The Marines are looking for a few good men and women.
Actually, Roxanne Haskill, director of bands at ETSU and former conductor of U.S. Marine Corps Bands, is looking for a few good men and women who are capable of playing an instrument and interested in becoming part of the ETSU Buccaneer Brass.
Without a football program there is no longer a need for a marching band, but with one of the best basketball teams in the Southeast preparing to start its season in a few short weeks, Haskill is recruiting for a pep band.
“If you played an instrument in high school and had fun, then Buccaneer Brass is for you,” Haskill said. “And you do not have to be a music major.”
The first organizational meeting is planned for Sept. 18 at 10 a.m., in Mathes Hall, Room 107.
“The purpose of this meeting is to see who will show up and what basic instrumentation is needed,” Haskill said. “Even is you’re rusty on your instrument, that’s OK.
“I would like to have 50 students, which will enable me to rotate students. I need students who can play trumpets, cornets, French horns, baritones, euphoniums, mellophones, all varieties of saxophones, piccolos, tubas and drum set percussionists.”
Students should be prepared to provide their own instruments if at all possible.
The music department has also received money to design new T-shirts to go along with the band’s 50 uniforms, which will be provided to all Buccaneer Brass players.
Volunteering to play also has some nice perks.
“Each student will be paid $10 per game and will be entitled to free food,” Haskill said.
“Attendance will be taken, and those with the best overall attendance will play with the band when the basketball team travels to the conference tournament in Charleston, S.C. The expenses will be paid for the university.
“If the Bucs are lucky at the conference, and receive an invitation [to the NCAA tournament], those students with the best overall attendance will be chosen to attend those games, all expenses paid.
“We want to start rehearsing the third week in September, and we will rehearse once a week for ETSU homecoming. Buccaneer Brass will be used primarily for basketball and other official university events. NCAA rules do not allow the use of electronic instruments at their tournaments.”
Buccaneer Brass, in essence, is a redesigned marching band with one unique exception. While all the brass players will be sitting in the bleachers, the percussion drum set will be on the gymnasium floor.
For further information, call Haskill at 439-4296, or e-mail her at haskill@etsu.edu.

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