Exegetical Commentary and Dialogue

Abstract

I know Affendi. Well, not personally. But the description of him in the preceding section rings so familiar that I feel Affendi and I—and, for that matter, many of our fellow instrumental music teaching colleagues the world over—go back a long way. Perhaps more than any other facet of primary or secondary school music, the dynamics of the band classroom retain a certain consistency from nation to nation. Unlike orchestras and choirs that may tend to draw their identities and traditions from the concert hall or church, respectively, modern bands are creatures of the school. The best primary, secondary and university bands serve as models for those at other schools. The network of band reaches from school building to school building and from campus to campus, making the context of the band teaching in Singapore seem as familiar as in a band room in Seattle. Affendi’s history as an enthusiastic school band member, an aspiring teacher who gained his early experience by leading section rehearsals, and eventually a fullfledged band director responsible for his own program describes a path that resembles that of many instrumental music educators. His experience as a young band member and the early taste of teaching responsibility ignited a passion for this performing tradition that he now passes on to other young people (a common trajectory as described by Bergee and Demorest 2003). The overall design of his program and its curricular goals are consistent with those of most large ensemble programs. And the relationships that develop among students, between older and younger musicians and between alumni and current students—not to mention the connections between the community and the ensemble—would be familiar to most present and past band members.