HOMECOMING 2001
If you didn’t make Homecoming 2000, you really missed out on a lot of fun!  The BBQ Luncheon was well attended (115 persons) and the Alumni Band marched about 50 brave souls in the Pre-game activities.  Two wonderful Alums, Col. Jon Kindred and Jose Diaz were inducted into the Band of Fame.

So how can we make Homecoming 2001 even better?  Easy…Participate!!!  Our Luncheon in the Walsh Center has become a really nice family event for the Ex-Bandsmen.  This year there will be a minor change in the Luncheon.  We will still have great food and activities but will have to charge a nominal fee of $5.00 per person or $15.00 per family (mom, dad, kids).  This is a great bargain for the Exes, especially if you have a lot of kids (like me!).

For those of you that need more information on the Fund, Please contact me personally at my home address or by e-mail, or contact Adam Baggs in the Development Office at TCU (P.O. Box 297044, Ft. Worth, TX  76129) or phone him at 817-257-5332.

October 18^th
The Ex-Bandsmen Association would like to provide refreshments to the Marching Band after their rehearsal on Thursday evening, October 18^th.  This would be around 8:00pm and would take place at Amon Carter Stadium.  If you are in town by then and would like to participate in this activity, please let me (Mark Sakovich) know.  This would be a great way to show your appreciation for the Band!

Once again, our friends from Tropix will be playing at the post-game party at Joe T. Garcia’s.  This would be a great way to round out your Homecoming activities!  Check out all of the Homecoming activities in the Homecoming flyer that should have arrived at your residence by now!

This year, we will be inducting Don Gillis into the Band of Fame.  Don was a former Band Director at TCU and world class composer and arranger. 

Speaking of e-mail; I would like to try and get e-mail addresses for all of the Ex-Bandsmen (for those of you that have e-mail).  Please contact me or Kathy Smith (k.smith@tcu.edu).  Also, don’t forget to let us know what your real names are when you contact us!  (There’s a lot of you out there with really strange e-mail names…)

Ex-Bandsmen Brandon Huff is working on a history of the Band.  He will be speaking at the luncheon about this project.  This is something that is long overdue.

Yes, the world famous TCU Ex-Bandsmen window stickers will be on sale at the luncheon for the incredibly low price of $1.00 each.  No other organization has this style!

As usual, wear something that is purple or white.  We always try to be color co-ordinated!

I have not heard yet from the ticket office about whether I can get tickets.  Usually we can get some discounted end-zone seats on consignment for about $7.00 each.  All members of the Alumni Band that march in with the Band for the Pre-game will not need tickets to the game!  You may also sit with the Band (in the last several rows of the Band'’ section) during the game.  Family members that accompany you will need tickets.  The Marching Band and Alumni Band will meet by the Student Center at 1:00pm and march down to the Stadium from there.  We will announce this again at the luncheon.

The Marching Band is now under the Direction of Brian Youngblood.  Dr. Ross Grant is the Asst. Director.  The Band arrived on campus in early August for “Marching Camp”.  The Colorguard (under the direction of Mark Fowler) and Percussion section (under the direction of our new professor of percussion, Brian West) began rehearsals on August 9^th.  The winds began on August 13^th.  The Horned Frog Band spent the weeks learning our traditional pre-game entrance and music for the upcoming year.  We plan on reviving some old-time favorite stand tunes this year.  The Marching Band is also working to put together this year’s exhibition show.  This year’s production is based on St. Joan of Arc.  We are performing original music by composer Key Poulan that is set to represent this great heroic story.  The show will include some fast paced drill moves and highlight all sections of the Band.  We will be performing an exhibition at the Alamodome in San Antonio at the Band of America Southwest Regional Championship on October 6^th, and at Region V District UIL Marching Contest at Pennington Field in Hurst on October 16^th.  Be sure to try and catch one of these performances if you are in the vicinity… (We will never perform the entire exhibition show at a TCU game, so these are your only chances to see it.)  The Horned Frog Band rehearses Tuesday and Thursday from 6:30-8:30pm and Friday from 3:00-5:00pm.  As always, everyone is welcome to come to the rehearsals!  GO FROGS!

The Wind Symphony will have concerts on November 12^th, 16^th and December 2^nd.  The concert on Dec. 2^nd will be a combined concert with the choir at 2:00pm.  The concert on November 16^th will be for the first annual “TCU Band Weekend”.

The Wind Symphony will perform at the Southwest Regional College Band Directors National Conference (CBDNA) in Houston on Feb. 16, 2002.  The concert is at 1:30pm on the University of Houston campus.  If you live in the Houston area, please come hear our performance!  The concerts are open to the public.  The Wind Symphony will also be performing at the Texas Music Educator’s Association convention  (TMEA) in San Antonio on Feb. 23^rd.

The TCU Jazz Ensemble appeared at the 8^th Annual Hawaiian International Jazz Festival in Honolulu on July 18-24^th.  This year’s theme was a tribute to the great Stan Kenton featuring jazz greats and the Kenton Alumni Bud Shank, Gabe Baltazar, Marvin Stamm. The Four Freshmen, and others.  Upcoming dates include:  Nov. 29^th- annual fall concert, Feb. 12^th- Valentine’s, Lincoln’s Birthday and Chinese New Year’s Concert, March 22-23^rd- 25^th annual TCU Jazz Festival with trombonist Bill Watrous.  We look forward to seeing all of you at one of our future concerts!

When I first started writing this newsletter, everything was going along just about as normal as possible.  I was worried about getting all the loose ends tied up before Homecoming and making sure that I didn’t forget anything.  Then came Sept. 11^th…  Now everything is different.  TCU will be playing ARMY for its Homecoming game.  A new significance and meaning for the game has occurred.  Some of the ARMY players may be going to war soon.  In fact, some of us might be going to war soon.  All I can do is pray that we will conquer terrorism and that the world will soon be free of this scourge.   I know that not all of you can come to Homecoming.  I just hope to see as many of you there as possible.  Let’s support our Armed Forces wherever they are!  May God bless you all and keep your families safe from harm.