety of reasons. One, the spectators usually aren’t knowledgeable regarding music, and will not hear the many errors we make. They also aren’t listening to find errors; our parades aren’t competitive. Two, there are usually multiple people playing the part, which reduces the chance of random stops in the music, therefore making the music flow considerably smoother. This is crucial when one player is too tired to play and thus has to take a break for a few measures. We also attempt to sneak in a break for our faces and arms whenever possible, but the audience doesn’t always notice or care. And yes, we are out of time when marching, there is no denying that.
We aren’t flawless at parades, but we can deceive the audience into believing we are better than we are. What matters most is that the community appreciates and enjoys our service.
