Anyone with insight about Band at the SMCs?

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milmomsomeday

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We are very early in the process, but my DS who is interested in serving as a military officer also thoroughly enjoys band. He is a percussionist. I was wondering if anyone on here happens to have any experience with a band at an SMC. I imagine it's similar in nature to high school band but another step up in involvement and dedication needed.

And with all that being said, it seems that a few SMCs haver well-known and I wonder if you were choosing your SMC based on the band, which you would choose?
 
Aggie band is world class as stated, Citadel sends its band to represent the USA at the Edenbourgh Tattoo every 4 years or so.


If you’re looking for a British styled martial band Citadel is clearly tops in that space. Citadel also offers a minor in Fine Arts of all things I believe...
 
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VMI has band and pipe band. They are much smaller than TAMU obviosuly. At VMI if your child is in the band, that would actually be their company, I don't really have much experience with band. One of my son's roommates was in the pipe band,. I know they did some traveling for parades that the entire corp did not participate in
 
I can answer about the VMI band. It's a separate company like the rest of the corps, but it also functions as a club. It has the regimental band which is mainly the brass, and the pipe band in the Band Company. Both bands have percussions. If your DS is already a percussionist, the regimental band probably will work better. The regimental band director, Colonel Brodie is a really good guy and everyone love him. The pipe band is also good by nature since people like fancy bagpipes and kilts. It's also fun to learn a different culture in the pipe band. There is more information on the VMI website.

However, there are some truths that I think I need to let you know. Many cadets don't like Band Company, both cadets in the band and cadets not in the band. There are various reasons. For example, Band company is different than everyone else since cadets are drawn by musical abilities but not by heights like everyone else; the Band parades with instruments instead of rifles and that's "easy"; the Band rats have lower requirements than other rats during the ratline (a little bit, especially the rifle drill part but not too much); the Band gets on trips to different places that everyone else want to get on; some Band kids are weird (VMI cadets are all weird?) and have some other stories (you will figure out if you actually come here). People hate the pipe band a little less than the regimental band since pipe band sounds better than the regimental band and pipe band is cool. In my opinion, if your goal is to become an Army Ranger or a Marine, probably not Band because people are going to laugh at you and say you are weak, and you will have more time to focus on the military instead of band practice and parades. Otherwise, Band is still a good place to have great opportunities, both learning new things and getting out of VMI and have some fun.

I hope that helps.
 
NotSpecified said:
I can answer about the VMI band. It's a separate company like the rest of the corps, but it also functions as a club. It has the regimental band which is mainly the brass, and the pipe band in the Band Company. Both bands have percussions. If your DS is already a percussionist, the regimental band probably will work better. The regimental band director, Colonel Brodie is a really good guy and everyone love him. The pipe band is also good by nature since people like fancy bagpipes and kilts. It's also fun to learn a different culture in the pipe band. There is more information on the VMI website.

However, there are some truths that I think I need to let you know. Many cadets don't like Band Company, both cadets in the band and cadets not in the band. There are various reasons. For example, Band company is different than everyone else since cadets are drawn by musical abilities but not by heights like everyone else; the Band parades with instruments instead of rifles and that's "easy"; the Band rats have lower requirements than other rats during the ratline (a little bit, especially the rifle drill part but not too much); the Band gets on trips to different places that everyone else want to get on; some Band kids are weird (VMI cadets are all weird?) and have some other stories (you will figure out if you actually come here). People hate the pipe band a little less than the regimental band since pipe band sounds better than the regimental band and pipe band is cool. In my opinion, if your goal is to become an Army Ranger or a Marine, probably not Band because people are going to laugh at you and say you are weak, and you will have more time to focus on the military instead of band practice and parades. Otherwise, Band is still a good place to have great opportunities, both learning new things and getting out of VMI and have some fun.

I hope that helps.
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Some good if limited insights from a cadet that probably shows some of the attitudes in the Corps at VMI toward Band. I would disagree (and I was a proud C Co cadet) on the premise that you can't be "military" or hard core and in Band Co. I know a former Marine Recon BN Commander who excelled in Band Company as a Cadet and a currently serving Army Ranger who was also in Band Co. I can assure you your VMI company or athletic team has no influence whatsoever on how you will do in the military.
 
emwvmi01 said:
Some good if limited insights from a cadet that probably shows some of the attitudes in the Corps at VMI toward Band. I would disagree (and I was a proud C Co cadet) on the premise that you can't be "military" or hard core and in Band Co. I know a former Marine Recon BN Commander who excelled in Band Company as a Cadet and a currently serving Army Ranger who was also in Band Co. I can assure you your VMI company or athletic team has no influence whatsoever on how you will do in the military.
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Yes sir/ma’am there are some great people from Band. What I am saying is most people are not that good and Band practice do take a couple of hours a week and you could go to the gym, PT, or other stuff you like better. You should always focus on your goal and if Band events become distractions then you probably shouldn’t do it. There are people that enjoy Band and they can manage to work the time out then why not.
 
