The
Frog Horn
The
Frog Horn is the official newsletter of the
TCU Ex-Bandsmen Association and Alumni Band
Vol.
40, No. 1 August, 2002
SPECIAL
40th BIRTHDAY EDITION!!!!!!
Officers for 2000-2002:
Homecoming
2002
itinerary
for october 5th
A
New look
SPECIAL
EVENT
BAND
OF FAME
E-MAIL
LIST
CD's for sale
WINDOW
STICKER
BOBBY FRANCIS
NOTES FROM
CURT WILSON
VP'S
FINAL THOUGHT
PRESIDENT'S
FINAL THOUGHT
eX-BANDSMEN HOME PAGE
HOMECOMING
2002
If
you didn’t get to attend the 2001 Ex-Bandsmen Homecoming activities you
really missed out on a lot of fun! The
event was once again well attended by about 100 Exes and their families.
Former TCU Band Director Don Gillis was inducted into the Band of
Fame. (We don’t know why he
wasn’t already in it, but at least that oversight is now corrected!)
We
had about 40 members participate in the Alumni Band and the football team
took care of the Army.
So
what will we do to top all of that in 2002?
Come and find out! There’s
a “RUMOR” that all of the Alumni Band members will receive a t-shirt
of some kind. And once again,
we will have a GREAT BBQ luncheon for Ex-Bandsmen and their families.
The fee for the BBQ luncheon will be
$5.00 per person or $15.00 per family (mom, dad, and kids). This is really a great bargain for the Exes,
especially for those of you with a lot of kids.
So
make plans to be there! Let’s
try to have 150 at the luncheon and 100 (yes, 100) in the
Alumni Band! And yes, I say
this every year, but this year is SPECIAL for us!
It’s our 40th Birthday!
Remember- the main reason why this event is such a success is
because we are family and we love to get together!
If
you haven’t attended this event in the last 3-4 years, you need to!!!
It has really changed and is now more of a family event than ever
before!
p.s.
Homecoming is Saturday, October 5th!!!
Let me know in advance how many of you are going to be at the
luncheon so that I can plan ahead with the caterer.
Send me a letter, give me a call, or send me an e-mail!
Mark
Sakovich
6849 Moss Lane
North Richland Hills, TX 76180
Ph. 817-428-0837
e-mail:
LCCC18@aol.com
UPDATE ON THE JIM AND WYN JACOBSEN FUND:
Success again!!!
Our efforts have paid off with $3,000 in disbursements to the
Director of Bands (Bobby Francis) in June, 2002. The Fund is currently
approaching $65,000 with another $20,000 pledged in insurance!
Remember that our goal is to have $100,000 in the
Fund by 2004. And why is 2004 so important?
It is the 100th anniversary of the Band! (Man we’re getting old…)
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.
There is also information available on our web-site.
A
New LOOK!
You will notice a NEW
LOOK for the Band this fall. Yes, the long-awaited new uniforms are
here! No more safety-pins!
This look was a long time coming and we should be very
appreciative of the current administration at TCU for this!
SPECIAL EVENT ON OCTOBER 3RD
The Ex-Bandsmen Association would like to provide refreshments (cokes, snacks, water, Gatorade) to the Marching Band after their rehearsal on Thursday evening, October 3rd. This would be around 8:00pm and would take place behind Amon Carter Stadium where the Band rehearses. 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!
Last year, we inducted Don Gillis into the Band of
Fame. Don was a former Band
Director at TCU and world class composer and arranger.
This year we are proud to induct two Ex-Bandsmen that really made
their mark in the entertainment arena.
Roy Bacus was involved with WBAP radio and TV and Mel Dacus who
was with Casa Manana for many years. Many of us watched Mel perform at Casa for years.
Who else will be inducted this year?
Come and see!
Speaking of e-mail; send me your e-mail addresses!
Then send me the names and e-mail addresses of your friends that
are also Ex-Bandsmen. 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…)
GO
TCU BAND!
GO HORNED FROGS!
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! I’ve personally seen hundreds of them in town on cars!
(Well, mainly on the back of my two cars in my own garage, but
hey! It’s the thought
that counts…)
As
usual, wear something that is purple or white.
We always try to be color coordinated!
The rumor about t-shirts WILL happen!
But it will perhaps be limited to the first 100 members of the
Alumni Band. Come to the
rehearsal at 10:00am and find out!
