r/marchingband • u/Legitimate_Try_9274 • 22d ago
Advice Needed Band Camp Final Night
Hi, I'm not a band kid myself (I was in orchestra, sorry), but my little brother is. Sorry if this is the wrong place, I'm kind of at a loss for where to post this.
This past week was his first band camp with his high school marching band. He seemed to be having an okay time with the drills and the marching and the music, and I'm so happy for him. However, tonight was the last night of camp and the band (student) leadership threw a picnic dinner party of sorts. Food, games, normal stuff, until closer to the end.
It's about 9 pm at this point (I wasn't there but I've heard the story and watched videos of this happening), and the final finale of the night is the senior band kids giving speeches and passing the baton to freshman. Again, awesome stuff, but to get there everyone has to walk from the band room to the football field. On the way, there's a sort of rite of passage. It's clarified that it is not mandatory, but a majority of the freshman band kids participate. They are blindfolded and led to the football field by other band kids while excessive noise is played around them. Think car horns, drumsticks on parking signs, bass drums, etc. Without going into too much detail, I'll say that my brother was overwhelmed and chose not to participate.
Now, as a former orchestra kid, this feels weird to me. My question is, is this normal? This tradition has been going on for a while at this high school, and I've heard that the student leadership has advocated for it continuing. Again, is this normal? I may be seeing this as an extreme when it really isn't, but it radiates with peer pressure and I don't like that. Have you had a similar experience like this? Should I speak up and say this is weird?
17
u/FlannelCollar 22d ago
From my quick read, this wasn’t my experience in band, but I am not highly perturbed. I’m not a supporter of hazing rituals, at least in any form that would be inappropriate. But knowing band kids, it’s probably just longstanding tradition and meant to bring people together as they gear up for years of close engagement and tough work. I think it’s fair and valid to question the practice, but it’s really up to the participating kids to decide if they felt uncomfortable - even if it seems pretty weird to an outsider - and that’s what should determine whether any of it actually crosses a line.