FB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[RuleBritannia]

Albion and Alma have had bands for a long time. Adrian added a band recently, and Trine I believe added a band last year. Olivet used to have a marching band, I believe, but no longer. And no marching band for Hope or Kzoo I think.

Does anyone know if there's some reason Hope doesn't have a marching band? Qith the quality of their music program, the size of their enrollment, and the strength of many High School bands in the area I would think they could put together a pretty good one.

[sflzman]

Here is a question for you re-warriors...

how many MIAA programs have bands that play?

At big programs the band is a huge atmospheric component to game day's across the country, but at how many D3 programs do bands exist? Common or un-common?

Go Trine!!!

Nothing better than the Kiltie Marching Band. They're a big game day attraction at Alma.


http://www.themorningsun.com/content/articles/2010/10/07/entertainment/doc4cad07a384f5d097254856.jpg

I've also seen Albion's marching band and it doesn't quite top Alma's though. Hope I assum has one since they have a pep band at their basketball games....

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Here is a question for you re-warriors...

how many MIAA programs have bands that play?

At big programs the band is a huge atmospheric component to game day's across the country, but at how many D3 programs do bands exist? Common or un-common?

Go Trine!!!

Nothing better than the Kiltie Marching Band. They're a big game day attraction at Alma.


http://www.themorningsun.com/content/articles/2010/10/07/entertainment/doc4cad07a384f5d097254856.jpg

I've also seen Albion's marching band and it doesn't quite top Alma's though. Hope I assum has one since they have a pep band at their basketball games....

Hope has neither a marching band or a pep band.  The pep band has been gone for several years, and the marching band even longer.  Home football games generally feature a local high school band. 

[sflzman]

Here is a question for you re-warriors...

how many MIAA programs have bands that play?

At big programs the band is a huge atmospheric component to game day's across the country, but at how many D3 programs do bands exist? Common or un-common?

Go Trine!!!

Nothing better than the Kiltie Marching Band. They're a big game day attraction at Alma.


http://www.themorningsun.com/content/articles/2010/10/07/entertainment/doc4cad07a384f5d097254856.jpg

I've also seen Albion's marching band and it doesn't quite top Alma's though. Hope I assum has one since they have a pep band at their basketball games....

Hope has neither a marching band or a pep band.  The pep band has been gone for several years, and the marching band even longer.  Home football games generally feature a local high school band. 

I thought Hope had a band at their basketball games though?

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Here is a question for you re-warriors...

how many MIAA programs have bands that play?

At big programs the band is a huge atmospheric component to game day's across the country, but at how many D3 programs do bands exist? Common or un-common?

Go Trine!!!

Nothing better than the Kiltie Marching Band. They're a big game day attraction at Alma.

I've also seen Albion's marching band and it doesn't quite top Alma's though. Hope I assum has one since they have a pep band at their basketball games....

Hope has neither a marching band or a pep band.  The pep band has been gone for several years, and the marching band even longer.  Home football games generally feature a local high school band. 

I thought Hope had a band at their basketball games though?

Not recently - the "Anchor Band" has not been at Hope basketball games since maybe the first year in DeVos.

[sac]

I thought Hope had a band at their basketball games though?

They invite high schools to come in, Zeeland, West Ottawa, Saugutuck have all been there recently.  Even McBain comes all the way down to Holland once a year.

Either there is not enough interest from students to do a band, or there isn't enough interest from the faculty to put one together.  Most likely both.

I hear Hope is considering building a new music building, so perhaps in the future.

[sflzman]

Was there one at the Hope/Calvin game on TV? Cuz that's why I had thought it, I could have sworn I heard a band....

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Was there one at the Hope/Calvin game on TV? Cuz that's why I had thought it, I could have sworn I heard a band....

As sac mentioned - that was one of the high school bands

[sflzman]

Ok. Thanks. Thats where my thought came from. Interesting that a campus that big wouldn't have a marching/pep band.....

[formerd3db]

First, sac, thanks for the video of the beginning of the Kazoo Angell Field demolition.  Oh my, a lot of history going down with those bricks, etc.  My only regret was that they should have saved that old metal historic spiral staircase in the press box, at least to put in their museum or use as a sculpture at the new stadium.  Oh well.

Secondly, to yours and the others inquiries about bands, yes, Olivet used to have a very good marching band i.e. "The Big O" marching band.  As mentioned, they unfortunately dropped the program a few years ago, which was a shame since they have a very good music department and program at the college.  I heard, however, that they are going to reinstate the marching band soon, although I don't think it will be this upcoming season.

