Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

[06panther10]

Just wondering. Because if I'm not mistaken, we have had 10 home games this year and the band is 1 for 10...

I wonder how many prominent division 1 programs have only had a pep band at 1 of their games this far into the season?

Sad...

[BCPanther]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

True story 06. It's pretty pathetic that the school of music can't get a band there for EVERY game. I think a pep band adds an absolute ton to a college basketball atmosphere.

It's a pretty sweet deal if you only have to play for eight games and get a free trip to St. Louis and the dance...

[06panther10]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

I too think they add a ton to the game. They are a huge part of the atmosphere.

Yet, they are almost never there. It's embarrassing quite frankly.

[UNI83]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

Who do we send an email to about this inside the music department. I know I'm sending one to the athletic department about them not playing but getting to go on the trips

[UNI Panthers 2010]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

It is winter break... students are gone... the athletic department isn't going to pay to open residence halls for the band to stay in over break so there can be a band at every game... the band plays at both men's and women's games so it is not just 8 games and the tournament, it's about 16 games and one of the tournaments. School starts Monday and the band will probably play at most of the games from here on out. Also, as a alum of the pep band and music department, there are a lot more non-music majors than music majors in the pep band so e-mailing the music department may not affect as much as you think.

My freshman year we tried playing at 28 games over the course of the season and both tournaments. While you may be sitting at your computer thinking "Well, the basketball players play that many games, why can't the band?", you would be correct, but basketball players don't pay to go to school and "I was playing in a basketball game" holds up better when asking for an extension on homework than "I had to play pep band" does. It is just not reasonable to expect a pep band at every basketball game. There are not enough people interested in playing in pep band (talk to the student body, not the school of music) and it is not fair to those of us that liked playing in pep band to ask us to do so. The season we played 28 games I am pretty sure I had my worst GPA during my college career. Was it worth doing it for that one season? Yeah, I loved every second of it. Would I do that every year?... Well, I am not Marc W. and I wanted to graduate it under 7 years.

[06panther10]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

It is winter break... students are gone... the athletic department isn't going to pay to open residence halls for the band to stay in over break so there can be a band at every game... the band plays at both men's and women's games so it is not just 8 games and the tournament, it's about 16 games and one of the tournaments. School starts Monday and the band will probably play at most of the games from here on out. Also, as a alum of the pep band and music department, there are a lot more non-music majors than music majors in the pep band so e-mailing the music department may not affect as much as you think.

My freshman year we tried playing at 28 games over the course of the season and both tournaments. While you may be sitting at your computer thinking "Well, the basketball players play that many games, why can't the band?", you would be correct, but basketball players don't pay to go to school and "I was playing in a basketball game" holds up better when asking for an extension on homework than "I had to play pep band" does. It is just not reasonable to expect a pep band at every basketball game. There are not enough people interested in playing in pep band (talk to the student body, not the school of music) and it is not fair to those of us that liked playing in pep band to ask us to do so. The season we played 28 games I am pretty sure I had my worst GPA during my college career. Was it worth doing it for that one season? Yeah, I loved every second of it. Would I do that every year?... Well, I am not Marc W. and I wanted to graduate it under 7 years.

LMAO

Only TWO of the ten homes games took place over winter break. And I know for a fact that the dorms are open this weekend anyway.

And no, they don't "play at both the men's and women's games". Because I also know for a fact that they have not played at a single one of the women's games. Not one.

And I don't even know how to respond to the rest of those lame excuses...

[Panther-at-Arms]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

It is winter break... students are gone... the athletic department isn't going to pay to open residence halls for the band to stay in over break so there can be a band at every game... the band plays at both men's and women's games so it is not just 8 games and the tournament, it's about 16 games and one of the tournaments. School starts Monday and the band will probably play at most of the games from here on out. Also, as a alum of the pep band and music department, there are a lot more non-music majors than music majors in the pep band so e-mailing the music department may not affect as much as you think.

My freshman year we tried playing at 28 games over the course of the season and both tournaments. While you may be sitting at your computer thinking "Well, the basketball players play that many games, why can't the band?", you would be correct, but basketball players don't pay to go to school and "I was playing in a basketball game" holds up better when asking for an extension on homework than "I had to play pep band" does. It is just not reasonable to expect a pep band at every basketball game. There are not enough people interested in playing in pep band (talk to the student body, not the school of music) and it is not fair to those of us that liked playing in pep band to ask us to do so. The season we played 28 games I am pretty sure I had my worst GPA during my college career. Was it worth doing it for that one season? Yeah, I loved every second of it. Would I do that every year?... Well, I am not Marc W. and I wanted to graduate it under 7 years.

