RE: [split] b!tching about the band
Knowing a lot of inside information about the band over the years, you'd be surprised at some of the issues the band at UC has to deal with.. that new band room, was only approved because a private donor came forward with over $1 million specifically for that. As with the small scholarships each kid receives(500-1500$ last I heard based on # of years, and positions in the band).. there simply has been no money at UC for the band.. to put it kindly, high school bands in the area like Mason, operate on budgets that are more than 5 times the UC band..
I remember about 10 years ago Dr. Frenz threatened to not field a marching band for the first few games of the year as the university told the band that they wouldn't pay for their band camp experience(about 25k for the week at Higher Ground last I heard). The university has over the last 15 or 20 years, hesitated to help band members move in before school, like they do for athletes, and threatened to cut budgets even more than the goodwill scraps they have gotten.
I also know for a fact that the university budget was so tight, Dr. Frenz not only uses many band members to maintain the uniforms as Bruce mentioned, but also uses his engineering students to build uniform storage boxes even paying for shop times on their own to use welding equipment etc, other students to repair instruments in house, while others dedicate their weekends to raising funds. I also happen to know, the service organizations and band council have(over the years) raised money through mulch sales, working dozens of nights a year at ballpark, USBA, Oktoberfest etc to raise more money than Dr. Frenz gets from the University to pay for improvements/instrument care. When I last knew the actual money that all the supporting organizations had raised for the year, the orgs raised more than 10k MORE than the university had budgeted for band upkeep. I specifically remember seeing other universities hearing the raised funds and dropping their jaws, because they thought $1500 a year was considered successful.
Simply put, whether you liked Dr. Frenz or not, I am amazed that band still exists. I have known people in college bands around the country(as I said, I was well enough connected to bands to know these things), while every band isn't funded like USC or OSU, I do not know another major program who has the budgets that UC has kept running on.
I am glad to see a show tunes Marching band on the field, not Beethovens 5th, but I will not ever be able to express my appreciation for the fact that Dr Frenz kept that band alive over the last few AD's. You want new music, and new stand tunes, donate to the band.. Many schools whether they have an arranger in house, or they pay a 3rd party for rights to music, have more in their budget JUST FOR THE MUSIC than this band was operating on every year.
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