Need some insight from Pride member...

#1
1allvol

1allvol

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#1
(Mod move as you see fit, wasnt sure of the most appropriate forum)

My son is a junior in High School, and a band member, plays the sax, also has played in percusion some, but is best on the sax. His Director has encouraged him to seriously consider playing in college, and has spoken to me and says he is good enough to play anywhere and that he would like to start getting him in some camps and things. My son is now excited and wants to go to UT. Obviously i would love that also. I dont want to temper his enthusiasm but at the same time i have no idea what to expect, and if this is even a possibility due to finances. I thought what better place to maybe get some answers than a Pride member? My main question at this point is about scholarships, do band members get scholarships? Full? Partial? How does that work? I am pretty clear on the cost of attending UT, including housing and stuff, and there is no way that we could do that, and probably no way i would ever be able to co-sign a student loan for him. Any info or tips that you could give us as we start getting serious about this would be greatly appreciated.
 
#2
#2
5*, 4*, or 3*?

That's all people seem to care about on here.

Seriously, hopefully a member of the Pride will chime in and help.

Good luck to your son.
 
#3
#3
I don't know a ton about it but my son checked into playing. The members get compensated a very small amount each game....less than $50. I don't think there are band schollies per se. I think you probably should look at a music scholarship or other funding method. They practice about 16 hours per week. It isn't a cake walk. I will get hold of my youngest son and see if I can get any info. Best would be for a Pride member to fill you in.
 
#5
#5
I don't think you can get a full scholarship only for being in the Pride, however, you can get partial ones and maybe grants.

Yes, Pride members make a decent amount of money for playing. Nothing to live off of, but a healthy supplement.

If it came down to it, any student can get their own student loans. It's super easy.

Don't want to scare you, but all the instrumentalists I know in the music department have crazy expensive instruments. I haven't heard of anyone's personal instrument being less than $10,000. That is the price for the quality of instrument for a major band program like UT's.
 
#6
#6
Stipends are rewarded to most members but it's not much. Members don't get paid for football games, only basketball and volleyball ($20 per game awarded after the season). There are certain stipulations for stipends however, the person must audition for a pep band, and a concert band, but if your son likes music, those aren't too bad.
 
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#7
#7
Yeah, I guess I those stipends aren't actually that much. I haven't been in the pride, just in the music program for the past 6 years.
 
#8
#8
I was in the Pride for four years, majored in Music Ed. under J Julian, but, it's been a while.

At the time, I received a small band scholarship, many of us did. Couple hundred dollars a semester. Some performance majors did get full ride scholarships, but of course, they were focused on performing for a living, not just playing in the band. I haven't checked lately but I would imagine band scholarships are still available. They were actually paid for out of the athletic department budget, so there may not be nearly as many as there used to be.

As to the cost of an instrument, chris4vols22 is way off. Being a professional musician, and knowing hundreds, there are very few people with instruments that cost that much. I know people in the best symphonies in the world with instruments way cheaper than that. You can get a world class alto for anywhere from $1000-$4000. You just have to know where to look and who to talk to.

Best thing to do at this point is to call the band office and ask to speak to Dr. Sousa. He's the head director. I'm not a big fan of his, but he's in charge. You'll probably get directed to one of the assistants or the secretary. They're always happy to give you any info you want because they constantly recruit members just like the football team.

Hope this helps. GO VOLS!!! :thumbsup:
 
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#10
#10
Not an alum of UT but do have a degree in saxophone and do give lessons. :D

In all seriousness though, the pride, the marching eagles, etc all offer band schollies. Unless your child plans on majoring in music only partials are available. I don't know amounts but I know that at Carson Newman the max was 2k a semester when I was there. I would imagine UT would be competitive with that.

I will also say that Sousa, although a saxophone player himself, isn't a fan of woodwinds in marching band and unless your child is top of the section, will be looking at playing mellophone.

Also a top of the line alto (which is NOT reccomended for marching band) runs around 3000. My Yamaha custom 875EX. Love it. It's my baby.
 
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#12
#12
Chris4Vols22 said:
Sorry about the skewed info. Didn't think there would be as many instrumentalists here.
Click to expand...

