I feel sorry for the Augsburg Pep Band.

[mtuandrew]

I'm taking some classes at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, a fairly small liberal arts school. While looking at their website, I noticed that one student had started a pep band this year, and thought, "Oh, good for her." Then, at the bottom of the article it said, "We especially need low brass

Comments

[wail_o_years]

Well, on the good side of things, at least you have the actual volume control of the group. Imagine if it'd been 7 people with 3 clarinets, a flute, the trumbone, the snare and the director/founder/bass drum. So, gotta take it slow and steady when a group is so young.

As for your worry about creating another Pep Band, that will happen if you try to assert too much advice and pressure on the group (either do it this way or I'm gone), and, good glory, DO NOT become the person who does the "Well, in MY old program we did it this way and it ALWAYS worked better." Surely you've dealt with enough rookies from time to time who wanna throw that phrase out there!

I will acquiesce that the group is far too small in regards to marching. But, I will follow-up by remember a *certain* a cappella group at NCSU that often marched on stage to vocalized percussion cadences (grin). *Sigh* One of these days Andy, you'll get over your prejudice of marching.

Oh, and while we ALL hate "Hey Song" "Louie Louie" "Land of a 1000" and a lot of the classic stands tune dogma, remember the group is still young and small, right now a bigger focus should be exerted on getting a retaining membership and training the current members. Besides, how many French Horns hate concert marches and polkas, and yet how often are they played in Wind Ensembles. You're there for the fans, AND for yourselves as the musicians.

So relax, have fun, colon.....I mean, utilize the second and fourth purposes to their full extent, and if things go well then you'll have another set of awesome memories and a little bit of pride in being a part of a new group formation.