Mustang Band Experience

[SMUPhil]

Sounds awesome, I hope the band picks up a bunch of those kids. That MBand experience idea was a good one, I've always thought the best recruitment tool was seeing and hearing the band in person, not just looking at the website or brochures.

Someone needs to go scout the TMEA area/region/state JAZZ bands and start throwing cash at those kids. As we've all seen, "all-state" doesn't necessarily translate to what the band is looking for.

[SMUPhil]

How did the event go? Someone give us a recap.

[DiamondM75]

How did the event go? Someone give us a recap.

It was a wonderful event for SMU, The Mustang Band, The Diamond M Club and the High School players and parents.

The day started around 3:00 with a check in and quick campus tour. Because of the weather, the tours were very quick, but still the brief tours oriented the high school students and parents to the SMU campus. We had 50 kids sign up for "The Experience" and even with the threat of icy roads, 40 attended. What a great turn out.

At 4:15, the Diamond M Club hosted a late lunch/early dinner for the 25 parents that accompanied their kids to the event, while the kids went to Moody to rehearse and learn some of the Mustang Band music. They were going to rehearse in the band hall, but after looking at 90 people trying the rehearse, the current band hall just wasn't going to be large enough. The parents were escorted to the End Zone Suite in Ford Stadium for a deli buffet. Again, the parents were walking around campus in freezing weather.

At 5:30, the pizza arrived for the band members and the high school students to enjoy before the game The parents were escorted from Ford to Moody, again in freezing weather. Poor parents. Everyone, band members, high school students and parents enjoyed visiting and socializing in Moody. Everyone was having a great time and the cameras were working overtime.

At 6:30, the parents were provided game tickets by the Diamond M Club and the parents went to their seats, while the joint band prepared to entertain the basketball fans and support the Mustangs. WOW, what a sound! Having 90 musicians playing Peruna, Pony Battle and those great Mustang Band charts was so impressive. One thing that really impressed me were the solos in Barbara Ann. There were 4 solos and 3 of the solos were performed by high school players.

Afterwards, I spoke with kids, parents and the band directors, and all had such positive things to say. It is such a great event because it "gets the kids on campus" and gives them an inside look at the college band experience. You can tell people all day long that college bands are not like high school band, but until they see it first hand, they don't understand.

This was the second annual "Mustang Band Experience" that last year drew 10 kids. This year there were 40 in attendance. It is scarry what might be at the third annual "Mustang Band Experience". What will we do with 100 high school kids playing along with a 75 member Mustang Band? A problem that I personally hope we will have.

[RGV Pony]

Call it strange, weird, or a warped mindset....but I happen to believe that college football success is hastened by a band with 10 or more tubas, and everything else proportionate.

[SMUPhil]

DiamondM75, what schools were the high school kids from? Any DISD? Lots of Richardson, Plano, and Garland? Any area/region/state jazz players?

Sounds like the event was awesome, I bet this will pay off in the future.

RGV, I believe that a 20 person marching cowbell section would secure SMU's future as gridiron kings. But yeah, more tubas would be nice.

[stangerredblue]

it was the best the band has sounded, it kicked [deleted]!

[DiamondM75]

DiamondM75, what schools were the high school kids from? Any DISD? Lots of Richardson, Plano, and Garland? Any area/region/state jazz players?

Sounds like the event was awesome, I bet this will pay off in the future.

RGV, I believe that a 20 person marching cowbell section would secure SMU's future as gridiron kings. But yeah, more tubas would be nice.

I don't know all the schools that attended, but off the top of my head there were S. Garland, N. Garland, Sunset, Melissa, Euless, Mesq. Poteet, Midland and I think Allen. I will get a complete list on Monday and post.

I do know that 4 players auditioned, 3 of which have already been acepted by SMU. That means we have 3 band recruits already. We need 30 this year which is not impossible, but will take a lot of work.

And as for tubas and cowbells, the great sound you heard Saturday was due to having a full section of saxes!!!!!

Let the section wars begin.

[couch 'em]

And as for tubas and cowbells, the great sound you heard Saturday was due to having a full section of saxes!!!!!

I will give you that saxes are slightly more useful than piccolos..........

Long live Kenny G!

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

And as for tubas and cowbells, the great sound you heard Saturday was due to having a full section of saxes!!!!!

No wonder the floor was so clean after the game. There were plenty of vacuum cleaners to go around.

[RGV Pony]

I do know that 4 players auditioned, 3 of which have already been acepted by SMU. That means we have 3 band recruits already. We need 30 this year which is not impossible, but will take a lot of work.

30 to just stay at the current level? Or 30 to reach a predetermined goal? And on the topic of devoted wayyy too much of my life to everything SMU Football, when will ya'll know who next fall's drum major will be?

[couch 'em]

I'm gonna say they should buy back the drummin' cowboy for another tour of duty as drum major. hat included.

[Peruna Knight]

We would all like the drumming cowboy back in the saddle.. however i believe that he is shaping the minds of the future..well in spanish..

i don't know who the next drum major will be..what about the guy who always is first back in the stands?.. who knows..it could also a ground breaking new year with the first woman drum major..only time will tell what the Mustang Band of 2006-2007 will have..

[couch 'em]

.it could also a ground breaking new year with the first woman drum major..

We are getting a male twirler?

[abezontar]

I don't know how the recent classes have been, but during my tenure 97-02, it seemed we always had pretty good sized freshman classes, usually around 30, it was just hard to get them all to come back for their second year. Hopefully, we will get the thirty we need that will want to stick with it the entire time they are in school.

[WorldStang]

Why don't they do this during football season also? Would make much more sense when we play a big game to have them there for reinforcements. So tired of our band being drowned out by the likes of.. well, every other band.