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Freshman Rachel Carter (foreground) plays the trombone at marching band practice Thursday. Marching band is required for all freshman and sophomore music majors. Recently, more upperclassmen have been joining marching band after their requirements have been met.

High notes

Marching band membership booms despite lowest budget in WIAC

By: Mark Schaaf

Posted: 9/26/05

In 2000, the UW-Eau Claire marching band stood at 60 members.

Numerous marching festivals, parades and an NFL game later, that number swelled to 171, making the Blugold marching band the largest unit among all WIAC schools.

Senior Phil Snyder, lead coordinator of drill and marching fundamentals and a trumpet player, said the band's growth has been "truly remarkable."

"It's really kind of neat to watch it happen every year," Snyder said. "It's a blast to be in the band and you'll see all the performers in the band have a great time."

However, with the increase in numbers comes an increased demand for money, which is used to fund items such as new instruments and travel costs.

Despite being the largest band in the WIAC, it has the conference's lowest budget, according to a letter from band director Randy Dickerson to Student Senate.

He wrote that the smallest marching band budget among WIAC schools is $20,000. Eau Claire's operates on $2,500 per year.

"This is why we have no travel money," he said.

Student Senate voted unanimously Sept. 19 to give the band $3,000 in student segregated fees for its trip Saturday to Greendale, a suburb of Milwaukee, as well as for future transportation costs.

The band will perform in front of thousands at Greendale High School as part of an exhibition for high school students. It also hopes to use the performance as a recruiting tool for would-be Blugolds.

Finance Commission director Ray French said the band came to Student Senate asking for the funds late last year. The money comes out of a fund designated for situations that arise during the year.

"They were just very deserving, and it's a great opportunity for them to get out to Milwaukee area," French said. "They've grown quite extensively over the past five years and this is ... a chance for the name to get out and show what our music department is about to this part of the state."

Their next exhibition is set for Oct. 8 in Chippewa Falls.

Senior Kristin Bar, in her fifth year with the band, said the enthusiasm - as well as talent - has changed drastically since her freshman year, with many non-music majors joining the mix.

"It's a not a normal ensemble where you sit and practice," she said. "A lot of these people don't get a chance to play the music instruments other than marching band."

Each year, the band plays at all home football games and a few local parades, including Homecoming.

Junior Claire Parda of the color guard, which twirls flags alongside the band, said she also has seen the band develop.

"They've improved quite a bit," Parda said. "The music is harder and they're starting to get better musicians."

Parda added the color guard also has grown from 11 last year to 18 this fall.

Freshman Dan Duyser said the talent level is far better than that in high school.

"I figured on the college level it would overall just look better and sound better, which it has," he said.

Another highlight for the band came last year when it took the field at halftime of a Green Bay Packers game, heightening the band's exposure.

With Saturday's performance at Greendale, complete with a recruiting table and two pages devoted to the band in the program, the band hopes the numbers continue to grow.

"The power and the strength behind this band is its sound, and I just think a lot of that has to come from the heart of the musicians," Bar said. "We all love what we're doing."