Anybody heard anything about changes in the marching band with the new leadership?

(08-03-2017 03:27 PM)bearcat72 Wrote:  Anybody heard anything about changes in the marching band with the new leadership?

I know the new director was big time into using music from the decade..

(08-03-2017 03:31 PM)Ahhhorsepoo Wrote:  

(08-03-2017 03:27 PM)bearcat72 Wrote:  Anybody heard anything about changes in the marching band with the new leadership?

I know the new director was big time into using music from the decade..

Damn... I'm really gonna miss "You Can Call Me Al".

New notches (in before doss)

(08-03-2017 03:36 PM)crex043 Wrote:  

(08-03-2017 03:31 PM)Ahhhorsepoo Wrote:  

(08-03-2017 03:27 PM)bearcat72 Wrote:  Anybody heard anything about changes in the marching band with the new leadership?

I know the new director was big time into using music from the decade..

Damn... I'm really gonna miss "You Can Call Me Al".

They haven't played that in several years. Several assistant directors from the old band staff were upset that the band played it their own way instead of the "correct" way, so it got canned.

New band uniforms are certainly needed too but I know that's a big ticket expense. Maybe we'll see the familiar "UA" logo pop up on those next time around.

I have seen the new band director work, it is quite impressive. He is very engaging and is much more high energy than the previous regime, with all due respect to them. I have very high expectations for the band over the next several years. I believe he will be a great hire.

(08-03-2017 03:27 PM)bearcat72 Wrote:  Anybody heard anything about changes in the marching band with the new leadership?

He's created an impressive staff list. Some more modern music from within the past year. I'm not sure what his plan is for visual shows, but we'll find out soon.

New Band Uniforms are needed, but as it sits, they can cost about $500 per uniform. It's kind of insane. You end up getting a variety of over 400 uniforms, so $200,000

The band could use new instruments to repair aging. You're looking at what could be an expensive expense that no one wants to pay. You're looking at 10s of thousands of dollars a year to replace sections.

As I said when he was hired, I know Chris Nichter well. We still correspond on Facebook. I know that Band Camp has begun and that they are marching over in Marge Schott Stadium because, for various reasons, Nippert and the Sheakley aren't available. (A curious thing that I never paid much attention to until I got up here to Morgantown, but the "Pride of West Virginia" has a dedicated marching area which doubles up as an auxiliary parking lot over at the Coliseum... Field markings are painted on the lot and there is a permanent tower for the director to catch practice in... I wonder what the chances of a dedicated marching facility at UC are...)

I expect that Dr. Nichter will bring out the best of existing traditions at UC (the Fanfare, rushing the stadium, etc...) while bringing a new vision with a lot of energy to the Bearcat Bands. I know he is loving his time at UC.

(08-03-2017 07:20 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  As I said when he was hired, I know Chris Nichter well. We still correspond on Facebook. I know that Band Camp has begun and that they are marching over in Marge Schott Stadium because, for various reasons, Nippert and the Sheakley aren't available. (A curious thing that I never paid much attention to until I got up here to Morgantown, but the "Pride of West Virginia" has a dedicated marching area which doubles up as an auxiliary parking lot over at the Coliseum... Field markings are painted on the lot and there is a permanent tower for the director to catch practice in... I wonder what the chances of a dedicated marching facility at UC are...)

I expect that Dr. Nichter will bring out the best of existing traditions at UC (the Fanfare, rushing the stadium, etc...) while bringing a new vision with a lot of energy to the Bearcat Bands. I know he is loving his time at UC.

The band's student leadership (Officers, Section Leaders, and Appointed Positions) report on Monday for a 2 day leadership clinic (New Thing really). Those who are living in a dorm move in on Wednesday morning and Rookie Camp starts that afternoon after dinner. All returning members report after Supper.

I would imagine the Band will be able to get onto Nippert over the course of camp, but like last year, it won't be a daily occurrence.

(08-03-2017 07:20 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  As I said when he was hired, I know Chris Nichter well. We still correspond on Facebook. I know that Band Camp has begun and that they are marching over in Marge Schott Stadium because, for various reasons, Nippert and the Sheakley aren't available. (A curious thing that I never paid much attention to until I got up here to Morgantown, but the "Pride of West Virginia" has a dedicated marching area which doubles up as an auxiliary parking lot over at the Coliseum... Field markings are painted on the lot and there is a permanent tower for the director to catch practice in... I wonder what the chances of a dedicated marching facility at UC are...)

I expect that Dr. Nichter will bring out the best of existing traditions at UC (the Fanfare, rushing the stadium, etc...) while bringing a new vision with a lot of energy to the Bearcat Bands. I know he is loving his time at UC.

