Founded in 1983, the Performing Arts Marching Band Auxiliary Camp at Michigan State University has been recognized nationally for its excellence in the instruction of drum majors, color guard, and percussion performers. Participants will be provided with an instructionally-intensive experience that prepares them to perform and lead in a variety of marching musical arts settings.

The instructional staff has taught and performed extensively at the collegiate, drum corps, winter guard, and high school levels. MSU Performing Arts Marching Band Auxiliary Camp will challenge all participants, no matter the level of their expertise. The instructor-to-student ratio assures individualized attention throughout the clinic.

Please visit the official PAC site for more information.

Peformance Schedule

Date	Opponent
Friday, August 31		Boise State
Saturday, September 8		at Central Michigan (SMB Travel)
Sunday, September 9		“SMB for KIDS” Benefit Concert for Sparrow Hospital (3:00 PM)
Saturday, September 15		Notre Dame
Saturday, September 22		Eastern Michigan
Saturday, September 29		Ohio State
Wednesday, October 3		Grand Ledge Invitational (Wednesday Evening)
Saturday, October 6		at Indiana
Saturday, October 13		Iowa
Saturday, October 20		at Michigan (SMB Travel)
Saturday, October 27		at Wisconsin
Saturday, October 27		Spartan Spectacular (Wharton Center)
Saturday, November 3		Nebraska
Saturday, November 10		*** Bye ***
Saturday, November 17		Northwestern
Saturday, November 24		at Minnesota
Saturday, December 1		Big Ten Championship

For more information, please contact Charlene Wagner.

The Spartan Football Team endured a heart-breaking loss on Saturday, December 3, at the Inaugural Big Ten Championship Game against the University of Wisconsin Badgers. The Spartans “just missed” their second back-to-back opportunity to make an appearance in Pasadena, California, and were uncertain as to where they would be headed for their post-season bowl game. The following evening, SMB members along with Spartans everywhere were gathered around their televisions to hear that MSU would be facing the University of Georgia Bulldogs in the 2012 Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida. The SMB staff immediately began coordinating plans for band members to stay in the beautiful Tampa Bay Region. While still upset and in dismay about recent events in Indianapolis, the ensemble put their focus on the opportunity they had in front of them.

The SMB loaded their charter plane and were ready for take-off on Thursday, December 29. They arrived to weather in the upper 60s at their Clearwater Beach hotel, located on Sand Key and Gulf of Mexico. The following day involved a “beach day” performance shared with the Georgia Bulldog Band, our first of two rehearsals, and a poolside cook-out dinner at the hotel. New Year’s Eve day consisted of another rehearsal and a combined lunch with the Georgia Band, downtime on the beach, marching in the official bowl parade in Ybor City, and showing off our repertoire in a “Battle of the Bands,” once again, with the Georgia Band. New Year’s Day included spending the day at Busch Gardens and performing with the Georgia Band one more time before hitting the rides for the remainder of the day.

Before they knew it, Game Day had arrived. The SMB was very excited to perform one more time for the Spartan Fans that made the trip to Tampa, as well as our beloved Spartan Football Team! We performed our 70s Rock Show for the Outback Bowl crowd, including the tunes “Black Magic Woman” and “Stairway to Heaven.” The second half of the game forced Spartans to the edge of their seats, and resulted in a triple 33-30 overtime against the Bulldogs. This is the first time the Spartans have won a post-season bowl game since 2000. This is also Mark Dantonio’s first bowl game win since joining the Spartan Football Program.

Many thanks to all of those that organized a fantastic trip for the Spartan Marching Band!

The registration fee is just $25, which includes a clinic t-shirt. A group rate is available for ensembles sending ten or more people. Registration is conveniently available online. Visit stateofartwinterguard.com for more information. We look forward to seeing you at this year’s Spin-tastic!

December 18, 2011
9am – 5pm
Demonstration Hall
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48823

$25 Pre-registration Available Until December 10, 2011
$30 Registration at the door. Begins at 8:30
Group rate available for units with 10 or more people! Please EMAIL US to register your group today!

