Ever since the UTSA football program became real, I’ve been wondering about an additional cost that I have never heard mentioned in the press. Since your article brought up the question of “What’s Next?”, I ask: What about the Marching Band?

That’s right. The UTSA Marching Band. Ever heard of a major university with a football team and no marching band? Not me.

It would be un-American not to have a marching band. Maybe even against some federal anti-discrimination laws.

I smell lawsuit.

So, when does UTSA start working towards a band? Do we have a time table set?

When do the interviews of band directors start? After all, the director has to recruit at least as many players as the football team.

Have we figured out how large the band will be? UT has 300 members and A&M over 300. Should we start out small? Say 25? Or go all out and build a band of 100 or 200? Are they going to practice in parking lot 4?

I bet the recruiting competition with other major university marching bands is equally dog-eat-dog as football recruiting, maybe more so. Do you think qualified musicians grow on trees? It takes years of practice walking around while playing music arranged for a lot of horns.

Have you even taken one moment to think about scholarships? How many does the NCAA allow? We have to have something to offer these musicians. I’m not talking your run of the mill garage band rock ‘n roll guitar player here. These folks play real instruments, like tubas.

Don’t forget, we have to get some spiffy band uniforms. My God, look at what we’re competing against. UT with those cool cowboy suits and ten gallon white hats and A&M with those spurs and riding boots. What are we going to have? t-shirts? We have to raise some money!

And instruments. I don’t know; do the musicians have to supply their own instruments? Even those huge drums like UT and A&M? Man, that’d be a bear moving into the dorms.

John Lee

Lecturer