Maybe they can practice in FCC new stadium.

All joking aside, I just don't see anywhere they can do this. Space isn't exactly a luxury that UC has.

(08-04-2017 07:42 AM)djtothemoney Wrote:  

(08-03-2017 07:20 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  As I said when he was hired, I know Chris Nichter well. We still correspond on Facebook. I know that Band Camp has begun and that they are marching over in Marge Schott Stadium because, for various reasons, Nippert and the Sheakley aren't available. (A curious thing that I never paid much attention to until I got up here to Morgantown, but the "Pride of West Virginia" has a dedicated marching area which doubles up as an auxiliary parking lot over at the Coliseum... Field markings are painted on the lot and there is a permanent tower for the director to catch practice in... I wonder what the chances of a dedicated marching facility at UC are...)

I expect that Dr. Nichter will bring out the best of existing traditions at UC (the Fanfare, rushing the stadium, etc...) while bringing a new vision with a lot of energy to the Bearcat Bands. I know he is loving his time at UC.

Maybe they can practice in FCC new stadium.

All joking aside, I just don't see anywhere they can do this. Space isn't exactly a luxury that UC has.

Oh, I know space is as good as gold on the UC campus... It just strikes me that the Band is going to be handicapped by several factors: obstruction by the CCA, the monetary resources, but also the lack of dedicated practice/training facilities. Not sure how to address these things but if you want a high quality band, they will have to be addressed somehow.

New arena to follow. Hopefully new conference shortly after.

(08-04-2017 07:47 AM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(08-04-2017 07:42 AM)djtothemoney Wrote:  

(08-03-2017 07:20 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  As I said when he was hired, I know Chris Nichter well. We still correspond on Facebook. I know that Band Camp has begun and that they are marching over in Marge Schott Stadium because, for various reasons, Nippert and the Sheakley aren't available. (A curious thing that I never paid much attention to until I got up here to Morgantown, but the "Pride of West Virginia" has a dedicated marching area which doubles up as an auxiliary parking lot over at the Coliseum... Field markings are painted on the lot and there is a permanent tower for the director to catch practice in... I wonder what the chances of a dedicated marching facility at UC are...)

I expect that Dr. Nichter will bring out the best of existing traditions at UC (the Fanfare, rushing the stadium, etc...) while bringing a new vision with a lot of energy to the Bearcat Bands. I know he is loving his time at UC.

Maybe they can practice in FCC new stadium.

All joking aside, I just don't see anywhere they can do this. Space isn't exactly a luxury that UC has.

Oh, I know space is as good as gold on the UC campus... It just strikes me that the Band is going to be handicapped by several factors: obstruction by the CCA, the monetary resources, but also the lack of dedicated practice/training facilities. Not sure how to address these things but if you want a high quality band, they will have to be addressed somehow.

I agree that facilities is a big factor holding the band back, but I also agree with others here that I don't think there's any way we could fit another football field on campus. Between Gettler, Sheakley, Nippert, and apparently Marge Schott (lol), I don't think logistics is actually a long-term problem. The Nippert renovation/FCC situation and the current usage of Sheakley to house training equipment during 5/3 renovation is why Marge Schott is being used now, so it isn't a long-term problem.

The real facilities issue for the band is its lack of proper indoor rehearsal/office space. These facilities would be inadequate for a band half its size... most MAC and CUSA bands have superior facilities and financial resources. Even Houston's facilities and financial resources are like the Taj Mahal compared to ours, and it has been like that long since before they were in the AAC.

What about the park that is at the end of Joselin Ave.? Is that Hughes H.S. practice field? Google map shows a lined football field? Looks like access comes in off of Marshall. Just a thought.

That is Hughes practice field. I would think if they were to bus the band down there, they would go down to McMicken, to Tafel, to Wagner.

The entrance off of Marshall wouldn't be good for buses and the such.

I seen accross from Old. St. George is still an empty lot. However, doing a quick measurement tells me that you'd have only 10 feet of clearence for the width of the field and like 20 for the end. Not enough place to put a facility in (Unless you put it underneeth).

FWIW, I just saw a FB post from Dr. Nichter of one of the formations he has planned... The Bearcat faithful will be VERY pleased...

(08-04-2017 06:12 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  FWIW, I just saw a FB post from Dr. Nichter of one of the formations he has planned... The Bearcat faithful will be VERY pleased...

I know the post you're talking about... I had to give you a like.

(08-04-2017 06:12 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  FWIW, I just saw a FB post from Dr. Nichter of one of the formations he has planned... The Bearcat faithful will be VERY pleased...

It's similar, yet better then what was previous.