There was a discussion about IU's Marching Hundred after last Saturday's poorly received halftime show; therefore, as a graduate of our famed Indiana University School of Music (Jacobs), I decided to delve into just what has happened to our marching band. Today I watched and counted the number of instrumentalists at 190, give or take 1 or 2. After doing my research, this makes the Indiana marching band one of the smallest in the Big Ten by a wide margin. People like to flaunt the number 270 around but this obviously includes the Red Steppers (who don't march but should, just like the dance teams/twirlers/majorettes at most other universities), the Flag Corps (and where were they during pre-game??), the conductors, the bus drivers, etc., etc., etc. It's like the debate we always have with the height of basketball players....except this one is out there for everyone to count. The band's marching style (swinging back and forth while trying to do a "high knee lift" style from the 1940's) produces some really bad playing, not at all indicative of the incredible musicianship this ensemble used to produce, as it jars the upper body and makes it virtually impossible to maintain a proper embouchure, especially for brass players. I also happened to watch the cymbal players swinging their instruments back and forth with an incredibly lackadaisical effort, looking woefully bored while doing so. As previously mentioned, our band has really gone downhill....if you watch on TV you can see a lot of the instruments don't match (old brass baritone horns - small tubas - loaded with dents, red, black, and white clarinets, etc.) and the uniforms are old, tattered and look like clown suits compared with, say, the classic uniform of O$U or the beautiful crimson and white uniforms of Alabama. The Hundred looks especially bad when you compare it to other university marching bands throughout the country, especially in the South, which have beautiful new uniforms, beautiful girls, shiny new matching instruments and up to twice the number of members.
The Hundred also has no official practice facility, as it receives very little support from the Athletic Department, as contrasted with most of the other collegiate marching bands in the Big Ten and throughout the country. This may be the reason the Hundred has no real home/place for indoor rehearsals, AND HASN'T SINCE 1983!!!!! This lack of proper support may also be the reason for the Hundred's shabby uniforms and old worn-out instruments.
The condition and seriously deteriorating level of excellence of the Marching Hundred is a black-eye on Indiana University and it's top three nationally-rated Jacobs School of Music. Couple that with our chronically, historically bad football program and it's no wonder we don't put a better product on the field. The State of Indiana is the Marching Band/Drum and Bugle Corps Capital of America, home to Music for All (Bands of America) and Drum Corps International, both of whom have their annual National Championships at Lucas Oil Stadium. Avon High School and Carmel High School both have won numerous National Championships, and Avon's Assistant Director, IU Alum Matt Harloff, is the brilliant Brass instructor for the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, which finished second just last month at DCI Finals in Indy. Matt should be the new Director of the Marching Hundred, in my opinion, as he "gets it" and would bring his incredible musical talent, wonderful leadership qualities, and proven expertise on a national level to a group sadly in need of new blood. (Matt was also the Drum Major for Bloomington's own Star of Indiana DCI Champion Drum and Bugle Corps back in the day.) The Hundred needs advocates among all of us here on Peegs and throughout the Hoosier Nation to let Fred Glass know that the Band is important and needs a financial and educational "shot in the arm" to represent our beloved alma mater in a way that shows Indiana University really is dedicated to excellence in all endeavors. And if you want to see just what Matt can do, go to YouTube and check out marching show videos from Carolina Crown and Avon High School and contrast them with IU's sad excuse for a collegiate-level marching band. I guarantee you'll be clamoring for Matt to bring his expertise back home to IU to restore what was once one of the outstanding marching bands in America.
GO HOOSIERS!!!!!!!!!!
The Hundred also has no official practice facility, as it receives very little support from the Athletic Department, as contrasted with most of the other collegiate marching bands in the Big Ten and throughout the country. This may be the reason the Hundred has no real home/place for indoor rehearsals, AND HASN'T SINCE 1983!!!!! This lack of proper support may also be the reason for the Hundred's shabby uniforms and old worn-out instruments.
The condition and seriously deteriorating level of excellence of the Marching Hundred is a black-eye on Indiana University and it's top three nationally-rated Jacobs School of Music. Couple that with our chronically, historically bad football program and it's no wonder we don't put a better product on the field. The State of Indiana is the Marching Band/Drum and Bugle Corps Capital of America, home to Music for All (Bands of America) and Drum Corps International, both of whom have their annual National Championships at Lucas Oil Stadium. Avon High School and Carmel High School both have won numerous National Championships, and Avon's Assistant Director, IU Alum Matt Harloff, is the brilliant Brass instructor for the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, which finished second just last month at DCI Finals in Indy. Matt should be the new Director of the Marching Hundred, in my opinion, as he "gets it" and would bring his incredible musical talent, wonderful leadership qualities, and proven expertise on a national level to a group sadly in need of new blood. (Matt was also the Drum Major for Bloomington's own Star of Indiana DCI Champion Drum and Bugle Corps back in the day.) The Hundred needs advocates among all of us here on Peegs and throughout the Hoosier Nation to let Fred Glass know that the Band is important and needs a financial and educational "shot in the arm" to represent our beloved alma mater in a way that shows Indiana University really is dedicated to excellence in all endeavors. And if you want to see just what Matt can do, go to YouTube and check out marching show videos from Carolina Crown and Avon High School and contrast them with IU's sad excuse for a collegiate-level marching band. I guarantee you'll be clamoring for Matt to bring his expertise back home to IU to restore what was once one of the outstanding marching bands in America.
GO HOOSIERS!!!!!!!!!!