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Document seperating the band from the music school in 1958

http://digitalcollections.smu.edu/cdm/r ... /bim/id/96

http://digitalcollections.smu.edu/cdm/r ... /bim/id/97

http://digitalcollections.smu.edu/cdm/r ... /bim/id/98

Cool. Irving Dreibrodt is the man.

I wonder if Pittman was OK with that or forced?

Fellers!

couch 'em wrote:I wonder if Pittman was OK with that or forced?

From what it sounds like here, I'm guessing it was something mutual. The music school was able to expand the scope of its program while letting Mustang go out on its own. Regardless of the circumstances, not having it be a part of Meadows was probably one of the best "win-win" situations for all parties involved.

Do you know if non music major students were in Mustang Band before the split? I was an engineering major so the split may have allowed me to join.

Gee this band misses Dreibrodt. They are only a shadow of what they used to be.

redpony wrote:Gee this band misses Dreibrodt. They are only a shadow of what they used to be.

Like the team, weak recruiting. Someone once posted a graphic showing how their scholarship funds were pretty unchanged from the early 80s, and you know how tuition has changed. How do you get someone to sign up to do extra work for free to watch bad football?

couch'em - and those who would sign up couldn't pass the SAT levels for entry (more than slightly stupid )

malonish wrote:Do you know if non music major students were in Mustang Band before the split? I was an engineering major so the split may have allowed me to join.

Yes, it was open to non-music majors before the split.

redpony wrote:Gee this band misses Dreibrodt. They are only a shadow of what they used to be.

That's an understatement. The band reflects the personality of the director. We'll be marching in UIL contests before long.... so we can earn a "1". He messed with success and we lost the crisp, disciplined marching and succumbed to sloppy appearance (which may be due to lack of funds or inability to make a one-size-fits-all band uniform fit right). I cannot believe that Tommy Tucker tolerates this backslide into mediocrity. The band director was a member when the band was at its best... just too lazy to restore the remarkable tradition. It has become a high school band.

berg- sad to say that your comments are quite on. I was in school during the Dreibrodt days and the band was always one of the highlights of going to the games.

I am a young'un(2007-11 with a guest spot for BBVA in '12) and while I can't testify about the good ole days I will say that the Mustang Band was worlds different than my high school band was. I look at old videos of the band on youtube and I see the similarities there and we played a lot of the old tunes. I guess some people will always find something to complain about.

Today's band cannot even be bothered to play for a full four quarters.

Dr. Dreibrodt had a scholarship budget that covered 50% of the tuition for all 96 members.

Don Hopkins has a scholarship budget that covers 50% of the tuition of 8 members.

CAN YOU SEE A PROBLEM?

It is not the director(s). Is it the university.

Even if Don could provide 25% of the tuition for 100 members, he would have a totally different product.