College Corner: The New Look

Doubleclick picture for largest version.

College "move in" day comes early in our home. Our musician leaves in two weeks for "spat camp" or marching band "basic training." Move in day looks different for the musicians than it does for the regular college student. One student described it to me as follows: "My mom drove up to the dorm on her way to work and let me off. Six trombone players unloaded the car in seconds and took my stuff up to my room. It was great."

Yes. That is the legend of the brass section. We are expecting to see those six brass players in just two weeks when "spat camp" begins. What has begun already, and what is very unlike my days at the U of M is the emails, the facebook, the communications from current students in the band to the new freshman---buying and selling shoes, chat about what to look forward to. As the Observer I am on only a need to know basis.

I hope to have some snazzy film of the first home game of Minnesota in September when the new freshmen get to show their stuff with the first string marching band. Stay tuned. Even John Phillip Sousa would have been excited about the upcoming season. And the football? Not clear. The bands will be great however.