Disclaimer! The first thing you should know before reading this is that it’s going to be heavily biased since I am a fellow band kid myself. But fear not, I won’t stretch the truth… more than necessary.
School music programs are often underappreciated and lack funds since the school district believes it’s not as important compared to other “academic subjects.” I’m not sure where that’s coming from since there are various jobs related to music and the arts, but anyway, I attended a school district that considered the music program important. Music classes will vary per district, school, and teacher. Yet music has a unique method of intertwining people together regardless of gender, race, or age; it’s a universal language accessible to anyone. And even if you don’t play an instrument, you can still have a connection to others who enjoy the same music you do.
An orchestra with flutes, violins/violas, cellos, a marimba, clarinets, and timpani
Band vs. Orchestra
To clear up possible confusion, an instrumental group with string, woodwind, brass, and percussion (we’ll get into that later) is called a full orchestra, whereas schools call “orchestra” just the string section since the class would become too large with all instruments. In a way, a band is a lot more diverse than a string orchestra in regards to the sound since it has a wider range of instruments. If you’re a string player, don’t get upset; a string orchestra has what, four instruments, and a band has at least double the number.
In addition, proportions of instruments in a full orchestra heavily lean toward strings. Band instruments don’t get to play much if there are string instruments since orchestras can have 20 violins and only 4 flutes. Typically, a school group with only band instruments will be called “concert band” since there’s a different style of music for the group compared to only strings.
Some school districts will have an “honors” program every year where everyone in the district will audition and those who pass will meet for rehearsals for a couple of months and then have a performance. A similar concept is accessible at a wider level; “all southern” is for those who live in Southern California and “all state” is all of California.
To sum it up, a band is a whole lot more interesting than a string orchestra. I’ve had a lot of fun in my band and would encourage you to try it if it’s available at your school district! It’s one of those classes that I’ve always looked forward to throughout the day. While it’s not always perfect and it’s frustrating to learn a new instrument, I’ve had no regrets when music became a part of my life. Be sure to check out the Instrument Special if you’re interested.
Best of luck!
