You never know what you might be facing at your next performance . . .


band director vs. streaker
2009 Rocky Mountain Showdown Halftime

Other “surprise” events:

Rocky Mountain Showdown
1999: Denver Police tear gassed the CSU band as they played the fight song.
2001: large Cricket Wireless banners on the 50 yard line during halftime.
2002: 40 “fans” barricaded the band entering the stadium. They threw beer bottles and assaulted members and staff. 1 hospitalized.

Poinsettia Bowl
2005: CSU Band took the field for halftime as the lights were turned out in preparation for a fireworks presentation (scheduled for the end of halftime). The band gave an emotional performance—in the dark.

What’s your favorite story?

And yet bands remain as one of the most visible and popular organizations on campus and in high schools around the country. Bands provide a vital musical and social experience for our students. They serve as terrific ambassadors for our communities.

As part of our advocacy, it is important to note this popularity and document it:
1. number of students in the band;
2. number of performances (services) the band provides annually;
3. number of people band performs for annually;
4. average GPA of the band;
5. persistence rate (retention rate) of band members at the school;
6. hours per week the average member provides in rehearsals and performances;
7. cost to provide a halftime show.

The College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Athletic Band Taskforce created a document entitled “Athletic Band Guidelines.” It is intended primarily for college bands, but high school directors will find it useful as well.

Even with these humorous happenings, we know how important it is for our students to experience excellence in music and for all of us to be apart of something larger than ourselves.