Switching instruments for marching band?

[mthsbandrocks]

I go to a private school, therefore we have a small band.
[this upcoming year not counting fish]
Flutes-4
Clarinets-3
Saxes-4
Horns-3
Trumpets-7
Baritones-1
Trombones-3
Tubas-1
Drumline-7 or 8
Pit- somewhere around 6-8

My band director needs more mellophones and he wanted some of the trumpets to switch. So my friend, the only other girl trumpet besides me, switched. She naturally wanted me to switch with her. I know the mellophones needf people, but I don't see why I should switch. Next year will be my senior year, so I will have resposibilities in the section/band.

Should I switch or not? Will playing mellophone totally mess up my trumpet chops?
Note: Even if I switch for marching season, I will be playing trumpet for concert season no matter what.

[Trombonium]

I think you should. Even though mello's are used in place of French horns for marching, rarely do you ever use a french horn mouthpiece on one. You can use your trumpet mouthpiece (or so what I have heard), so I think your chops will be fine.

[Duel of the Flutes]

Switch.

I may be a little biased (I will be marching mello in college next year), but if you need the mellos, it's only going to help the band to switch. Playing mello is a lot different from playing trumpet, but like Trombonium said, you can use your trumpet mouthpiece. However, I would recommend practicing your trumpet outside of marching band. That way, you'll still remember where all the notes are, be able to hit partials etc.

On the other hand, I would also ask your bd if he really wants 5 on trumpet/5 on mello. It's a balance thing... he'll probably tell you exactly what he wants/needs, and that should help your decision as well.

[bluescalesdragon]

Depends on how good a trumpet player you are. Are you one of the top three? If so, stay on trumpet. In my band, the mediocre trumpet players have always turned out to be much better at mello than they were at trumpet. That's not to say if you are not one of the top three, you are mediocre, but if you are a strong player, then you are still needed as a trumpet.