(11-19-2022 01:17 AM)Grungy Wrote:  

(11-16-2022 01:57 PM)Grungy Wrote:  

(11-15-2022 05:28 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  

(11-14-2022 05:34 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(11-14-2022 01:17 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  I saw the new pep band last Friday at the UST game. Gotta tell you it was very disappointing. BOB was way better and I really miss the 30 second Bonnet....

How large is the band? They were no good?

very far from loud-i think the mix is bad. Grungy or someone should comment

Grungy has yet to go to a game, but that will change on Friday.
I have now experienced the entertaining TicketMaster purchasing process.
It is not possible to purchase a single seat on the aisle.
It is also not possible to purchase the single seat second from the aisle.
In addition to the OPB, I'll be reporting on how many empty pairs of aisle seats there are.

There was a comment in a private social media venue that was reported to me that that particular fan liked the OPB more than the BOB, because the BOB was too loud.

The Owl Pep Band had 12 musicians and the director tonight.
4 trumpets, tenor sax, mellophone, French horn (a real double horn), 2 flutes, piccolo, clarinet, drums.



Fight Song, Bonnet, Rice's Honor, Star Spangled Banner, Sir Duke, Gonna Fly Now, and a few other tunes that I couldn't identify.
No one will accuse them of being too loud.

They don't do the cheer bit at the end of the Fight Song.
There was also a bit of playing of instruments during game play, which the BOB was told is against the rules.

JK said "hi" in a hallway on my way in, and later stood in the second level SW corner to get panoramas of the crowd.



Report on the status of second-level aisle seat use, because you can't buy just one - you have to purchase a pair: zero second-level aisle seat pairs were in use.

I sat in my purchased seat, 202 Row G Seat 3.

Reported attendance: 1401 - certainly not butts-in-seats.
That's something like 30% of capacity.
There were 20 of us on all of the second level, which is the majority of the seats.
Maybe 500-700.
It's not like the lower level was full, either. That's part of why JK was taking pictures.

Are piccolos and flutes components of many Pep bands?

Regardless of the answer, I commend the 12+1 for their pep and school spirit.

(11-19-2022 10:39 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(11-19-2022 01:17 AM)Grungy Wrote:  The Owl Pep Band had 12 musicians and the director tonight.
4 trumpets, tenor sax, mellophone, French horn (a real double horn), 2 flutes, piccolo, clarinet, drums.

Are piccolos and flutes components of many Pep bands?

Regardless of the answer, I commend the 12+1 for their pep and school spirit.

I always vote for piccolos. They can be heard!!

On the other hand, flutes being played in Pep Band conditions can rarely be heard even by those playing them.

(11-19-2022 05:20 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  

(11-19-2022 10:39 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(11-19-2022 01:17 AM)Grungy Wrote:  The Owl Pep Band had 12 musicians and the director tonight.
4 trumpets, tenor sax, mellophone, French horn (a real double horn), 2 flutes, piccolo, clarinet, drums.

Are piccolos and flutes components of many Pep bands?

Regardless of the answer, I commend the 12+1 for their pep and school spirit.

I always vote for piccolos. They can be heard!!

On the other hand, flutes being played in Pep Band conditions can rarely be heard even by those playing them.

True. Piccs are as much a weapon of war as trumpets.
There are some old rock tunes with Farfisa organ parts that I'd like to arrange to feature the piccolos.

As to the presence of these instruments in the OPB - initially, they weren't going to be part of the paid group.
After much complaining by the BOB members that an all-brass format would eliminate what was the entire front row of the band, the ADept relented, and agreed to audition the woodwinds.
What you see here is what auditioned, less the Shepherd School "Musis" that weren't at this game.
It appears that no low brass auditioned (the Musis didn't need to audition; their ability is a given).
Whether more than this 12 will be at other games remains to be seen.
The ADept's stated desire was for a 30-piece ensemble similar the one that Alabama puts in the stands for their basketball games.

(11-19-2022 09:05 PM)Grungy Wrote:  

(11-19-2022 05:20 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  

(11-19-2022 10:39 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(11-19-2022 01:17 AM)Grungy Wrote:  The Owl Pep Band had 12 musicians and the director tonight.
4 trumpets, tenor sax, mellophone, French horn (a real double horn), 2 flutes, piccolo, clarinet, drums.

Are piccolos and flutes components of many Pep bands?

Regardless of the answer, I commend the 12+1 for their pep and school spirit.

I always vote for piccolos. They can be heard!!

On the other hand, flutes being played in Pep Band conditions can rarely be heard even by those playing them.

True. Piccs are as much a weapon of war as trumpets.
There are some old rock tunes with Farfisa organ parts that I'd like to arrange to feature the piccolos.