I couldn't disagree more. I played in the pep band for 4 years and we played all the men's games as well as some of the women's games. We had one band, not two and everyone showed up. My GPA did not suffer. I'll also note that I was taking at least 14 hours each semester and played on the women's rugby club and I still managed to go to the games, go to class, get my homework done, and get A's.

I understand not having a band at the winter break games, but I'd like to see them get back to a full size group at ALL the other home games.

[UNI Panthers 2010]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

Did you play in the band when you went to UNI? It doesn't seem fair to criticize if you didn't even play yourself.

Ok, this weekend is not the last 3 homes games that were over break. And we have only had 8 home games. I know this doesn't make the stat that much better, but just want to be correct.

There is no point in arguing about this because neither of us will change the other's mind and we won't be able to persuade the athletic department either. I will say that I agree with you that it would be cool to have the band at more home games (when I was a student I went to all the games that the band wasn't at and you are right, it is a lot different), but I think the band should be compensated more than just going to the tournament. Take my comments how you want. It is easier said than done getting everyone there for a pep band and make it not sound like crap over break. The other games, like I agreed with you before, it would be nice to have a pep band at as many of them as possible.

[Panther-at-Arms]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

Did you play in the band when you went to UNI? It doesn't seem fair to criticize if you didn't even play yourself.

Did you even read my post?

[SteinPizza]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

Interesting that there are many non music majors in the pep band. I never would've guessed that. It doesn't say much for the administrators of UNI's music department, does it?

As far as I'm concerned, it's part of a UNI music instructors' job to field a pep band for basketball (especially mens), just like it's part of their job to field a marching band for football. It's part of representing the school and showing spirit, and should be part of the job description. Notice I wrote "part", not "all". Also, how can a Big Ten, Big East, Pac Ten, etc., team have a pep band at every home game, but UNI can't? This is D1, MVC basketball we're talking about, not Wartburg or Coe.

[pwjmjt]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

Interesting that there are many non music majors in the pep band. I never would've guessed that. It doesn't say much for the administrators of UNI's music department, does it?

As far as I'm concerned, it's part of a UNI music instructors' job to field a pep band for basketball (especially mens), just like it's part of their job to field a marching band for football. It's part of representing the school and showing spirit, and should be part of the job description. Notice I wrote "part", not "all". Also, how can a Big Ten, Big East, Pac Ten, etc., team have a pep band at every home game, but UNI can't? This is D1, MVC basketball we're talking about, not Wartburg or Coe.

Stein, why don't you email the Music Department with those sentiments and see what kind of response you get. (From my past experience regarding the marching band during football, I'm guessing it won't be particularly positive.)

[06panther10]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

Interesting that there are many non music majors in the pep band. I never would've guessed that. It doesn't say much for the administrators of UNI's music department, does it?

As far as I'm concerned, it's part of a UNI music instructors' job to field a pep band for basketball (especially mens), just like it's part of their job to field a marching band for football. It's part of representing the school and showing spirit, and should be part of the job description. Notice I wrote "part", not "all". Also, how can a Big Ten, Big East, Pac Ten, etc., team have a pep band at every home game, but UNI can't? This is D1, MVC basketball we're talking about, not Wartburg or Coe.

+1

Its about school pride. Its about being a legitimate DI basketball program. We've been to 5 NCAA tournaments in 7 years, and we can't get our band to show up at home games.

90% of DI programs have a band at 90% of their games. Yet, we have a guy on here claiming it is too much of a burden, too much of a commitment, that they don't get enough compensation. Give me a break. Thats embarrassing.

[Panther-at-Arms]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

Interesting that there are many non music majors in the pep band. I never would've guessed that. It doesn't say much for the administrators of UNI's music department, does it?

You need to understand the elitist attitude of most music majors. They don't play for "fun." Most marching band and pep band members are non-majors just looking to play for fun. The department has tried to force majors to play before and it just doesn't work out. It is possible to have a very good, nice sized band at games without the music majors.

[SteinPizza]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

You need to understand the elitist attitude of most music majors. They don't play for "fun." Most marching band and pep band members are non-majors just looking to play for fun. The department has tried to force majors to play before and it just doesn't work out. It is possible to have a very good, nice sized band at games without the music majors.

Interesting, and I can understand now that you've explained it. It's a BS attitude, but is what it is.

That said, do you know if that's true of other schools? Are the pep bands at Iowa, Iowa State, etc. made up of mostly non majors as well?

[TravelingPanther]

Re: Will the band be at the game on Sunday?

Let's start a Panther Nation band.