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Confessions from a band nerd

By Anne Gardner
ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT

Monday October 15, 2001

I have a confession to make. I'm probably one of the biggest band nerds you'll meet, and I am proud of that fact. I like band so much that I joined the band sorority, Tau Beta Sigma.

I love our music, I love our marching drill, and I even love the way my uniform feels when I put it on.

There are a lot of things that I deal with for being in the band. I have to put up with taunts from opposing teams' fans and UA fans alike. I get nasty looks from people who think I must be some sort of weirdo for voluntarily going before thousands of people in polyester and sequins and performing for them.

I also receive much praise for the entertainment that my fellow band members and I provide, but rarely does this get out in a forum where most of the public can see.

At least once a year, someone will bash the band publicly. In the past it has been sports commentators who think we play cruel jokes on people or that we should be eliminated to make way for canned music. Amazingly enough, this has yet to happen this year, so I'm going to take advantage of the opportunity and try to do something a little different.

I want to clear up some misconceptions about the people in band, the band itself and what we do.

Forget what you know from the "American Pie" movies.

Band camp is not really like that, and flute players don't really do that with their instruments. I know because I am one.

We're actually pretty normal people. Sssh! I can hear you laughing, but just listen. Only about 7 percent to 10 percent of the marching band is comprised of music majors - band really is their life. The rest of us plan on doing something else with our lives, myself included.

So if I'm not going to be in marching band after college, then why do I do it right now?

Well, there are the obvious perks. There's getting into football games for free, and if you're lucky enough to be one of the elite, getting into basketball games for free. There's the opportunity to be featured on national television on a regular basis.

One of the less obvious reasons why I do band is because I love to give back.

Now, I'm not talking community service for a DUI charge or helping out to be able to keep that scholarship. Being in the marching band is my way of providing entertainment for you so hopefully your game experience can be a little better.

If that means dancing to the sounds of the Dave Matthews Band or Smashing Pumpkins while you're in the stands, that's awesome. If it means sitting there with your friends, making fun of us in our sparkly sequined uniforms, that doesn't make me happy, but if it makes you happy, then so be it. I respect differences of opinion - just know that there are other people in the stands who appreciate all the hard work that we do and effort we put in to be the best.

The band really does work hard, too. We have our band camp during mid-August, which is the grossest time of year in Tucson. The members of the Pride of Arizona are outside from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. for six days in a row, busting our butts to be fabulous for when game day rolls around. During the school year, we're going at it hard-core anywhere from 14 to 17 hours a week on a regular basis. I think that might be more than the football team practices.

So what do we get for all our hard work?

We get one credit hour towards our degree from the university. We get a sense of satisfaction and pride in knowing that we are the best marching band in the country (we're not making this up - other universities across the country have conceded this fact).

I love performing, I love attention and I love being appreciated.

Sometimes I get that appreciation back from the audience, and I thank you for it. I get back the energy that I put forth, and I love you all for it. I get a sense of wholeness and completion from being a member of the Pride of Arizona and over time, I end up growing more as a person.

I hope this little chat has enlightened you a bit more about band people and why we do what we do in the Pride of Arizona. So next time you see the band perform, just remember that we do our best - not only for ourselves, but also for UA and you.

 
ARTS


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