As to the presence of these instruments in the OPB - initially, they weren't going to be part of the paid group.
After much complaining by the BOB members that an all-brass format would eliminate what was the entire front row of the band, the ADept relented, and agreed to audition the woodwinds.
What you see here is what auditioned, less the Shepherd School "Musis" that weren't at this game.
It appears that no low brass auditioned (the Musis didn't need to audition; they're ability is a given).
Whether more than this 12 will be at other games remains to be seen.
The ADept's stated desire was for a 30-piece ensemble similar the one that Alabama puts in the stands for their basketball games.

its just been awful. And I really miss 30 second bonnet

There are a lot of events for the bands planned by the bowl game people.
We'll learn what The MOB's involvement will be on Monday.
Email has been sent to the MOBalums to test interest in joining us.

Cross-posting from Facebook...

A rather long post about the Rice University Bands, and the evolution of the size of The MOB from the Seventies until today.
The only way I could include the necessary tables was to publish them somewhere else and include a link to that location.
This is based on one of the appendices attached to a letter that I sent to President Reginald DesRoches some time ago.
It can stand on its own.

https://grungeworthy.wordpress.com/2022/...d-to-come/

How many band members are going?

The Student Association senate voted to approve a resolution supporting The MOB/BOB at their meeting Monday night, 27 February 2023.

The resolution creates a task force to examine the issue with the ADept-created Owl Pep Band.

A select group of MOB/BOB people had a meeting with President DesRoches, accompanied by Dean Bridget Gorman a couple of weeks ago.
They had a separate meeting with Rick Mello, accompanied by SA president Gabrielle Franklin.

Afterward, they created the proposed resolution, with no input from Chuck.

The link is to the copy that was submitted for a senate vote.
It was number 10, not "X", and it was passed on 27 February 2023.

A sample...

Rice University Student Association Wrote:Resolved, That we, the Student Association, fully support the continuation of The MOB and its traditions including unconventional instrumentation and student leadership at indoor sports;

Resolved, That we, the Student Association, urge Rice Athletics to consider general student input in any future decision-making processes related to athletic bands; and

Resolved, That Rice Athletics restores The MOB as Rice Athletics’ basketball band and will work to ensure the group is given the necessary resources and support to fulfill its role as a vital part of the Rice Athletics fan experience;

I like that we are branding as MOB even when performing as an indoor band. Looks like we need to let the “BOB” moniker go as it now is unfortunately, too ambiguous.

That said, to strengthen that branding, I propose additional resolutions:

Resolved, that the MOB embrace forms of marching when performing for all sports:
Football- marching in the trademark scatter formations for which they have become famous
Regular Season Basketball - halftime or pregame, March/scatter to take the floor for one number
Post season Basketball- what is March Madness without the March-ing Owl Band? Be it Frisco, Fort Worth, or the NCAA’s, Rice needs the MOB in MARCH more than ever!

I’m not holding my breath for Frisco this year… but I’m glad the SA has the resolution on the table.

From a MOB handbook - look who’s in the flute section with AlmadenMike

(09-19-2023 09:39 PM)Grungy Wrote:  From a MOB handbook - look who’s in the flute section with AlmadenMike

What's the average net worth of that flute section?

Excellent memo. I hope the President can help expand the MOB someway.
I just donated to the MOB

(12-11-2022 12:31 AM)Grungy Wrote:  Cross-posting from Facebook...

A rather long post about the Rice University Bands, and the evolution of the size of The MOB from the Seventies until today.
The only way I could include the necessary tables was to publish them somewhere else and include a link to that location.
This is based on one of the appendices attached to a letter that I sent to President Reginald DesRoches some time ago.
It can stand on its own.

https://grungeworthy.wordpress.com/2022/...d-to-come/

(09-20-2023 11:14 AM)WestGrayStreetOwl Wrote:  

(09-19-2023 09:39 PM)Grungy Wrote:  From a MOB handbook - look who’s in the flute section with AlmadenMike

What's the average net worth of that flute section?

Not sure if you're referring to the mean or the median, but the former dwarfs the latter.

(09-20-2023 01:05 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  Excellent memo. I hope the President can help expand the MOB someway.
I just donated to the MOB

(12-11-2022 12:31 AM)Grungy Wrote:  Cross-posting from Facebook...

A rather long post about the Rice University Bands, and the evolution of the size of The MOB from the Seventies until today.
The only way I could include the necessary tables was to publish them somewhere else and include a link to that location.
This is based on one of the appendices attached to a letter that I sent to President Reginald DesRoches some time ago.
It can stand on its own.

https://grungeworthy.wordpress.com/2022/...d-to-come/

Thank you!

I just updated that memo in WordPress, with the most recent student populations, and a new chart that shows the 18 FBS schools that do not have a music education program - our FBS peers.
Leaving out the service academies, which are a special case, care to guess which schools in this category have the largest and smallest undergraduate populations?
Smallest is no surprise.
Largest was (to me).

Rutgers most definitely has a music Ed program as part of the Mason Gross School of the Arts. Even more data for ya.

(09-20-2023 02:50 PM)MOBalum Wrote:  Rutgers most definitely has a music Ed program as part of the Mason Gross School of the Arts. Even more data for ya.

My search parameters didn't catch this - thanks for the info.
Corrected on my original spreadsheets.
It will take some time to propagate the correction.
The search was a long slog - looking at every FBS school's website.
I'm not surprised that I missed something.