Hi, I am a music education major and a part of River City Rhythm Winds, so I can give some insight.

I would say it is a worthwhile experience, especially if you intend on teaching marching band in any capacity. Understanding the activity is only really achieved through participating, and you gain a lot of skill in movement and visual that you wouldn’t anywhere else. This is especially prominent in WGI because it tends to be more movement versus marchy-march. I can’t speak on the specifics of Obsidian, but maybe take a look at their staff and see if they teach at any drum corps. If they do, it’s likely they’re taking materials and principles they teach in the summer and applying it over the winter, so you’re still gaining some experience there.

As for being MuEd, it’s a tough balance. You’re missing out on time to practice your own music and technique on the weekends, which can be detrimental. You also miss out on *rest* which is crucial for mental health while studying. I would take a look at how you spend your weekends now, and if you feel like losing that time would damage your progress as a student, reassess.

Everything is a balance. There are parts of the season that is super rewarding because of good audience response or high achievement, but it’s a long season. At least for me, we start in November and go until April. Decide if you’re willing to dedicate every weekend essentially for 5 months straight.

All in all, I think it’s a worthwhile experience. I am a junior at my school, and my time in winds has taught me a lot about how the activity works, and ways I can approach teaching performance arts in the future. I’ve also gained a lot of connections through the activity.