Contact: Peter Eichler, Program Co-Director
517-410-0341
eichlerp26@gmail.com

Clinicians Include:

Joshua Benningfield
Carolina Crown
Pride of Cincinnati
Carmel High School
State of Art

Mike Novak
Blue Devils
Northern Lights
Madison Scouts
Walled Lake Central

Kaysey Thompson
The Cadets
St Ann’s
Blast!
Madison Scouts
Northview HS (IN)

Orlando Suttles
Studio One
Spartan Marching Band
State of Art
WGI Judge

Amanda Chenoweth
Carolina Crown
Crown Guard
Pride of Cincinnati
Carmel High School

When the 300-member Spartan Marching Band took the field last Saturday, October 15, they were able to thrill 75,000 fans with a one-of-a-kind performance; their signature “all brass and sax” sound with an electrifying new edge.

With a gift from band parents Edwin (Ed) and Wanda Eichler, the band recently purchased 62 custom-designed professional trumpets completing Band Director John Madden’s dream for a purity of sound the likes of which has never been heard in Spartan Stadium.

Always looking for ways to make a great band even greater, Madden has worked to move the ensemble from one where some students provided their own instruments, to one where each section plays on identical instruments owned by the band. Band alumni got behind the ambitious plan with gifts that outfitted the saxophone and trombone sections. Expanding the new cleaner sound while enhancing a driving baseline, the tuba section not only picked up new instruments but also swelled to 24 in number. The costly sousaphones were eked from around the edges of the band’s budget, two or three at a time, with hopes that trumpets could gradually be provided in similar fashion. As the parents of three band alumni, with the youngest Peter (‘O6, Arts and Letters) still involved as a color guard director, the Eichlers were well aware of the goal and wanted to help.

“Music is as important as anything else in the university,” Ed said. “We are so pleased to be able to shift this into higher gear.”

Wanda sums up their commitment by pointing out that music can always be counted on to lift people up.

The Eichlers didn’t forget the color guard. They provided an additional gift to boost the part of the band that gives it a visual style uniquely its own. In the off season, the State of Art Winterguard competes in national tournaments, an essential component to maintaining and improving their performances year round. In recent years, the group took top honors in Division II and earned a spot in Division I, this year taking seventh place in that higher category. The cash infusion from the Eichlers will allow the color guard to compete in more tournaments and expand programming to aid in recruiting promising high school students.

Ed and Wanda, reside in Tucson, Arizona, and Pigeon, Michigan, where Ed serves as president and CEO of Agri-Valley Communications and Wanda runs a textile design business. For the Eichlers, music has always been a family affair. Wanda plays piano and has directed choirs. Ed played tuba and percussion. All three of their children ? Will, Liesl, and Peter ? and Will’s wife Wendy Mata Eichler participated in the Spartan Marching Band while attending MSU. Ed recalls the thrill of taking part in MSU Band Days as a member of the Laker High School Marching Band. He was fond of telling his children “I performed with the Spartan Marching Band before your band director was born!”

In appreciation for their generosity, the band will spell out Eichler at the last home game against Indiana this fall season.

For more information on making a gift to the College of Music, contact Assistant Director of Development Linda Conradi at (517) 353-9872; conradi@msu.edu.

“Beneath the Pines: Inside the Spartan Marching Band” premieres Sunday, October 16, at 7:30 p.m. on WKAR-TV. Each show of the series, which runs for a total of seven weeks, will be repeated the following Monday at 8 p.m. on WKAR World. “Beneath the Pines” is an unprecedented look inside MSU’s Spartan Marching Band as it prepares and performs the 2011 season. From rehearsal through halftime to postgame, viewers follow 300 band members as they share an insider’s look into one of the most recognized and heralded collegiate marching bands in the country.

The first episode centers on the first game, a night game over Labor Day weekend, and two students from the trumpet section as well as the band directors.

In each program viewers will be able to see the entire half-time performance, which is normally lost on network television due to the half-time spot breaks. “This series gives band fans an opportunity to get a real feel for what it’s like to be part of the Spartan Marching Band,” says John Madden. “It truly offers an up-close and personal look.”

The series is produced by Jon Whiting, an instructor for audio production courses in the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media, who has a joint appointment with the MSU College of Music as an audio and video producer.

WKAR is part of Michigan State University’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences and includes WKAR-TV, WKAR Radio, WKAR.org, WKAR Radio Reading Service, WKAR Radio Talking Book and Interactive Video Services.

