Marching Band Question about being drum major and playing a solo?

Question

To start off, I'm the head drum major this year for my school's marching band. There is one other drum major but I'm the head drum major. the problem is several things, 1. My mother is the band director. Its a hard thing telling people that I scored fair and square about getting the role as drum major.

The problem is at my school its tradition that we give the seniors solos. Problem is this is MY senior year and I'm already conducting. We're playing Grease this year and theres a big flute solo in Summer Nights. Its already planned that I'm marching durring that song. But I would like to play the solo since I'm the senior flute and tuba player. Would it be wrong if a drum major played the solo? My mother/director said that I should play the solo but I'm afraid that that would be to egotistic of me.

Next question, last year I was low brass section leader, since I'm drum major I'm no longer section leader. The low brass player who now is section leader thinks that she's the drum major.

Answer 1

if you can get whatever you can out of your senior year, do it. you're drum major, you're in charge. the fact that your mom is the director should not make a difference. if everybody else doesn't like it, they better suck it up and move on. there is no problem with a drum major playing a solo. if you feel that there is another senior who can play better than you, tell your mom to reconsider who will play the solo. being drum major doesn't mean that people have to like you. if they criticize you, call them out and set them in their place. the way you should act is to pretend that your mom isn't the director. you're just behaving the way you are because you're supposed to.

Answer 2

i know youre NOT completely egocentric and you arent just playing it to show off but everyone else is going to think you are.. only because your mom is the director.. and it would just be awkward for you to play the solo.. i personally would not do it.. just because of the critism youre going to get.

Answer 3

i dont think you are an egotistical person, but i do think that you would cause much more problems by taking the solo. however, if someone in the band can play it better, you should consider giving it to them. your a drum major, and that means conducting the band, not playing.

as for the low brass player, i would take that person aside and speak to her privately. i would tell her that although she's trying to make things better, she's making them worse, and remind her that you are the drum major, and that you can take care of the problems. good luck with your season :)

i forgot to mention, you might be docked off points for general effects. as a drum major you need to be in the "background" any solos or any attention, whether your supposed to be marching or not would take away from the rest of the group. many of the judges i've met dock points for things like drum majors running around to the back field, dead time, and drum majors playing instruments. but then again i dont know how your band festivals operate and score but just think about it. and again good luck!