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Contact: David West (west@alpha.nsula.edu
)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
8/29/2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES - It's easy to tell that Bill Brent has high hopes for this season's "Spirit of Northwestern" Marching Band. The 300-member band will make its debut Saturday at the Northwestern Southern University football game at Turpin Stadium.
"The students in the band this year have shown a great deal of maturity," said Brent, who is in his 18th year as director of bands at NSU and also serves as head of Mrs. H.D. Dear Sr. and Alice E. Dear Department of Creative and Performing Arts. "They are very prepared for rehearsal and show a good work ethic. I hope that translates into good performances and will carry over into the classroom."
This season, the band will do shows featuring the music of Earth, Wind and Fire, another focused on patriotic music and one show with songs from the musical "West Side Story."
"This has been a very good group to work with," said drum major Daniel Collins of Natchitoches. "There is a great deal of excitement at each rehearsal."
Collins, a senior music education major, played clarinet but sought the opportunity to step out in front of the band.
"I wanted to do something different and more challenging," said Collins. "This opportunity has made me want to work harder and do the best I can."
The band has three drum majors who run the pregame and halftime
shows. They are also responsible for duties including painting
the band's practice field during the summer and setting up the
public address system before rehearsals.
"Serving as a drum major will prepare me for the time when I will be standing in front of my own band," said head drum major Chris Brown, a senior music education major from Slidell. "This gives me a chance to help out as much as I can by conducting and doing work behind the scenes."
The band isn't limited to music or music education majors. About half of the band members have majors outside the Department of Creative and Performing Arts.
"Being part of the band here is something I've wanted to do for a long time. I couldn't imagine going to school and not being in the band," said Ashly Crawford, a junior sociology major from Stonewall. "When I was younger, I came here and saw the band. I looked forward to being in it. The experience has been everything I thought it would be."
Crawford, who plays clarinet, says the band has high standards, but no higher than she has for herself.
"They strive to be the best and I want to be as good as I can," said Crawford. "Everyone expects performance, and I think that's good."
In addition to the performances at football games, the band will host the NSU Marching Band Contest on Saturday, Nov. 4, and the first Demon Band Jamboree on Thursday, Nov. 10. The jamboree will be a fundraiser for Northwestern's band program.