RICHMOND, Ky. (LEX 18) – The EKU School of Music has announced that it will eliminate its marching band program.
An email was sent to department staff and students early Tuesday morning and announced the changes. Pep Band will also be turned into a student-managed club and will no longer play at football games.
The email reads as follows:
Hello All,
In response to the budget situation and in consultation with our applied faculty, band conductors, and students, we will restructure the School of Music’s involvement in athletic bands beginning in Fall of 2018. We will follow the model set by other institutions of our size and budgetary situation, such as UT Martin. This new model will have opportunities for students who want to participate in athletic bands in the form of an Athletic Band ‘Club’, managed and funded by Student Success and directed by Dr. Wiggins.
This band will perform for select volleyball and basketball games. There will be no marching band–football game music will be handled by athletics.
We anticipate that this change will increase our recruiting and retention, give our instrumental majors more time, and allow us to devote resources to areas that we as a faculty have agreed are important. As this decision has been made with the input and approval of a majority of our applied faculty and directors, please support this restructuring among our current students, alumni, and colleagues and refer questions to either me or to Dean Zeigler.
This will require a change in our requirements for education majors, which I am addressing. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Thank you, Jeremy