Contact: Kathleen Adams, MSU College of Music Communications Office (517) 353-9958, adamsk10@msu.edu or Jeanie Croope, WKAR (517) 432-3120, ext. 424, jeanie@wkar.org

This year, the Spartan Marching Band has selected a new drum major to join current drum major Simon Holoweiko in his last season.

Xavier Delacroix Boudreaux comes to us from the alto saxophone section and will be starting his fourth year at Michigan State University. A 2008 graduate of Massaponax High School, Xavier is currently working towards a bachelor of arts in music and intends on attending graduate school in hopes of becoming involved in the studio symphonies for movie soundtracks. He plans on performing as a drum major with the Spartan Marching Band for two years.

“I feel so honored to have been chosen for the position and am beyond excited about the coming seasons,” said Xavier. “I was a drum major at my high school, so to have it now at the collegiate level at a Big Ten university is just amazing to me and it all still feels so surreal. I’m looking forward to learning more about the role as the season progresses, as well as the things the band has to do throughout the season and how my (and Simon’s) role and responsibilities fit within that.”

Simon, a music education major who enters his second year as a Spartan Marching Band drum major, is also excited to continue with his involvement in the ensemble.Now in his final year in the SMB, he feels a mixture of sadness and excitement.

“‘Of course it will be very difficult to leave all of the unbelievable people and memories behind, but I’m beyond excited for the future of the SMB and those who are entrusted to making it their family as it has been mine.”

When freshmen marching band members complete their dress rehearsal during Preseason, they earn the opportunity to buy their own Spartan Marching Band jacket. This year’s freshmen were fortunate to be the recipients of these prestigious jackets when Ken and Carole Yerrick stepped up and made a donation to cover the cost of all 80 SMB freshmen jackets.

“My wife and I have been longtime contributors to MSU projects, mostly in the College of Natural Science,” said Ken. “We were interested in learning more about the needs of the SMB to see if there was something we might pursue.”

As a member of the Spartan Marching Band trombone section from 1959-62, Ken holds the SMB very near to his heart. “The SMB experience has provided lifelong memories,” he said. “Although I was a chemistry major, I had a music scholarship that meant I played in the marching band, concert band, and orchestra.”

When the 80 freshmen band members learned that they wouldn’t have to bring a check to pay for their jackets, emotions and gratitude flooded the room.

“It is a great honor to receive these jackets from the Yerricks,” said Ross Taylor, a third-year music education major and first-year bass drummer in the band. “I feel like I can speak for the entire freshman class when I say how appreciative we are.”

For first-year tuba player Ben Ackland, a sophomore majoring in social relations and policy, the act of graciousness made him respect the reputation of the band jacket even more. “To witness an alumnus donate that amount of money towards something he was once a part of makes me truly value the jacket and what we do — it’s beyond imaginable. The jacket is a symbol of the SMB on campus and the love people hold for it is very dear.”

Jake Randall is also one of the freshmen who received a donated band jacket. What makes this special for him is that the Yerrick’s are actually his grandparents. “I am so proud of my grandpa,” said Jake after hearing the announcement. “It is so great to be a part of something that he was in before me.”

And like Jake, Ken is indeed proud of his grandson. “It has been a dream of Jake’s for several years to be accepted and participating in the SMB, and he is very excited about it. So am I!”

If you’d like to support the Band Jacket Fund, please contact Linda Conradi at conradi@msu.edu to learn more about this giving opportunity. Thanks to the start from the Yerricks, there is now a special account set up to receive donations specifically for band jacket purchases.

Be sure to visit the Vic Firth website to see their excellent feature on our own MSU Drumline. You can also visit the drumline webpage at http://www.msu.edu/~drumline/.

The 2011 MSU Drumline consists of 10 snares, 5 tenors, 7 basses, and 10 cymbals. The MSU Compline (a cooperative effort between the MSU College of Music percussion studio and the MSU Drumline) performs at competitions, clinics, and exhibitions around the United States. The MSU Drumline has performed clinics and participated in outreach throughout Michigan as well as host their own Day of Percussion in East Lansing. The MSU Drumline has been playing The Series, a four-minute series of cadences written by Joel Leach and Merritt Lutz in the 1950’s and early 1960’s, in its present form since the 1964 season.

Please visit the official Grand Ledge Invitational Site for more information.