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Post by MarchingBand4Life on Mar 8, 2022 19:43:36 GMT -6
Soooo, my kiddo is starting to look at colleges and wants to march for a school with a solid marching band. Something the caliber of say a BOA GN semi finalist. Maybe not necessarily with drill or visuals but at least with quality of sound.
Doesn't seem to be interested in bands with a traditional style similar to Ohio State (high stepping, minimal drill).
There was a school on the short list until we saw their band.
Area isn't that important, as kiddo wants to not limit choices to regional schools.
Maybe bands that have made guest appearances at BOA events? Love to hear your suggestions.
EDITED RO ADD:: Would love some TX suggestions if there are any good corps style college bands there. Seems that kiddo wants to investigate TX as a college option.
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Post by Subito Fortissimo on Mar 8, 2022 20:16:42 GMT -6
Western Carolina (NC), West Chester (PA), Murray State (KY), and Furman (SC) are some that spring to mind for me that are more corps-style and less traditional college band style.
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Post by Allohak on Mar 8, 2022 20:58:13 GMT -6
In addition to what Quinnie already said...
Delaware, James Madison, Miami (OH), Rutgers, UMass, Toledo, Western Kentucky, Eastern Michigan, Illinois State, Missouri State
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Post by boahistorybuff on Mar 8, 2022 22:56:44 GMT -6
I have always enjoyed James Madison University from Virginia. I'll toss in my Alma Mater Central Michigan University. Having marched in a BOA competitive band in high school, college band was still an adjustment, even one that marched corps style.
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Post by hewhowaits on Mar 9, 2022 6:53:42 GMT -6
Adding to those already suggested - Jacksonville State University (AL), Ohio University
You may notice a trend - the bands suggested tend to not be from the "big time" football schools.
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Post by boahistorybuff on Mar 9, 2022 7:22:31 GMT -6
Adding to those already suggested - Jacksonville State University (AL), Ohio University You may notice a trend - the bands suggested tend to not be from the "big time" football schools. I suspect that those big time football schools that draw huge crowds and have televised games need their marching band to be much more appealing to a broad audience. Those schools take in a lot of money off those games. So those bands tend to be more traditional instead of corps style and they often play music that is popular among a broader audience. These are also the bands that tend to do more recognizable drill formations, like Ohio State for example. |
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Post by philodemus on Mar 9, 2022 8:26:05 GMT -6
I wonder if the difference has to do with when the big football schools became big football schools. At a place like Ohio State the culture around football is very old and the things surrounding it, like the band, are sort of stuck in amber from the period when that tradition began. People want to see the band do the kind of things that the band did when their parents and grandparents took them to games.
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Post by marimba11 on Mar 9, 2022 9:48:02 GMT -6
When I was at Clemson their football was at its peak and the band just kind of stayed the same. Very average, but not bad. Kind of a shame considering the talent - but that really goes back to directors. Also Clemson does not have a music major program only minor... so there ya go
They do have concert band, chamber ensembles, percussion program ect. though
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Post by es203 on Mar 9, 2022 9:59:50 GMT -6
James Madison, Western Carolina, West Chester, and Jacksonville State are a few of the best corps style bands in the college world (similar to bands in BOA, not high step/minimal drill). I know that West Chester has been to Grand Nationals fairly recently (2018?) and Western Carolina is going in 2022.
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Post by boahistorybuff on Mar 9, 2022 10:32:12 GMT -6
I wonder if the difference has to do with when the big football schools became big football schools. At a place like Ohio State the culture around football is very old and the things surrounding it, like the band, are sort of stuck in amber from the period when that tradition began. People want to see the band do the kind of things that the band did when their parents and grandparents took them to games. I suspect that is also a part of it. The traditional style marching was done at both college and high schools well back into the mid/early 20th century. It was not until the 1970s and 1980s that corps style became much more popular in high school and among many of the smaller universities. When I was at Central Michigan in the 1990s, our half time show was a standard corps style show. However, the pre-game show was traditional with the high stepping and all. It was the same pre-game routine that had been done for many many years; so yeah it was very much about holding onto that tradition. |
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Post by MarchingBand4Life on Mar 9, 2022 12:11:28 GMT -6
All great suggestions. Some were even in our list already. Any TX options? What college bands make appearances at those regional competitions?
