Marching bands more than music and marching<\/p>\n
By Tri Hafiningsih<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A marching band performance is real
\nentertainment, not just music and marching around. It is a
\nmixture of music, color, skill and attractions.<\/p>\n
The music makes you want to sing or dance rather than march
\naround. At least that was what attracted the audience of the
\nGrand Prix Marching Band (GPMB) 2000 at the Senayan Indoor
\nStadium, last weekend. The audience clapped, cheered and sang
\nalong with the performing bands.<\/p>\n
Almost all kinds of music were played in the performances of
\n20 marching bands across the country. Pop, jazz, rock n'roll or
\nR&B were mixed with ballads, classical or orchestral music. Slow,
\njazzy tunes were blended with fast, marching numbers in the
\nbands' repertoires. Even features of traditional gamelan and
\ndances were included in some of the bands' attractions.<\/p>\n
The colorful displays of the musicians and guards are not easy
\nto forget. The show presented by the skilled musicians of Pupuk
\nKaltim Marching Band won the most applause. The ballet
\nchoreography during the slow number Bahasa Kalbu (Language of the
\nHeart by popular singer Titi Dwi Jayati) was one of many
\nattractions that won the band from Bontang, East Kalimantan, the
\nfirst place in the 16th grand prix.<\/p>\n
Making a great show involving over 100 people, however, is not
\neasy.<\/p>\n
Members of the Santa Ursula Marching Band had to put up with
\nhectic schedules of music and marching practices in the last
\nthree months. They had to spend the holidays after the mid-term
\ntests in a training center to be ready for the Ben-Hur repertoire
\nthey had to perform. The 12-minute show, which was adapted from
\nthe 1959 classic movie, took at least five months to prepare.<\/p>\n
Being a member of a marching band is also hard work. For Rima,
\na first year student at the University of Indonesia, practicing
\nher skills would mean not only long, boring hours of marching and
\nbasic music practice, but also literally hard work requiring
\nstamina as the student band's \"helper\". This \"squad\" of helpers
\nis responsible for arranging the stage or field to be ready for
\nthe show within minutes. They have to push the wheeled xylophones
\nand carry the timpanies, cymbals, cow-bells and other standing
\npercussions, called the pit instruments, to the right spot. They
\nare also responsible for bringing the flags and other accessories
\nand arranging them in the required spot on the stage. During the
\nGPMB 2000, Rima and around 30 fellow helpers had only three
\nminutes to set up the stage.<\/p>\n
Everyone should know exactly what to do and everything should
\nbe exactly in place, Rima said.<\/p>\n
It would take several months more of working as a helper
\nbefore she could be one a member of the Madah Bahana Marching
\nBand (MBUI) musicians. There would be time when she will stand
\nbefore an applauding audience, after a successful performance.
\nHer seniors gave an attractive performance of a jazzy upbeat
\nnumber entitled Cantina Band, ala Sing, Sing, Sing by Louis Prima
\nfor their closing piece at the grand prix.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile she has to be content with playing her mellophone
\nonly in practice sessions and being a ready helper during the
\nband's shows. \"For the time being, I will just be wherever the
\nband performs,\" Rima said.<\/p>\n
Training<\/p>\n
Setting a training schedule for such a big band is another
\ncomplicated task.<\/p>\n
Members of the Garuda Indonesia band, who come mostly from
\nlower-income families, had to really squeeze both their time and
\nmoney to attend the routine rehearsals.<\/p>\n
\"Some of our members come from Bogor, Sukabumi, Yogya, even
\nSurabaya. It's never easy for them to set aside the time and
\nmoney to come here,\" said one of the band's supervisors.<\/p>\n
\"We didn't have enough time for many training sessions, and we
\ncouldn't afford training centers,\" said Oktariadi, adding that
\nthe more prosperous members of the band helped the less fortunate
\nones by providing meals and accommodation during the training
\nsessions.<\/p>\n
Though many of their members had no educational background in
\nmusic, Okta said, they had the discipline and eagerness to work
\nhard like professionals.<\/p>\n
\"They seem to have extra discipline and stamina to train in
\nmusic and marching displays,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The repertoire of the Garuda Indonesia Flight Drums and Bugle
\nCorps in the GPMB event was taken from a popular play Miss
\nSaigon. The attractive display of the band was supported by
\nshiny, colorful costumes of the musicians and color guards. They
\nreceived good applause from the spectators.<\/p>\n
Worthwhile<\/p>\n
The hardship of training for a successful marching band
\nperformance is always worthwhile.<\/p>\n
A great show is a visualized form of hard, skilled training,
\ndiscipline, and teamwork of all members of the band, said
\nKirnadi, a leading band master and trainer.<\/p>\n
\"It's a harmony between a person's musical and visual
\ncreativity,\" he said, adding that the marching band training was
\npart of an education to improve a person's self esteem,
\nleadership and communication skills.<\/p>\n
Despite all the great performances of the bands, the marching
\nband competition failed to attract many spectators. People in the
\naudience who were glued to their seats were mostly close
\nrelatives of the performers, including parents, brothers, sisters
\nfriends or former members.<\/p>\n
Marching band shows are still not popular, said the chief of
\nthe organizing committee, Lisa Ayodhia.<\/p>\n
\"Many people still think such shows are not worth watching.
\nIt's actually a lot more than just music and marching. It's real
\nentertainment,\" she said. Marching band activities, she said
\nstill need a lot of promotion across the country.<\/p>",
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