***ARTICLE*** On the Prowl: And the Band Played On

[Marc Wigim]

On the Prowl: And the Band Played On

A little bit of searching into my background provides people with a couple of interesting tidbits. For example, I used to be a huge Hawkeye fan. Fortunately, we all grow wiser with age. I am also a former member of the Panther Marching Band, an entity that has flexed their muscles this season with a fresh new look and new marching band director. This presented me with the opportunity to write about something that nobody else has this year, and I jumped at the chance.

My plan was to write about the band as Homecoming festivities descended upon the campus, but after a while it occurred to me that the band does the same kind of thing whether it is opening day, Homecoming, or Chattanooga. The ideal is always the same, and that is to put on an entertaining show. It’s what makes the college game great.

This year the band is under first-year director Dr. Danny Galyen, fresh off of a PhD in Music Education from the University of Florida. He was born in Richmond, Virginia, and cut his teeth as music educator. He attended Virginia Tech and taught at the high school level for six years. His philosophy is all about entertainment. His goal is also stated clearly.

“I’d like us to be known as THE college marching band in the state of Iowa.”

That takes the cooperation of every single student involved. One such student is Jeff Waldschmitt, the baritone section leader and a graduate of Ankeny High School. He came into the Panther Marching Band (known here on out as simply “the PMB”) as a requirement, but it quickly took off from there. “For a while it was because I was going into music education. Now it’s become a place where most of my friends come from. If I’m not in it I seem a little bit detached from those people.”

“I’m so far removed from the absence of band to imagine not being in band, but I have to say I wouldn’t be as socially able to converse with people and get along just because you are working in a sectional, or talking about the music or drill… I wouldn’t have those qualities had it not been for band.”

Jeff is also a big Panther fan, something that surfaces quickly when talking with him about Gameday Saturday. “I’d have to say one of my favorite things to do with the PMB is the fanfare at the beginning of the pregame show. That’s definitely considered a highlight. I’d have to say one of my favorite memories is my freshman year when we played Southern Illinois… and eventually we went onto Chattanooga.”

Jeff Waldschmitt has all the qualities necessary to become the Mark Twain of marching bands. His observations are witty, and usually spot on. “Here (the fans) want to be entertained and watch the Panthers win. I’d definitely say that the crowd has expectations for the band, more so than we may realize. They know what’s going despite how inebriated they may or may not be. I mean, there’s 150 people on the field doing something.”

Jeff also knows what he’s a part of, and appreciates those who make it possible. “I’d say we have a very good relationship with the athletic department. I know that Mark Farley has spoke at our band banquet. Bob Justis has a little something for the band on the Jumbotron. Rick Hartzell came to one of our rehearsals to thank us for our support and enthusiasm. I think the coaches and players appreciate our presence at the games.”

The band is getting some recognition for their amped-up new style, something that Dr. Galyen wants to make the PMB trademark. “I met with student leadership over the summer and they showed me what their book was like and what they played in the stands. The students clued me into the fact that they hadn’t had a lot of updated music. Over the summer I tried really hard to work with the students to keep the things in the book that was traditional and took the stuff that wasn’t traditional and didn’t need to be in there and replaced it.”

“This is pretty close to ideal for me right now. In the first show I asked leadership if they would be willing to do a band dance. I think in my mind I had the historically black college marching band… it took a little while to get that concept across for what I wanted to see. By the first show they really had it down.” The HBCU-style effect has made its presence felt, and Dr. Galyen has his own philosophy on that. “High energy that’s funny, it’s okay to look a little silly… the ideal band is so entertaining that nobody leaves their seats at halftime.”

Jeff agrees. “When you’re focusing on an entertainment aspect… who cares if you’re a half step off to the right? You have to be melting somebody’s face off, and then you have to put down your horn and shake whatever it is you have to shake for 24 measures.”

In my time, the PMB was rife with silliness, and it was only a matter of time before that silliness made its way into an entertaining, high-energy band show. People like Doug Fuller, the tuba section leader, make it happen by keeping the troops motivated in strange, albeit effective ways. “Most sections have a tradition of getting a t-shirt for the year. We’re special people, so one of our rookies had the idea of ‘Hey… let’s wear shorty-shorts.’ Thus was born shorty-short Friday.” Let it be known that Doug was in fact wearing shorty-shorts when I interviewed him on a Friday afternoon after rehearsal.

At the end of it all, however, the work that the band puts in makes the wheels turn. Dr. Galyen knows this. “I think it’s better than it used to be. We kind of fight the typical stereotypes that happen because of the portrayal of the marching band in movies. We should be there to excite people and to entertain… I think the perception is a lot better than when I was in college. People don’t understand the amount of work that goes into putting the show on the field. That first game there were some others in the Dome and they didn’t know who I was and they were watching the marching band stretch and asked ‘why does the marching band have to stretch?’ If you look closely, you can see the band out of breath and drenched in sweat (after a show). They don’t understand the many hours you put into it.”

[CincyPanther88]

Good article. Nice to see the band get some recognition. They are often overlooked even though they work just as hard as the football players.

I remember last year there were a lot of complaints here about the band playing the fight song at a slower tempo and a few other criticisms as well. I haven't seen any criticisms this year yet. I take it that either these problems have been resolved or people have accepted the changes.