Band of Pride

[Dawg85]

I know our kids work hard and this is meant to be constructive criticism but we've got to step it up. The difference Saturday night was glaring. NSU looked professional out there and we looked like the amateur hour. Our kids played great but our uniforms looked like what kids wear to elementary school. I usually don't pay that much attention to the band but when stacked back to back against someone else, we looked disappointing. Not so much in the delivery of the music or the sound, but in appearance. Also, NSU looked like they had at least 20% more band members.

[PawDawg]

I know our kids work hard and this is meant to be constructive criticism but we've got to step it up. The difference Saturday night was glaring. NSU looked professional out there and we looked like the amateur hour. Our kids played great but our uniforms looked like what kids wear to elementary school. I usually don't pay that much attention to the band but when stacked back to back against someone else, we looked disappointing. Not so much in the delivery of the music or the sound, but in appearance. Also, NSU looked like they had at least 20% more band members.

NSU has money for this. We don't and don't try to raise any.

[JuBru]

The difference Saturday night was glaring. NSU looked professional out there and we looked like the amateur hour.

They are. We are.

I usually don't pay that much attention to the band

That is a part of the problem.

[tenacious_dog]

It's been pointed out on other threads how much NSU devotes to their band program and we don't come close to the financial commitment. I hope as we get other issues tended to, the day is not far off Tech recommits to the Band of Pride back to the level we have in the past.

[mikedog]

Who cares? It's the band. We don't have a money tree, and I'd much rather see what little resources we have invested into things that actually help us win.

[Tech77]

I know our kids work hard and this is meant to be constructive criticism but we've got to step it up. The difference Saturday night was glaring. NSU looked professional out there and we looked like the amateur hour. Our kids played great but our uniforms looked like what kids wear to elementary school. I usually don't pay that much attention to the band but when stacked back to back against someone else, we looked disappointing. Not so much in the delivery of the music or the sound, but in appearance. Also, NSU looked like they had at least 20% more band members.

Way more than 20% larger. It has been pointed out that this is a point of emphasis for NSU. They put a lot of money into it, and therefore have 80 percent of their band made up of music majors. Tech's band is reportedly about 20 percent music majors.

[PawDawg]

Who cares? It's the band. .

You cared enough to post.:icon_wink:

[qng001]

NSU band - made up with a ton of music majors, school invest a lot of money to music dept
Tech band - made up mostly with non-music majors, school invest a lot of money to engineering/research

During halftime they listed like 7-8 admin staff, we have 3.

[mikedog]

You cared enough to post.:icon_wink:

Someone has to be the voice of reason.

[dawg80]

NSU band - made up with a ton of music majors, school invest a lot of money to music dept
Tech band - made up mostly with non-music majors, school invest a lot of money to engineering/research

During halftime they listed like 7-8 admin staff, we have 3.

Yep!

[RhythmDawg]

.

[dawgtired]

So a school with ~4000 on campus students, facing bigger cuts than Tech... Still manages to fund their band better? Is it possible that the current band administration is content to not rock the boat and demand better funding? I don't know and I'm not casting stones... I just wonder if the next few years will be better since Robken is retiring.

[RhythmDawg]

So a school with ~4000 on campus students, facing bigger cuts than Tech... Still manages to fund their band better? Is it possible that the current band administration is content to not rock the boat and demand better funding? I don't know and I'm not casting stones... I just wonder if the next few years will be better since Robken is retiring.

Band and nursing. What else do they have needing funding?

[RhythmDawg]

If you want a Ferrari, you have to pay for it.

[qng001]

Another problem for the BOP is retention from non-music majors. When I was in the program I remember a good number of kids would only do 2 years of it and quite to focus more time on their major. Many kids could afford dropping band due to academic scholarships and TOPS.

For an out of stater like me, I had to commit for 4 yrs to waive the out-of-state fee. Maybe the key to grow the band is recruit out of state kids.