NotSpecified said:
Yes sir/ma’am there are some great people from Band. What I am saying is most people are not that good and Band practice do take a couple of hours a week and you could go to the gym, PT, or other stuff you like better. You should always focus on your goal and if Band events become distractions then you probably shouldn’t do it. There are people that enjoy Band and they can manage to work the time out then why not.
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I just frankly think you don’t know what you’re talking about. Band certainly doesn’t have the best rep...no secret there. We *don’t* have a lot of practice time and aren’t as good as I think the Corps expects (since they likely don’t understand the time required to rehearse to a given level). Beyond the rep thing though, and what you said about COL Brodie, I just don’t know what you’re talking about. Band has to do literally all of the same Ratline stuff as anyone else (any non-permits that is, and band has very few of those). The 2 hrs week for practice turning into less time to PT is ridiculous...like seriously? If 2 hours out the 168 hours in a week keeps you from PTing, doing homework, etc, that’s pretty pathetic. Of course if it isn’t worth that 2 hours to you, that’s fine, no harm there, but that’s not a good excuse for not getting stuff done. Plenty of clubs take up that much or more time weekly. Trips are also almost always optional if that’s too much time. You’re certainly entitled to whatever opinion of band company you want, and I take no offense to people roasting “band club,” but a lot of what you said is just not factual.

If anyone has specific questions about current band co at VMI, ask away and I’ll try to provide non-sugar coated, but also factual answers.
 
What I love about the A&M Band/Corps relationship is we might trash talk them within the ranks but you better believe we are going to close ranks around them if anyone else says anything. And definitely aren't going to be saying they are garbage on a forum! They are the Spirit of Aggieland, the Fightin Texas Aggie Band!
 
JAGman said:
What I love about the A&M Band/Corps relationship is we might trash talk them within the ranks but you better believe we are going to close ranks around them if anyone else says anything. And definitely aren't going to be saying they are garbage on a forum! They are the Spirit of Aggieland, the Fightin Texas Aggie Band!
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I think that generally applies to VMI band as well. Honestly, I’ve never run into anyone with that attitude before.
 
played clarinet in Regimental Band at The Citadel back in the day, that unit has produced about a dozen flag officers and space shuttle/ISS astronaut COL Randy Bresnik. El Cid was the first military school to have a bagpipe band, they have appeared in 3 Presidential Inaugural Parades and next year will make their 4th appearance at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. No question TAMU has the largest and most impressive marching band but of course that's a school with 51,000 students so no comparison with others significantly smaller. If you enjoy halftime shows and football games that's the best option; if you want a smaller school experience in a military environment The Citadel or VMI is the best choice.
 
conrack said:
played clarinet in Regimental Band at The Citadel back in the day, that unit has produced about a dozen flag officers and space shuttle/ISS astronaut COL Randy Bresnik. El Cid was the first military school to have a bagpipe band, they have appeared in 3 Presidential Inaugural Parades and next year will make their 4th appearance at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. No question TAMU has the largest and most impressive marching band but of course that's a school with 51,000 students so no comparison with others significantly smaller. If you enjoy halftime shows and football games that's the best option; if you want a smaller school experience in a military environment The Citadel or VMI is the best choice.
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But wasn't Komrad Col Bresnik a 4th Battalion guy sentenced to spend senior year in the Rgt Band?

PIPES OUT FRONT!
 
I’m a current cadet at TAMU and can fully vouch for our “World Famous, Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band.” The cadets in band get the band experience AND the cadet experience, they go through the same training and events as us regular cadets. They’re in their own companies, house with strictly band, and have an adjusted schedule for band. I highly recommend you check out our Spend the Night With the Corps (SNWC) Program to get a first-hand look at what we offer as a SMC and University and what your DS could expect in the typical day of a band cadet (if you do this, do it first semester August-December). I hope this helps, good luck!
 
LTV24 said:
I’m a current cadet at TAMU and can fully vouch for our “World Famous, Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band.” The cadets in band get the band experience AND the cadet experience, they go through the same training and events as us regular cadets. They’re in their own companies, house with strictly band, and have an adjusted schedule for band. I highly recommend you check out our Spend the Night With the Corps (SNWC) Program to get a first-hand look at what we offer as a SMC and University and what your DS could expect in the typical day of a band cadet (if you do this, do it first semester August-December). I hope this helps, good luck!
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My son is interested in the Aggie Band. Do you find that it is doable to have a tough major and be in the band? Do you still have enough time to study?
 
LTV24 said:
I’m a current cadet at TAMU and can fully vouch for our “World Famous, Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band.” The cadets in band get the band experience AND the cadet experience, they go through the same training and events as us regular cadets. They’re in their own companies, house with strictly band, and have an adjusted schedule for band. I highly recommend you check out our Spend the Night With the Corps (SNWC) Program to get a first-hand look at what we offer as a SMC and University and what your DS could expect in the typical day of a band cadet (if you do this, do it first semester August-December). I hope this helps, good luck!
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I tell you I’ve seen videos of the TAMU band and they are very impressive indeed. Lots of hard work put in by those cadets to put on a world-class performance.

This opinion is coming from a VMI guy.
 
I would suggest liking some pages on Facebook for the Aggie band. These students work harder than regular cadets. There are many students in the band that have difficult majors. During the day the cadets are encouraged to study. They have mandatory study time Sun-Thurs nights. If your kid was in a very competitive marching band program in High school, it has taught them how to manage their time. The Corp at A&M has different outfits that have same/similar interest or degrees. I'd suggest visiting in detail with the Corp about the best possible outfit for his major. My son is doing a visit on Nov 5th. He is meeting with Band Director, ROTC staff, Stem outfit that is not in the band. I am worried about the same thing with my son. He wants to do Aerospace Engineering. One thing I will say is that Freshman only go to 2 away games. LSU and Arkansas, so they have more free weekends than upper class.
 
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