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Post by hewhowaits on Mar 9, 2022 13:11:27 GMT -6
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Post by ilikeguard on Mar 9, 2022 18:21:13 GMT -6
I’d say the Pride of Missouri State would fit well here- they’re show-oriented and performed in exhibition at BOA San Antonio last fall. If not the marching band, the color guard is absolutely on par with some of the top groups in BOA- the fall guard is about 80 members strong and maintains three competitive winter guards. I marched with Marching Mizzou of the University of Missouri myself and wouldn’t recommend it if BOA style is what you’re looking for, but I enjoyed the change. Everyone I know who has marched MO State Pride found it to be an easy transition and remained with the group until graduation.
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Post by Subito Fortissimo on Mar 9, 2022 20:50:12 GMT -6
UT-Arlington as well. Or at least they used to be but I haven't seen them in many years so I don't know if they're still corps style. |
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Post by paddy on Mar 10, 2022 10:17:58 GMT -6
I guess my question would be "Why is finding a BOA style band important for college?". College marching band is about different things than competitive HS marching band. If your kid needs that competitive style band need filled march DCI in the summer. College marching band is the epitome of "It is just band and band is fun".
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Post by ilikeguard on Mar 10, 2022 11:10:28 GMT -6
I guess my question would be "Why is finding a BOA style band important for college?". College marching band is about different things than competitive HS marching band. If your kid needs that competitive style band need filled march DCI in the summer. College marching band is the epitome of "It is just band and band is fun". Totally agree with this! I marched with a BOA band and then with a college band that had a new show for every football game. They’re completely different worlds, but I honestly liked not having the competitive aspect and being able to just focus on entertaining the crowd at halftime and gaining new friendships. I had no idea how football worked until I got to college and was actually able to pay attention! The only exception I can think of is the fact that DCI is a pretty big expense, while college band isn’t a terrible cost (if it even costs anything- some schools, like Mizzou, may have a music program waiver). |
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Post by MarchingBand4Life on Mar 10, 2022 13:00:30 GMT -6
I guess my question would be "Why is finding a BOA style band important for college?". College marching band is about different things than competitive HS marching band. If your kid needs that competitive style band need filled march DCI in the summer. College marching band is the epitome of "It is just band and band is fun". Totally agree with this! I marched with a BOA band and then with a college band that had a new show for every football game. They’re completely different worlds, but I honestly liked not having the competitive aspect and being able to just focus on entertaining the crowd at halftime and gaining new friendships. I had no idea how football worked until I got to college and was actually able to pay attention! The only exception I can think of is the fact that DCI is a pretty big expense, while college band isn’t a terrible cost (if it even costs anything- some schools, like Mizzou, may have a music program waiver). Well, for my kiddo, it's about quality of sound and work ethic. My kiddo likes to be around people who are in it for more than just the fun. And contrary to what was stated here, not all college bands put on a new show at every football game. |
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Post by hewhowaits on Mar 10, 2022 13:34:18 GMT -6
Well, for my kiddo, it's about quality of sound and work ethic. My kiddo likes to be around people who are in it for more than just the fun. And contrary to what was stated here, not all college bands put on a new show at every football game. Many of the bands will do the same show at two home games - playing to the "home" stands one game and the "away" stands for the next. |
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Post by paddy on Mar 10, 2022 14:13:08 GMT -6
Totally agree with this! I marched with a BOA band and then with a college band that had a new show for every football game. They’re completely different worlds, but I honestly liked not having the competitive aspect and being able to just focus on entertaining the crowd at halftime and gaining new friendships. I had no idea how football worked until I got to college and was actually able to pay attention! The only exception I can think of is the fact that DCI is a pretty big expense, while college band isn’t a terrible cost (if it even costs anything- some schools, like Mizzou, may have a music program waiver). Well, for my kiddo, it's about quality of sound and work ethic. My kiddo likes to be around people who are in it for more than just the fun. And contrary to what was stated here, not all college bands put on a new show at every football game. Huh, my college band was full of some of hardest working people I have ever ben around. And every one of them was in it for fun as we were at a university without a music school. There are no college marching band competitions so if it isn't fun, why do it? I find this to be a very odd way to pick a college even if they are a music major. |
