If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?
Answer to the above riddle – May flowers bring Pilgrims.
Bertha Unveiled
If you thought you knew Bertha, like I knew Bertha, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
If you are unaware, Bertha turns 100 this year. As you can imagine, anyone turning 100 begins to show their age. But there is also a BIG celebration.
For Band Day 2022, October 15, 2022, Bertha will be retired, and Bertha II will be introduced. You can say you know and were on the field with both Bertha and Bertha II.
That means you will need to begin planning to attend Band Day 2022, and make the room reservations while hotel space is available. Remember, ACL is going on at the same time as Band Day.
Band Day Volunteers Needed
Band Day 2022 will be bigger and better than ever. We will be able to march down to the stadium, perform a half-time show, and watch UT BTHOOIS. With the return to a normal Band Day, we’ll need more volunteers than ever. We’ll need the following assistance:
- Vest Check-out,
- Vest Check-in,
- Vest Cleaning,
- Section Leaders,
- Band Day Set-up,
- Band Day Tear Down,
- Instrument Check-out,
- Instrument Check-in,
- Big Flag Check-out,
- Big Flag Check-in,
- Color Guard Flag Check-out,
- Color Guard Flag Check-in,
- You name it, we need it.
While you’re making arrangements to come to Band Day 2022, please also consider volunteering to provide assistance on Band Day.
There will be more instructions on how and where to volunteer later. But please know, we’ll need everyone’s assistance, to make Band Day 2022 the best ever.
Own Your Own Horn, and Piece of LHB History
Longhorn Band is acquiring several new instruments. As LHB acquires new instruments, their current instruments are being passed to LHAB. Well, as you may know, LHAB has many instruments but little space to store everything.
That means, LHAB will be selling instruments to make room for the new inventory. We have not determined counts of instruments for sale, but we’ll have more information available shortly. Other instruments will be coming available in the future, but for now we will be offering:
- Sousaphones,
- Marching French Horns
If you, your child, your grandparents, your fill in the blank, have need for an instrument, get ready to make your purchases. Funds raised from the sale of the instruments may support either LHAB operations, or LHB scholarships.
Again, we’ll provide more details as they come available.
LHB Play-Along
The past few Blasts have talked about learning music in preparation for Band Day. Now that you’ve dusted off the horn, got your lips in shape, and looked at the notes for the various songs, here is your chance to play along.
Several LHB arrangements are available in different locations online. Please access the below links and play along with the songs to help learn you part. Not all songs are currently available, but it provides a resource to help with some of the arrangements.
YouTube Option, including the below songs.
- The Eyes of Texas
- Texas Fight
- March Grandioso
- Wabash Cannonball
- Yellow Rose of Texas
- UT Detroit
Spotify Option, including the below songs. You will need to create a Spotify account.
- The Eyes of Texas
- Texas Fight
- March of the Longhorns
- March Grandioso
- Wabash Cannonball
- Yellow Rose of Texas
- Deep in the Heart of Texas
- UT Detroit
Time to Exercise
Not to name any names, but some folks may have become somewhat sedentary during the past few pandemic years.
Well, it’s time to get off the Laz-E-Boy, and prepare for Band Day 2022. We’ll be marching to the stadium, we’ll be performing a halftime show. Last time I checked, you will need to return to the Band Hall, and eventually your vehicle before you get to go home for the night.
That means a lot of walking, walking and talking, walking and playing, walking up ramps, walking down ramps, and trying to not pass out from the walking.
Please start a walking routine now to prepare you for Band Day 2022. During the month of May 2022, identify a walking path approximately one (1) mile in length. Perhaps a few circuits around the local mall. Be able to walk one (1) mile without exhaustion before the next Blast comes out.
LHAB Tailgating Is Back!
You knew we had to do it. It’s just too much fun to get together with old and new friends and watch LHB march down to the stadium. And only LHAB can put together a tailgate party for friends of LHB that all Longhorn fans can appreciate.
If you remember our tailgating from a few years ago, you know we do things right. Great food, top-quality refreshments, a great space to visit friends and soak up the gameday atmosphere, music from the best band in the country, and all of this in the familiar surroundings of LHB’s home at the school of music. We’ll have all of that, and more.
But before we can show the Longhorn Nation the proper way to tailgate, we need volunteers. We’re looking for folks willing to serve on the tailgate committee to help plan what materials and refreshments are needed, round up sponsors, determine schedules, find volunteers, and create a tailgate environment we can all be proud of.
Our goal is to have an LHAB tailgate at each Longhorn home football game other than Band Day 2022, 10/15/22.
If you would like to serve on the tailgate committee, please contact Randy Storm at randalljstorm@yahoo.com.
News from LHB
Greetings Longhorn Alumni Band,
I write to you today to share two important updates about the leadership of the Longhorn Band and Longhorn Pep Band.
As you know, after 8 years on the faculty of the Butler School, Professor Josh Gall will resign as Associate Director of the Longhorn Band and Director of the Longhorn Pep Band at the end of this school year.
His 8 years of service have been an important chapter in the history of our program. We wish him and his family well as they begin this new chapter in their lives.
As for the future of the Longhorn Band, we are pleased to announce that Professor Drew Dickey has accepted our offer to join the faculty at UT, effective June 1, 2021
Professor Dickey will serve as Associate Director of the Longhorn Band and on the conducting faculty of the Butler School of Music at The University of Texas at Austin, where he is currently completing his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Wind Conducting. In addition to this appointment, Mr. Dickey serves as the Brass Caption Coordinator with The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps from Rosemont, Illinois.
Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Dickey held positions at The South Carolina School of the Arts at Anderson University, the Anderson School District 5 District Office, and Southwood Academy of the Arts. He also served as a Graduate Conducting Associate with the Louisiana State University Department of Bands and has spent many years as an educator and administrator in the South Carolina public schools.
Mr. Dickey holds the degrees of Master of Music in Music Education from the Ithaca College School of Music, Master of Music in Wind Conducting from Louisiana State University, and Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of South Carolina.
Dr. LaToya Webb, in addition to her duties as Associate Director of the Longhorn Band will assume the position of Director of the Longhorn Pep Band. Dr. Webb was an integral part of the LPB this year and will continue the tradition of excellence in that ensemble.
I hope that you will be able to join myself, Dr. Webb and Professor Dickey for what I know will be an amazing year as the Longhorn Band and Longhorn Pep band once again entertains hundreds of thousands of Longhorn faithful.
Hook ‘em,
Dr. Croomes