Though I’m not a sports fan, this story caught my attention.
During one of the first-round games in this year’s March Madness college basketball tournament, the University of Idaho marching band filled in for the Yale marching band, whose members were on spring break. The Idaho band director’s statement says it all: “We want to help out another university. We want to help out another band.” His words speak volumes about how people in music and the arts believe in giving and often put that belief into action without worrying about compensation.
This decision had a huge impact on the game, as Yale’s team won their second tournament game in that school’s history. After the game, the Yale basketball coach said, “Having that atmosphere and people coming and supporting us, there’s nothing better than that.”
In a day and age where people are becoming more divided, more isolated, this story really reinforces a large part of my beliefs: if there’s something you can do to make something better, step up and do it. Show your support for your fellow humans. You never know when you’ll need help yourself, so be the person who helps someone else because it’s the right thing to do.
On a personal note (puns intended), one of the things I loved about marching band – both in high school and as a tuba player in the UMass Minuteman Marching Band in the late 1900’s – was the camaraderie, the deep-seated sense of community and connection that was inherent throughout the experience. Hearing this story reminded me of some of the best moments of my younger years.
Support and Comradery in Music
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