A question about the band...

[No Quarter]

It has been several years since I saw an SMU game live. I live in Georgia and listened to a UGA fan show today. Of course they were up about so-so Georgia team beating a bad Tennessee team yesterday but one commentator made an interesting comment about the GA band. He said that the student body should select the music to be played at games, especially if recruits were expected to be present. His feeling was the recruits might think more of their campus visit, to say nothing of the student body being more involved if the GA band played “their” music.

I have no idea who picks the music at UGA football games or just what is played. From the last very PC and sorry commencement I attended when my daughter finished an advanced degree I can only say I probably would not like it, period. The university President in Athens really needs to be the head of some little faith based school, not necessarily Christian, rather than of a large state university and of course many would welcome the return of an aging Vince Dooly as AD.

Does this remark about music have any application for the SMU band and football games? What kind of music is played? Who selects the musical score – if that’s a good term to apply - for any football game whether or not recruits are expected that day? Is there a connection between the music played by the band and student interest / attendance?

[Bergermeister]

Is there a connection between the music played by the band and student interest / attendance?

WTF?

[malonish]

Does this remark about music have any application for the SMU band and football games? What kind of music is played? Who selects the musical score – if that’s a good term to apply - for any football game whether or not recruits are expected that day? Is there a connection between the music played by the band and student interest / attendance?

Good question. Our music is chosen by the director and it has nothing to do with recruiting. We play a range of music from Jazz tunes to popular music along with our spirit songs. The student section is next to the band and they seem to enjoy the music and they join in during the fourth quarter shuffle while the drum line plays the popular cadence "Beans."

[SMU 86]

I do notice that the visiting bands seem to play more up to date selections. Just sayin.

[smu diamond m]

The directors are always open to suggestions:
Don Hopkins, Director
[email protected]
Tommy Tucker, Assistant Director and Arranger extraordinaire
[email protected]

I highly doubt this announcer knew what he was talking about. There are a lot of bands out there known for keeping what boils down to a Top 40 repertoire, but I think the university requesting songs regularly at the behest of various athletic recruits is a bit ridiculous. I don't have a problem with playing pop charts though.

[No Quarter]

It may be that the commentator didn't know what he has talking about. It is of interest that student support should be questioned at all at a much larger university with a stadium larger than SMU has ever had and where the football attendance was sixth in the nation last year.

Perhaps the band director will see this exchange. Maybe next year - or even this season - one game with the DC involved to spread the word could some how involve student selections.

[DiamondM75]

Let's look at the BIG picture.

At a college football game you have a very diversed audience. You have an audience spectrum from 18 to 22 year old students who want to hear modern music to 70+ year olds who want to hear Big Band and "jazz" music. You have an audience spectrum of people who enjoy music from classical (although not many at a football game) to hip hop and rap. You have football fans who want school spirit music and think the band should be a cheerleader for the team.

I think the Mustang Band is doing a pretty good job of covering the bases and playing to all the demographics of their audience.

Now if we could get the bands to quit playing over each other. The directors can see the directors of the other band and when they are waving their arms, that means the other band is playing. At the Tulsa game this happend multiple times and it just wasn't enjoyable to hear two bands playing different music at the same time.

[CalallenStang]

You have an audience spectrum of people who enjoy music from classical (although not many at a football game)

So THAT's why they played classical music on the stadium sound system last year!

[Harry0569]

I know that the Georgia Tech band plays a lot of rap music, which sounds extremely cool. Last week they played, "Put On for my City" by Young Jeezy (aka the song that was the SMU theme song last year). I know a lot of bands used to play the Soulja Boy Song (the one Verne Lundquist and the UT ftball team danced to). As a recent graduate, it psyches me up, and I'm sure it would do the same thing for the students and players.

[jtstang]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzOHq5WbQ8k