Tom Anderson
Assistant Editor
The Music Department and Associated Student Federation Forum have joined forces to form a new university pep band, with a debut planned for the upcoming homecoming game and festivities.
ASF members Elide Flores and Wendy Schwartz came up with the idea of a band that could help raise school spirit by playing during timeout and halftime periods of games, as well as various fairs and festivals.
Flores and Schwartz then got in touch with University Relations to get the word out and entice prospective members. Music department staff member Steven Biondo was recruited to help put the band together and give input on the group’s development and repertoire shortly thereafter.
Flores’ original idea was to establish an all-percussion group.
“Initially, I wanted to start a drum line, since I was in one for four years in high school,” she said.
Schwartz then suggested expanding the drum line idea into a full-fledged pep band. Flores liked Schwartz’s proposal, agreeing that homecoming festivities could use a little spicing up.
“I was hoping we would have a little more music at Homecoming than last year,” Flores said.
Unfortunately, the band that has been formed consists entirely of percussion instruments, primarily due to the fact that students who play other varieties of instruments either could not fit the band into their schedules or simply had no interest in joining.
The fact that Biondo has had little time to spend with the group thus far due to other commitments, has to a slight degree, further complicated matters. His regular stand-in has been Michael Stallings, a senior music and international business major who is one of the music department’s many student assistants.
Stallings has done an impressive job leading the group, and has often been assisted by Flores and one of her fellow former West Covina High School drum line performers.
Flores is disappointed the multi-sectioned band idea proved unfeasible, but she is pleased that people who are interested in drums and other percussion instruments now have a formal means of sharing their hobby with the rest of the community, and that sporting events and other school functions will now have a little more excitement and atmosphere.
Flores said the band is still on schedule for its debut during homecoming festivities, and that she is quite excited about the whole affair.
Schwartz echoed those sentiments, adding that she hopes the group will continue to thrive once Homecoming is over.
“Hopefully they’ll be able to continue performing and having fun,” she said.
Combine the prospect of an all-new drum line with the almost universally felt air of anticipation and excitement that routinely descends upon ULV in the weeks leading up to Homecoming, and wait becomes more excruciating than usual.
Tom Anderson can be reached at tanderson1@ulv.edu.
