Culver-Stockton College wants to strike up the marching band for the first time in what is believed to be at least 50 years.
CANTON, Mo. — Culver-Stockton College wants to strike up the marching band for the first time in what is believed to be at least 50 years.
Chris Gill, dean of student life, said the College hopes to hire someone to be the director of the marching/pep band by early September. The goal is to have at least 40 students recruited to be part of the band when it debuts in the fall of 2020. Non-music majors are invited to try out as well.
“I would love to see 50 (students), but I think 40 is a good number,” Gill said.
The position of marching band director is a full-time, 10-month position. Gill said he’s already seen interest in the job.
“I always seem to get one or two more (resumes) every day,” he said. “We want to do phone interviews pretty soon. We realize a lot of people who are applying are currently in a job, and we want to kind of let them know what’s going on, because if they need to leave, it puts another school in a bad situation.”
Gill said the addition of a marching band has been on the wish list of the College’s strategic plan “for a while now.”
“It just feels like the right time,” he said. “As we’re (wrapping up) that strategic plan and (making plans for) a new one, you start to look at some of those wish list items. It seems like a good opportunity. It will definitely help with recruitment.”
Music has been part of the curriculum at Culver-Stockton since it was founded in 1853, but the first band was not organized until the fall of 1924 under the direction of Lorenzo G. Fachinato. The band led the first homecoming parade in 1925 and subsequent parades for the next several years.
Band uniforms, consisting of white coats, white trousers and a blue cape, were introduced in 1928. New military style uniforms were bought in 1937-38. The band performed at home football games and traveled to one away game each year. Baton twirlers also were added.
New royal blue and light blue uniforms were bought again in 1953 as part of the college’s centennial year. The 1963 yearbook mentions a band participating in the homecoming parade and at football games, but no mention is made of a marching band after that year.
Gill believes the addition of a marching band will bring spirit to the campus.
“When you think college, you think marching band,” he said. “You hear the sounds of the horns and the brass and the drum corps, and (you think), ‘All right, I’m going to the football game’ or ‘I’m ready for this soccer match.’ … When you see (the band) walking in your uniform and your colors, it brings a sense of pride to the Wildcat family.”
People interested in applying for the position of marching band director should go online to www.culver.edu/employment.
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Contact the Marketing & Public Relations Office, at pr@culver.edu or 573-288-6000 ext. 6728 for more information.
NOTE: A number that appears immediately after a person’s name (i.e. Jane Doe ’18) is a reference to the year that person earned their bachelor’s degree from Culver-Stockton.