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Post by srv1084 on Mar 10, 2022 19:41:06 GMT -6
Of course it's just for fun when you're in college, I think that goes without saying. But let's put it this way: if you're surrounded by people who have no pride in how they're performing, that will be a turnoff for some people. Some people simply won't find that "fun" and I don't think that's unreasonable. Thankfully, when you're at the college level it's very rare you find folks who have stuck with music for that long who don't take pride in what they do. I think it's very difficult to find yourself in a position in which you're unhappy when you go the college band route. Believe it or not, some schools have bands that don't even have football teams and field a marching band just to perform in exhibition at local circuit shows. These bands are often filled with participants who performed in that circuit in high school and continue to enjoy the environment and performance opportunities offered with those universities. That was the case for the band that I performed in, as well as a few others in my area. We traveled to shows every weekend instead of football games. Also, while it's not a competition, there is an annual showcase in Allentown called the Collegiate Marching Band Festival, and several of those schools do not have football teams. www.facebook.com/cmbfestival/ |
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Post by neop on Mar 10, 2022 23:17:47 GMT -6
Just gonna drop Kent State in here too
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Post by boahistorybuff on Mar 11, 2022 9:16:30 GMT -6
I can understand wanting to be in a corps style band in college, especially after marching a competitive corps style program in high school. We did our pre game show in traditional style, which I did not enjoy as much. The college band I was in did the same show for just two games, played to one side of the field first then the other side in the next show. So I think during the season we marched 3 or 4 different half time shows. It was a huge adjustment going from learning one show and perfecting it during the course of the season to having to constantly learn a new show. We had the director of the marching band and a few staff at every rehearsal, but much of the instruction was done by student section leaders and there was no messing around. Practices were serious since we often had to learn and perfect a new show within a week. We had a lot of music majors in the band (I did not major in music), so there was quite a bit of musical talent. In terms of having a good time, we had a ball in the stands during the game (although some games we sweated to death and others we froze). Playing the school fight song and other pep songs was a big part of what we did while in the stands. And if you like college football, the marching band gets very good seats. We also had fun at the after game parties (I won't go into detail there). I was only in the band two of my four years in undergrad as my course work got more challenging (there is a big time commitment to be in a college marching band).
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Post by thewho on Mar 11, 2022 10:16:03 GMT -6
It's my understanding that many band members from schools with rigorous marching programs choose to either drop band entirely or enter college-style marching bands. It really can't be emphasized that band can be a huge time commitment and effort that is easy enough for anyone to burn out on. It's not easy to continue or carry on the passion unless you're absolutely stir-crazy about the activity (in which I commend those on, that is not an easy task).
I went from a small band to a band that regularly finished in the lower half of Class B ISSMA state finals, and even that was a huge humbling experience. Those few years taught me how much I didn't enjoy working with varying degrees of (sigh) intensity towards the activity, on extreme end lackadaisical and other power-hungry. I got my competitive itch scratched in those competitive years, but I would have no doubt I would've gone straight to a corps-style college band if I remained at the small school.
I don't blame anyone wanting to do something more light-hearted, while understanding those that desire to do more.
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Post by LeanderMomma on Mar 13, 2022 6:06:31 GMT -6
I’d say the Pride of Missouri State would fit well here- they’re show-oriented and performed in exhibition at BOA San Antonio last fall. If not the marching band, the color guard is absolutely on par with some of the top groups in BOA- the fall guard is about 80 members strong and maintains three competitive winter guards. I marched with Marching Mizzou of the University of Missouri myself and wouldn’t recommend it if BOA style is what you’re looking for, but I enjoyed the change. Everyone I know who has marched MO State Pride found it to be an easy transition and remained with the group until graduation. I was going to say the same thing! I got to see them (Pride of Missouri State) up here in NW Arkansas last October when they performed at the state regionals and I got to see them again at BOA San Antonio. They are a GREAT band!! I also gotta plug Texas State. The Bobcat Band is a phenomenal one, and the music program there is also really good! |
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