Bands

In the past and still today, municipal and military bands have been the joy of our towns, with their street performances and dawn songs that commemorate each historical event. Some of these music bands date back over a century, renewing their members throughout generations. They are institutions with their own academies dedicated to train new members and provide them with the corresponding instruments. These municipal academies have always constituted the main source of formation for new artists, orchestras and other ensembles. However, in the most populated cities, other trendy bands’ demands for well-trained young musicians have constituted a serious problem for the stability and continuation of the municipal bands. Particularly in present times, with the increased boom and popularity of these groups, salaries have increased substantially. This has resulted in the exodus of musicians from municipal bands, whose low salary is unable to compete.

On the other hand, military bands attract a good number of musicians who are looking for more appealing benefits. In addition to the salaries, they are seduced by the stability, security and the very low risk of suspension they provide.

Text by Rafael Solano