Age and Experience vs Youth and Enthusiasm

Imagine trying out for the boy's basketball team, making the squad, then proceding to tell the coach which plays he should use, what kind of offense or defense, and how to coach the players. Or joing the football team and deciding for yourself who should play offense, who should play defense, who should play special teams, etc. Most of us wouldn't dream of doing this. This is the coach's job and we (normally) trust the coach to make the right decision based on credentials and years of experience. Yet every year we have "Monday Morning Band Directors" who, just like their athletic counterparts, could have won "the big one" if they had decided what music to play! Let me tell you boys and girls, it ain't that easy! Let's ignore th actual teaching for now and take a look at just the show design itself. Contrary to poular opinion, we don't take a "dart board" approach to music choice. Before we even think about music choices, we normally develop a show theme. I've heard a lot of complaints about using a "patriotic" theme for 4 years now and I can't figure out where that came from. 2003 was "Esprit de Corps". OK, Marine Corps, etc. but certainly not overtly patriotic. 2004 "Amber Waves" - yes - oozed patriotism. 2005 - I Love NY - patriotic? - duh. 2006 - Western Sketches - patriotic? Not unless George Washington rode a Red Pony! There's a difference between patriotic music and what is called nationalistic music - music that is a reflection of one's country and, hello, we are the Patriots. Nationalistic and patriotic music is kind of a given. I'm sure the Anderson-Highland get tired of playing Celtic music, but when you're called the Marching Highlanders it's kind of hard to play Iron Maiden!