The Marching Deacs ( ? )

[banddeac]

To your knowledge, has Currie been involved with this issue in an attempt to broker some cooperation or to help influence the administration? He seems to be getting lots done and loves a challenge. From an eyeball perspective, it seems this needs to be addressed as a priority.

Not to my knowledge

 

[inspectah]

The lack of info from incoming students thing seems like such an easy fix. Who's the decision-maker on that and why can't the people in charge of the band have an intervention and get an assist from Currie? I guess it's been tried without success, but the idea that some functionary in the admissions office is the main obstacle is really frustrating (unless it's coming from higher up). I don't understand how disclosing participation in HS marching band implicates privacy rights, assuming that's the concern.

 

[Deacfreak07]

10K per WF student per year, with the requirement that they play in marching band AND pep band.

Seems about right. Finance nerds, what’s the endowment investment that would yield that annually?

 

[deacsrus]

We talkin about the band? Not the game? But the band.

 

[BBDeac]

Seems about right. Finance nerds, what’s the endowment investment that would yield that annually?

For 150 member band at a 6% return you would need $25 million but honestly if someone has that kind of cash to throw around then I’d much rather it go to an endowed NIL fund where all the players get nearly $20k per year

 

[Biff Tannen]

My son's in the Campbell band, so I know a bit about what they're doing, and for the most part it's not anything spectacular. First, they do have info coming in from Admissions. Then, there's scholarship $ on the basis of playing in marching band AND at least one other ensemble (typically wind ensemble or similar) for the semester. Plus, of course, all kinds of nice swag (North Face backpacks!). Then the thing they do that I think is particularly helpful (and costs nothing) is that band members get the same early registration access as student-athletes.

Yeah, I was going to suggest early registration as an enticement.

 

[DeacDaddy]

Explain like I’m 5 – why is the reasoning that the admissions office won’t release the band background. Why isn’t it like any other activity. If you did theatre in high school, and you want to continue it at Wake, you’d go down to Scales or go online and see what shows will be auditioning. If you want to play intramurals, you just go do it. So if you had an interest in marching band, wouldn’t you just go try out? Why do they have to be recruited so hard, doesn’t that mean they’re not really inclined to join?

 

[Deacfreak07]

For 150 member band at a 6% return you would need $25 million but honestly if someone has that kind of cash to throw around then I’d much rather it go to an endowed NIL fund where all the players get nearly $20k per year

I think the selling point for folks that care about the band improving is the appeal to Currie about their role in the gameday atmosphere. What do we spend on some of the flyovers, fireworks, etc. A strong band adds that experience to the game. It brings energy. It connects students and families with the university. That's just my $0.02.

My other #hottake from someone with less than zero musical background is to get rid of every instrument that's not loud. Just brass and drums. If you're destined to be small, better to be loud than melodic.

 

[wakegrrl]

Explain like I’m 5 – why is the reasoning that the admissions office won’t release the band background. Why isn’t it like any other activity. If you did theatre in high school, and you want to continue it at Wake, you’d go down to Scales or go online and see what shows will be auditioning. If you want to play intramurals, you just go do it. So if you had an interest in marching band, wouldn’t you just go try out? Why do they have to be recruited so hard, doesn’t that mean they’re not really inclined to join?

I can't answer fully and certainly not for WF, but one difference is that you have to join marching band before school starts. Most college bands have band camp before first-year students come to campus.

For theater tryouts or other similar activities, you have the chance to move to campus and get settled in, and then hear about these opportunities when you're there.

 

[Biff Tannen]

Maybe students don't realize we have a marching band.

 

[Deacfreak07]

Explain like I’m 5 – why is the reasoning that the admissions office won’t release the band background. Why isn’t it like any other activity. If you did theatre in high school, and you want to continue it at Wake, you’d go down to Scales or go online and see what shows will be auditioning. If you want to play intramurals, you just go do it. So if you had an interest in marching band, wouldn’t you just go try out? Why do they have to be recruited so hard, doesn’t that mean they’re not really inclined to join?

I don't know this for sure, but I would bet that there are more organizations than athletic bands that would love to spam incoming freshmen with targeted marketing. If I had to guess I would say it's an all or nothing policy.

