On Thursday night at 8:00 in Jennings Hall, the Union University music department will host auditions for the new pep band that will play at Union home basketball games.
This marks the first time Union will have a pep band in two decades, and students are excited for the much needed energy that the band will add to games.
“It will inject energy into an otherwise dead crowd,” Seth Horton, junior journalism major, said.
Coming off of a season that saw both the men’s and women’s teams exit the Gulf South Tournament in the first round, the Bulldogs will be looking for everything they can get to get students to come out and support the teams.
“I feel like it will hopefully get more people to come to the games,” Nick Velasquez, senior communications major and guard on the basketball team, said. “It would also be cool if fans learned cheers and chants to go along with the band.”
In addition to providing a spark for Union basketball, it also provides an opportunity for music students to showcase their talents and even earn a small scholarship provided by the Union Alumni Association.
“The scholarships amount to $240 per player for the season,” Union music professor Michael Mann Said. “There will be a sub list, so anyone who can’t make a particular game can have someone substitute for them and they will be compensated per game.”
“I definitely feel that there is hype surrounding it obviously in the music community,” Rachel Morgan, freshman music education major said.
The band is looking for 12-15 musicians to play Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, Electric Bass, Keyboard, and Drums.
According to Mann, the rehearsal schedule for participants will be fairly light as the band learns the music.
There will only be an initial rehearsal prior to the first game to go over the music and cheers for each game,” Mann said. “As the year continues, we will add songs to our playlist.”
Union’s regular season home opener will be on November 10 when the Lady Bulldogs take on Barry University.
Photo courtesy of Kristi McMurry Woody
