Just A Quick Vent

[Marc Wigim]

Re: Just A Quick Vent

Actually, the pep band is ENTIRELY voluntary.

[06panther10]

Re: Just A Quick Vent

Actually, the pep band is ENTIRELY voluntary.

I realize they don't force them to join pep band, but are you saying they dont even know how many people are going to show up on a given night?

[Newsbreaker]

Re: Just A Quick Vent

Actually, the pep band is ENTIRELY voluntary.

We know what it is - we're saying what it should or should not be.

Don't the "join" and then have to show up when scheduled? If it's merely a "show up if you feel like it" then that's a group that's run in an awful fashion.

[clenz]

Re: Just A Quick Vent

Actually, the pep band is ENTIRELY voluntary.

I realize they don't force them to join pep band, but are you saying they dont even know how many people are going to show up on a given night?

I would assume they get an estimate, but leaving it up to chance is a horribly shatty idea.

[Marc Wigim]

Re: Just A Quick Vent

By voluntary I mean that you aren't required to do it as part of your major. Auditions are held towards the end of the regular season in football, and if you are selected, you are required to then be at all games that your particular band is playing for. The problem lies in the fact that they're only required to be at about 10 games. I've talked to some band members, and they aren't particularly thrilled about this situation either. At least there's that. Something really needs to be said.

If I say something, I'm whiny music major Marc Wigim. If some of you say something, it might mean more.

[email protected]

[Panther-at-Arms]

Re: Just A Quick Vent

You can't make the pep band mandatory for music majors, that's never going to fly. And I'd say when I was in the pep band the percentage of the group that was music majors was maybe 10 percent. We were definitely the minority. The heart and soul of both the PMB and the pep bands are non majors.

[morrism0]

Re: Just A Quick Vent

I really know nothing on this subject but I heard that Drake pays the pep band members $20 (I think that is the right amount) to be at each game. I don't know if this is common practice but my friends son plays on the band at Drake and I think that is what he said they get. Just an idea.

[Newsbreaker]

Re: Just A Quick Vent

You can't make the pep band mandatory for music majors, that's never going to fly. And I'd say when I was in the pep band the percentage of the group that was music majors was maybe 10 percent. We were definitely the minority. The heart and soul of both the PMB and the pep bands are non majors.

PMB is mandatory for at least a year for some music majors, and I know at one time it was mandatory for all music majors for at least a year. There is no reason other than "the kids will cry" that it can't be mandatory for 4 years - especially considering it (and the pep band) are the most visible elements of the department.

[UNIpanther99]

Re: Just A Quick Vent

PMB is mandatory for at least a year for some music majors, and I know at one time it was mandatory for all music majors for at least a year. There is no reason other than "the kids will cry" that it can't be mandatory for 4 years - especially considering it (and the pep band) are the most visible elements of the department.

You can't mandate school spirit. I would hope that they would want to be there and be a part of the experience, and I know that many of them do.

Maybe UNI could look into something like an Alumni/Faculty Pep Band for when the students are away or unable to play. It would be nice to have the live music, and could be fun for some of the former members who still live in the area.

[Panther-Sheik]

Re: Just A Quick Vent

You can't mandate school spirit. I would hope that they would want to be there and be a part of the experience, and I know that many of them do.

Maybe UNI could look into something like an Alumni/Faculty Pep Band for when the students are away or unable to play. It would be nice to have the live music, and could be fun for some of the former members who still live in the area.

I've gotten quite good at guitar hero...be happy to fill in.

[TravelingPanther]

Re: Just A Quick Vent

You can't mandate school spirit. I would hope that they would want to be there and be a part of the experience, and I know that many of them do.

Maybe UNI could look into something like an Alumni/Faculty Pep Band for when the students are away or unable to play. It would be nice to have the live music, and could be fun for some of the former members who still live in the area.

I'll play bass.

[Panther-at-Arms]

Re: Just A Quick Vent

First of all, music majors are already required to be in at least on ensemble per semester. These groups meet for anywhere from 5-8 hours a week, plus concerts. They get ONE semeseter credit for this. Add to this the fact that while PMB is a valuable experience for music education majors, and some majors also enjoy doing for the fun of it, most music majors get no educational value out of PMB or pep band. Majors focusing on orchestral or jazz performance are not going to do 4 or 5 years of marching band. So how are you going to mandate they spend another oh, 7 hours (at least) a week for another 1 credit class just because we think we need more school spirit?

[Newsbreaker]

Re: Just A Quick Vent

First of all, music majors are already required to be in at least on ensemble per semester. These groups meet for anywhere from 5-8 hours a week, plus concerts. They get ONE semeseter credit for this. Add to this the fact that while PMB is a valuable experience for music education majors, and some majors also enjoy doing for the fun of it, most music majors get no educational value out of PMB or pep band. Majors focusing on orchestral or jazz performance are not going to do 4 or 5 years of marching band. So how are you going to mandate they spend another oh, 7 hours (at least) a week for another 1 credit class just because we think we need more school spirit?

You just do it. If they complain, you explain that life is sometimes hard.

I've known music majors as well as you can know a person. They think they have things much harder than they really do.

[Marc Wigim]

Re: Just A Quick Vent

I will agree that many music majors are drama queens, but don't all lump us in. I make the argument that business majors are calloused tyrants, and all art majors are entitled weirdoes.

Anyway, you can't mandate such things. It looks good for YOU to see a pep band of 70 people, but it won't work. I was in the marching band when it was mandated that all instrumental music majors had to be in it at least a year (regardless of whether or not they played an instrument that was in a marching band), and it was HELL. They would never stop whining, they would become positive nuisances, and would make it their life's work to make everyone as miserable as they were. I don't care how positive an attitude you have, it's going to get to you after a while, and the bands are better off without people like that.

[clenz]

Re: Just A Quick Vent

First of all, music majors are already required to be in at least on ensemble per semester. These groups meet for anywhere from 5-8 hours a week, plus concerts. They get ONE semeseter credit for this. Add to this the fact that while PMB is a valuable experience for music education majors, and some majors also enjoy doing for the fun of it, most music majors get no educational value out of PMB or pep band. Majors focusing on orchestral or jazz performance are not going to do 4 or 5 years of marching band. So how are you going to mandate they spend another oh, 7 hours (at least) a week for another 1 credit class just because we think we need more school spirit?

Students spend that much time per week out side of class for a regular class. I had a class last semester require 35 hours of community service on top of the course work load, the rest of the classes I was in and those work loads, and my actual job. Tough. It had to be done so I did it. When they made the choice to take that class/be involved in a certain organization, they made the choice to do what is required for that class/group.