2008 Woodie Awards
Marching Mules Choose Drum Major This Week
Kennieth Jones Jr./for the Muleskinner
Issue date: 12/7/06 Section: Features
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The University of Central Missouri Marching Mules have begun a new year, which brings the expectations of new songs, field formations and a new drum major. A new drum major will be announced Friday for Central's Marching Mules Band.
The Marching Mules are responsible for marching at the football and basketball games, and they are one of the main musical attractions of the University. The leader and forefront member of the band is the drum major.
The drum major is the one who is responsible for the order and structure of the band and keeping organization and order in the rehearsals and game-day performances.
The second stage of the audition process went into effect Nov. 14. The finalists were posted, along with the material each student was responsible for preparing for a live audition.
According to finalist Steven Verble, sophomore accounting major, 13 people tried out for the drum major position, and the finalists were narrowed to six.
The final six in competition of the 2007 drum major position include Melissa Berryhill and Stacy Brown, current and former drum majors, plus Sarah Brown, Katherine Clark, Curtis Privett and Verble.
Wednesday, the six finalists auditioned in front of the Marching Mules and directors.
Freshman music education major, Sarah Brown, a drum major finalist, and Verble said each finalist must form a salute for the band on command.
The next step is to give a list of commands to the band, and finally, they must conduct an ensemble from an earlier piece in the semester. This year the piece to conduct is "Malaguena."
Scott Lubaroff, assistant music professor, is in charge of the drum major tryouts this year.
Once a drum major is selected, Lubaroff will give general instructions to the band and then allow the drum major to take over the rehearsals.
Verble and Brown said preparing for the drum major job takes up a lot of their time, but overall, it will be well worth it to win the position. Verble said he has to put in extra work.
The Marching Mules are responsible for marching at the football and basketball games, and they are one of the main musical attractions of the University. The leader and forefront member of the band is the drum major.
The drum major is the one who is responsible for the order and structure of the band and keeping organization and order in the rehearsals and game-day performances.
The second stage of the audition process went into effect Nov. 14. The finalists were posted, along with the material each student was responsible for preparing for a live audition.
According to finalist Steven Verble, sophomore accounting major, 13 people tried out for the drum major position, and the finalists were narrowed to six.
The final six in competition of the 2007 drum major position include Melissa Berryhill and Stacy Brown, current and former drum majors, plus Sarah Brown, Katherine Clark, Curtis Privett and Verble.
Wednesday, the six finalists auditioned in front of the Marching Mules and directors.
Freshman music education major, Sarah Brown, a drum major finalist, and Verble said each finalist must form a salute for the band on command.
The next step is to give a list of commands to the band, and finally, they must conduct an ensemble from an earlier piece in the semester. This year the piece to conduct is "Malaguena."
Scott Lubaroff, assistant music professor, is in charge of the drum major tryouts this year.
Once a drum major is selected, Lubaroff will give general instructions to the band and then allow the drum major to take over the rehearsals.
Verble and Brown said preparing for the drum major job takes up a lot of their time, but overall, it will be well worth it to win the position. Verble said he has to put in extra work.
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