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The last commencement I attended (nephew) had a hired group of six players of the Great Highland pipes and a drummer. Do you think there might be some connection in the availability of school bands playing commencement and school support for music?

We do 4-6 per year, plus some "Founder's Day" and "Honors Day" Ceremonies as well. Three of the commencements we've done at least 12 years, and one of those over 15. Not really a new thing in these parts.

dwa

My quintet has been hired for many years for a local Nurses' Pinning Ceremony. Depending upon who is in charge of the production each year, we are requested not to play Pomp & Circumstance #1 at all, or to repeat it ad nauseum.

SplatterTone wrote:The last commencement I attended (nephew) had a hired group of six players of the Great Highland pipes and a drummer. Do you think there might be some connection in the availability of school bands playing commencement and school support for music?

Maybe yes, maybe no. It depends on the makeup of the school's band. If all of the key players in the band are seniors and graduating, it may be difficult to put together a commencement band. My HS is small (<300 students) and the graduating classes are from 50 to 70 students. sometimes, 40 members of the band are seniors and sometimes not. the band is pretty thin when 30-40 members are gone. Still sounds fine, though...

A new trend is for larger universities to have their large commencement ceremony as well as having various colleges (within the university) commencements. Those, such as College of Science, typically call on quintets, etc. I've got a few quintet gigs myself for commencement.

Any way we can innovate new ideas and raise the potential to get a gig is a plan I'm all for!

For the last few years, my university's own Wind Ensemble played for our large outside spring commencement ceremony. Every member was paid around $35.00 for the privilege. We were encouraged to play at our own graduations, which I myself did do. I thought it was effective; our repertoire varied year to year but including the J. Williams Olympic Fanfare and the Dukas fanfare.

One of our local colleges hosts a community band, and a small group from the band plays (15-25 depending on the season). The individuals don't get paid, but the band's music and equipment fund does. We usually have one very short rehearsal, or none if we're only using music from a recent concert. Since there are two ceremonies (one for the local campus, one for a remote campus' MBA students), it can make for an inconvenient Saturday, but many of us just chip in to be helpful.

And it's fun to play a Conn 25J in a gym. Though I'm not saying that anyone besides me enjoys it.

Yup, got on on May 10th.

When I was at OU, they asked for volunteers from the wind ensemble and symphonic bands to play the big all-university shindig. Playing processionals long enough for ~8000 graduates to file in has to be penance for a past life. At least they paid $50 worth of beer money. I could always count on tying one on the night after graduation. The beer helped get the feeling back in my chops.

We are playing a Baccalaureate service on May 20 in the morning prior to the school's commencement in the afternoon. I am not sure what they are using for the commencement ceremony.

ken k

does "Faculty Marshall" count?