It's alright man. A lot of times it depends on the demand of the instrument. A good bassoon you're looking at 10k. String instruments can be ungodly expensive. Saxophones are high supply with high demand so they go for a decent price.
 
#13
#13
sorry for the blurry pic, but here is the new music building that would be finished by the time he goes to college.

DSC_9809a_zps7af6faa8.jpg
 
#14
#14
Yep, supposed to be open this Fall. Well, it was supposed to be open a couple years ago, but yeah, go Vols.
 
#17
#17
vavolunteer said:
I was in the Pride for four years, majored in Music Ed. under J Julian, but, it's been a while.

At the time, I received a small band scholarship, many of us did. Couple hundred dollars a semester. Some performance majors did get full ride scholarships, but of course, they were focused on performing for a living, not just playing in the band. I haven't checked lately but I would imagine band scholarships are still available. They were actually paid for out of the athletic department budget, so there may not be nearly as many as there used to be.

As to the cost of an instrument, chris4vols22 is way off. Being a professional musician, and knowing hundreds, there are very few people with instruments that cost that much. I know people in the best symphonies in the world with instruments way cheaper than that. You can get a world class alto for anywhere from $1000-$4000. You just have to know where to look and who to talk to.

Best thing to do at this point is to call the band office and ask to speak to Dr. Sousa. He's the head director. I'm not a big fan of his, but he's in charge. You'll probably get directed to one of the assistants or the secretary. They're always happy to give you any info you want because they constantly recruit members just like the football team.

Hope this helps. GO VOLS!!! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...



Serious question. I know you said you aren't a fan of his, but you may still know. Is Dr. Sousa related to or a decendant of John Phillip Sousa?
 
#18
#18
BaldBiker said:
Serious question. I know you said you aren't a fan of his, but you may still know. Is Dr. Sousa related to or a decendant of John Phillip Sousa?
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I can't answer for sure but I don't believe he is. Would be kinda neat though. In unrelated news I miss dr Powell. I love Facebook for that reason.
 
#20
#20
I don't know about scholarships but have known a few Pride members & they loved the experience.
 
#21
#21
BaldBiker said:
Serious question. I know you said you aren't a fan of his, but you may still know. Is Dr. Sousa related to or a decendant of John Phillip Sousa?
Click to expand...

No. From what I understand this has become somewhat of a joke with the alumni, especially those that were in the band under Julian. You would think someone with the name of Sousa would be a better band director. I'm really not trying to knock the guy, that's just the joke.
 
#22
#22
Thanks for the replies. As a retired Marine, was just curious.

The Marine Corps Band is what it is because of JPS.
 
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#23
#23
vavolunteer said:
No. From what I understand this has become somewhat of a joke with the alumni, especially those that were in the band under Julian. You would think someone with the name of Sousa would be a better band director. I'm really not trying to knock the guy, that's just the joke.
Click to expand...


Julian isn't what he used to be but I respect the hell out of him.

That being said I think Sousa being a joke goes beyond just it alumni. He got drilled in the local music community for his infamous "b student" comments he made when the pride was down a couple years back.
 
#24
#24
1allvol,
Mostly in your same boat. I have a jr, trumpet player, who's in love with marching band. I'm looking for info on the Pride, too. We've contacted the band phone number and they were very helpful. My son wants to be an Aerospace Engineer and has the grades and hopefully will have the test scores to get some academic schollies. Also, there's always the Hope, are you out of state?

AV
 
#25
#25
As has been stated, unless he's a music major, there really aren't Pride scholarships. There was a loophole a few years back that got a member an athletic scholarship, but she was an outstanding academic individual as well, so I'm sure she had in-roads into all sorts of money.

Now that being said, I marched alto 4 years, was a squad leader for my last 2, and majored in Aerospace Engineering. I had about $2k worth of general academic scholarships each semester, but the only money I got from the band was the meal money per diem on away trips, but I've heard even that money has been squeezed quite a bit since I was last there in 2005.

Oh, I also got this SWEET avatar pic from halftime at the Peach Bowl in 2002, so there's that.

But anyway, call the band office and talk to Judy Dooley. Super awesome lady, she can get you pretty much any info you need.
 
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