Speaker 1 (1)
So how are you getting on with your teaching practice at the high school, Joe?
Speaker 2 (2)
Well, I've been put in charge of the school marching band, and it's quite a responsibility.
Speaker 2 (3)
I'd like to talk it over with you.
Speaker 1 (4)
Go ahead. You better start by giving me a bit of background.
Speaker 2 (5)
Okay. Well, the band has students in it from all years.
Speaker 2 (6)
So they're aged 11 to 18, and there are about 50 of them altogether.
Speaker 2 (7)
It's quite a popular activity within the school.
Speaker 2 (8)
I've never worked with a band of more than 20 before, and this is very different.
Speaker 1 (9)
I can imagine.
Speaker 2 (10)
They aren't really good enough to enter national band competitions, but they're in a regional one later in the term.
Speaker 2 (11)
Even if they don't win, and I don't expect them to, hopefully, it'll be an incentive for them to try and improve.
Speaker 1 (12)
Yes. Hopefully.
Speaker 2 (13)
Well, now the town council's organising a carnival in the summer, and the band has been asked to perform.
Speaker 2 (14)
If you ask me, they aren't really up to it yet, and I need to get them functioning better as a band and in a very short time.
Speaker 1 (15)
Have you been doing anything with them apart from practicing the music, I mean?
Speaker 2 (16)
I played a recording I came across of a drummer talking about how playing in a band had changed his life.
Speaker 2 (17)
I think it was an after-dinner speech.
Speaker 2 (18)
I thought it was pretty inspiring because being in the band had stopped him from getting involved in crime.
Speaker 2 (19)
The students seem to find it interesting too.
Speaker 1 (20)
That's good.
Speaker 2 (21)
I'm planning to show them that old film from the 1940s, 'Strike up the band', and talk about it with the students. What do you think?
Speaker 1 (22)
Good idea. As it's about a school band, it might make the students realise how much they can achieve if they work together.
Speaker 2 (23)
That's what I've got in mind. I'm hoping I can take some of the band to a parade that's going to take place next month.
Speaker 2 (24)
A couple of marching bands will be performing, and the atmosphere should be quite exciting.
Speaker 2 (25)
It depends on whether I can persuade the school to hire a coach or two to take us there.
Speaker 1 (26)
They sound like good ideas to me.
Speaker 2 (27)
Can I tell you about a few people in the band who I'm finding it quite difficult to cope with?
Speaker 2 (28)
I'm sure you'll have some ideas about what I can do.
Speaker 2 (30)
There's a flautist who says she loves playing in the band.
Speaker 2 (31)
We rehearse twice a week after school, but she's hardly ever there.
Speaker 2 (32)
Then she looks for me the next day and gives me a very plausible reason.
Speaker 2 (33)
She says she had to help her mother or she's been ill, but to be honest, I don't believe her.
Speaker 1 (34)
Oh, dear. Any more students with difficulties?
Speaker 2 (35)
Plenty. Uh, there's a trumpeter who thinks she's the best musician in the band, though she certainly isn't.
Speaker 2 (36)
She's always saying what she thinks other people should do, which makes my job pretty difficult.
Speaker 1 (37)
She sounds a bit of a nightmare.
Speaker 2 (38)
You can say that again.
Speaker 2 (39)
Uh, one of the trombonists has got an impressive sense of rhythm and could be an excellent musician.
Speaker 2 (40)
Except that he has breathing difficulties, and he doesn't really have enough breath for the trombone.
Speaker 2 (41)
He'd be much better off playing percussion, for instance, but he refuses to give up, so he ends up only playing half the notes.
Speaker 1 (42)
I suppose you have to admire his determination.
Speaker 2 (43)
Maybe. One of the percussionists isn't too bad, but he never seems to interact with other people, and he always rushes off as soon as the rehearsal ends.
Speaker 2 (44)
I don't know if there are family reasons or what, but it isn't good in a band where people really need to feel they're part of a group.
Speaker 2 (45)
There are others too, but at least that gives you an idea of what I'm up against.
Speaker 2 (46)
Do you have any thoughts about what I can do, Lizzie?