With regard to Hope, please allow me to say that there has been a serious and huge interest by the students in having a marching band for several years.  I know this because my own daughters were part of a group that attempted to get the College to do so.  However, the administration was not interested.  That, too, is a shame because Hope has a great music program.  When I played football there (many moons ago ), the pep band was at home football games, even though they had always brought high school marching bands in for home games.  I always remember studying/watching game film up in Coach Smith's office (we had a really neat little cubby hole room in the old (now torn down Carnegie-Schouten gymnasium) early on Thursdays by myself before going out to practice later in the afternoon and hearing the pep band practicing while marching down the street on campus between there and the other buildings (the street is now closed to form part of the main campus green i.e. the historic Pine Grove) - I oculd hear the songs including our fight song, but not see the band since the closet room was without windows.  Nonetheless, it always gave me "goose bumps" and got me fired up in that "old college tradition" to hear the music.  What a great atmosphere it was in preparing for practice that day and, of course, for Fridays uniform walk-through, team evening meal and then the game on Saturday.  Great memories. Oops, sorry guys for getting carried away with all that nostalgia.

Anyway, the high school band program for home games at Hope was discontinued about two years ago - we had one game this past season in which a high school band came in, yet, I was told that program is not going to be continued.  Too many other commitments and time for the high school band programs today over the course of a weekend, unlike years ago.

I agree that Hope really needs to start a marching band program or, otherwise, they will be at the bottom of the league again, like they will be if the stadium situation doesn't change.  Unfortunately, that will put the program back (in one sense) to what it was like in the 1960's when Hope didn't win very much and was a lower tier team in some aspects (not for lack of effort or enthusiasm, however, by the coaches and players way back then).  At the very least, Hope should resurrect the pep band for home football games and a few home basketball games.

Nice discussion everyone. In addition, right now, I'd have to agree with slfzman that Alma's band is the best.  Also, again, thanks sac for posting the video.

[TUAngola]

I love the atmosphere a band provides at college games.  I will admit being an ex-band "geek" having marched in high school and at ISU in Terre Haute.  Trine started a music curriculum at the university a couple years ago and currently offers a minor only.  I have heard though that Trine may have music as a major in the next few years and are in the process of renovating a beautiful old church near campus into their school of music complete with classrooms, practice rooms, offices and auditorium.  Trine's marching band is modest in size, I would say around 50-60 kids, but for only having a marching band for 2 years they are pretty decent, especially sound wise.  As the enrollment continues to grow and the music offerings at Trine expand, I see the band growing as well.  But it takes a diverse cross section of students to have a successful program.  When I was at ISU I would say at least 75% of the band members were NOT music majors.

It would be great if all the MIAA schools would have marching bands.  I believe it would draw even more people to games as parents want to support not only their children as athletes on the field, but their children also as musicians.

Thanks for the picture of the Kiltie Marching Band, sflzman.  How many students participate in the marching band there?

[RuleBritannia]

I had the pleasure of seeing the Kiltie band when I went to Alma for Albion's game against them this year. They are truly excellent. Even as a former Albion band member I have to admit we're not quite at that level. If memory serves there were 80-90 members in their band. (If you just heard them though, you'd think there were at least 150) Bravo Alma for your excellent band and music program.

[Raider 68]

Ok. Thanks. Thats where my thought came from. Interesting that a campus that big wouldn't have a marching/pep band.....

Marching Bands, IMHO, really add to the fall season and get the crowds fired up and eager. Wish more schools had them.

[sflzman]

I had the pleasure of seeing the Kiltie band when I went to Alma for Albion's game against them this year. They are truly excellent. Even as a former Albion band member I have to admit we're not quite at that level. If memory serves there were 80-90 members in their band. (If you just heard them though, you'd think there were at least 150) Bravo Alma for your excellent band and music program.

The Albion band wasn't THAT far off though, as I remember from the game I went to in 2009, the slaughtering the Brits put on the Scots where Clinton Orr had a badgillion (could be mistaken but I don't think thats an exact stat  ) rushing yards.....

[Raider 68]

I had the pleasure of seeing the Kiltie band when I went to Alma for Albion's game against them this year. They are truly excellent. Even as a former Albion band member I have to admit we're not quite at that level. If memory serves there were 80-90 members in their band. (If you just heard them though, you'd think there were at least 150) Bravo Alma for your excellent band and music program.

The Albion band wasn't THAT far off though, as I remember from the game I went to in 2009, the slaughtering the Brits put on the Scots where Clinton Orr had a badgillion (could be mistaken but I don't think thats an exact stat  ) rushing yards.....

sflzman,

Is the Scot's stadium/turf complete yet?