 

[wakegrrl]

Not letting me edit my above post - but if the admissions dept lets the music department know about admitted students, then the music dept can reach out directly and have an opportunity to recruit/make sure students know about band opportunities.

 

[Liquid Karma]

Is the piping of the band through the speakers on the hill a new thing? I don't recall it last year.

 

[Deacon92]

Bagpipes would be cool.

 

[inspectah]

Explain like I’m 5 – why is the reasoning that the admissions office won’t release the band background. Why isn’t it like any other activity. If you did theatre in high school, and you want to continue it at Wake, you’d go down to Scales or go online and see what shows will be auditioning. If you want to play intramurals, you just go do it. So if you had an interest in marching band, wouldn’t you just go try out? Why do they have to be recruited so hard, doesn’t that mean they’re not really inclined to join?

As wakegrrl pointed out, to be ready for FB season marching band has to get ready way before school starts for other students. They also have to plan ahead to design shows, etc., and can't easily adjust on the fly if kids show up on a whim. That's one reason why active recruiting is important. Another reason is that for anybody thinking about band, having somebody reach out to them and make them feel welcome might be the difference in them joining or not. It's just crazy that the school would limit the band program's ability to do that.

 

[DeacDaddy]

All makes sense. Does the music department supply the instruments? Other than drums. If not then I’m forgetting that you can’t just bring your instrument at move in and hope you make it into marching band. Would be a sad first semester with your tuba in the corner of the dorm room gathering dust. (I realize now they get there early.)

But I’m assuming the school provides the instruments, which is part of the cost to have a robust band.

I guess I still don’t understand why incoming freshmen don’t say, I did marching band in high school, I want to do it in college, let me find out how. Or start it their sophomore year after seeing it during freshman year. Seems strange they have to be recruited so hard.

 

[wakegrrl]

All makes sense. Does the music department supply the instruments? Other than drums. If not then I’m forgetting that you can’t just bring your instrument at move in and hope you make it into marching band. Would be a sad first semester with your tuba in the corner of the dorm room gathering dust. (I realize now they get there early.)

But I’m assuming the school provides the instruments, which is part of the cost to have a robust band.

I guess I still don’t understand why incoming freshmen don’t say, I did marching band in high school, I want to do it in college, let me find out how. Or start it their sophomore year after seeing it during freshman year. Seems strange they have to be recruited so hard.

Typically the band provides percussion and low brass instruments, but students have their own flutes, clarinets, trumpets, etc. Sometimes they may provide other instruments as well.

I think part of the problem with upperclass students is that by the time they have been on campus for a year (or longer) they're involved in other things and may not have time for marching band. I was a complete band geek in high school but didn't join the WF band my first year. By the time I really thought about it for my sophomore year, I was doing other things and didn't have the time or as much interest.

 

[thatguy2016]

All makes sense. Does the music department supply the instruments? Other than drums. If not then I’m forgetting that you can’t just bring your instrument at move in and hope you make it into marching band. Would be a sad first semester with your tuba in the corner of the dorm room gathering dust. (I realize now they get there early.)

But I’m assuming the school provides the instruments, which is part of the cost to have a robust band.

I guess I still don’t understand why incoming freshmen don’t say, I did marching band in high school, I want to do it in college, let me find out how. Or start it their sophomore year after seeing it during freshman year. Seems strange they have to be recruited so hard.

because it's a big time commitment, high school marching band was a fun activity you used to help you get into college, but no employer really cares whether you were in marching band in college, your parents are paying $83,054 per year for you to attend WF, and there are only so many hours in the day for you to get great grades and experience college

 

[DeacDaddy]

At Wake I did theatre and had a job, and those were both major time commitments. When you’re in a play you’re at the theatre pretty much all the time. Nobody recruited me to it. I would think band would be like a fraternity or sorority, for those who like band. Spending your time around like minded people. Anyway, my niece was in SOTOGAB so I should probably ask her these questions. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[banddeac]

The lack of info from incoming students thing seems like such an easy fix. Who's the decision-maker on that and why can't the people in charge of the band have an intervention and get an assist from Currie? I guess it's been tried without success, but the idea that some functionary in the admissions office is the main obstacle is really frustrating (unless it's coming from higher up). I don't understand how disclosing participation in HS marching band implicates privacy rights, assuming that's the concern.

To my understanding, it's not an admissions office decision :-(