<p>Can anyone that has been in Band of the Hour share their experience? How much of a commitment is it? How many hours do you spend playing on game day and how many hours do you practice a week? Does it affect managing your workload? Do you feel like you miss out from the fun of tailgating and cheering in the stands with friends? I think it would be a great way to meet new people and it would be a lot of fun so please share your experiences!</p>
<p>My D was a music ed major and was required to participate in 2 years of band. She had no previous marching band experience. The instrument was not a marching one, so she had to play something else. It was many hours of practice in the heat each week, and pretty much all day on game days. Also, she had to report about a week before school started for band camp. She had a Thanksgiving Day home game and could not come home that year. She had a bowl game, and missed several days of winter break–actually, she spent New Year’s Eve on the plane. And after snow delays and changing flights, it was a 16-hour journey. Did it enrich her life? She did make some friends, but she felt that most of the members were more hard-core, having done band all through high school, and she never felt like she could catch up. Our HS has a performance band, rather than a marching one.</p>