There will be shirts available at the luncheon for those that are
marching that can’t make practice.
If any shirts are left over (meaning that there were not 100
Alumni Band members to wear them) we will sell them for $10.00 each.
GO
ALUMNI BAND!!
We
can get discounted upper-deck seats on consignment for about $6.00 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.
cd'S
FOR SALE
At
the Homecoming luncheon, we will have the latest Wind Symphony CD,
"Testament" and the latest Jazz Ensemble CD for sale at $10.00
each. The proceeds go directly to each respective band. These CDs
are FABULOUS! (And they make GREAT stocking stuffers!)
NOTES
FROM BOBBY FRANCIS
The TCU Wind symphony engaged in a very
successful season of performances.
While the performance schedule was demanding for the Spring, the
results were well worth it. The group performed at the College Band
Directors National Association (CBDNA) Southwest regional conference in
Houston, the Texas Music Educators Association convention in San
Antonio. Both concerts were
within two weeks of each other. In
addition, the band performed the opening concert of the TCU Latin Arts
Festival in Ed Landreth Hall. Composer,
David Maslanka, was a guest composer in residence preceding the trip to
Houston. He traveled and
rehearsed with us as we prepared and performed the world premiere of his
new composition "Testament, Music for a Time of Trial". This
is a very dramatic composition based on the composer's reactions to the
events of September 11. It was a tremendous experience for the students
to get to know a famous composer (who is actually still alive) and play
his terrific music. Also,
the TCU Wind Symphony commissioned Dr. John McIntyre to write a choral,
organ and harp score to Alfred Reed's "Russian Christmas
Music". The band
premiered this new version at the TMEA concert to a dramatic standing
ovation. Music from the
last semester is now available on (to our knowledge) the first
commercially produced and marketed recording ever of the TCU Wind
symphony entitled " Testament". Copies are available from the
TCU band office (817 257-7640) or from Mark Records (716 759-2600).
Plans for this year includes several concerts on campus, a performance
at the TCU Music "Gala" at Bass Hall on October 21st, and a
recording sessions to produce the next CD.
Two band students were
killed a couple of weeks prior to the beginning of the camp.
Garth Ramsey was a senior music education major who died while
rock climbing. He played
trumpet in all of the ensembles. Chris
Baker was a sophomore who was killed in a stunt plane accident in Parker
County. He played tuba. Both students will be greatly missed.
After a very sad beginning,
the TCU "Horned Frog" Marching Band had a very successful
August camp. The enrollment
increased again this year by another 10%!
This is the 4th year in a row for enrollment increases in the
band. We have a goal of
reaching at least 250 members in the near future! (Depending on
scholarship funding)
Come
see the premiere of the Band's new uniforms on Saturday, September 14th
at 6:00 p.m. We think
you'll like the new look. The
new uniforms bring the look of the TCU Band "in - line" with
the other groups associated with the football games by bringing he black
and purple combination to the field.
Elegant, sophisticated and vibrant all describes the new look.
All the out of town games are too far away for the band to
travel, this year. (The closest is Louisville,
KY) The band has received invitations to perform in exhibition at the
Region V UIL marching contest on October 12th, the Plano East Marching
Contest and the Carrollton Marching Contest both on October 15th.
Additionally, we have been invited to perform at 2 UIL
"Area" marching contests on the same weekend.
The first is on Saturday, October 26 in Edinburg (Rio Grande
Valley) and the other is the following Monday in San Antonio. We are
working with the TCU Development Office trying to secure funding for the
trips. This would be a
great opportunity to perform for literally thousands of potential TCU
music students, their parents, and their high school directors.
This is the type of exposure that will help us grow to over 250
members.
We look forward to a great year. We hope to see you at the games and especially at Homecoming!
notes
from curt wilson
(Director of Jazz Studies):
Curt
will be taking a sabbatical this fall semester and is busy writing
music. The jazz ensembles
will be under the direction of Joey Carter until Curt returns in
January. He will, however,
conduct for the Bass Hall Gala on Oct. 21st where he will
perform his new George Gershwin Salute which incidentally, was premiered
this summer with the FT. Worth Symphony Big Band at their annual
Concerts in the Garden series. On
Nov. 19, we will have the exciting U.S. Navy Commodores from Washington
D.C. at TCU for an evening concert.
The annual fall concert will be held on Dec. 5th.
On March 29th, we will host our 26th annual
TCU Jazz Festival with 30 great middle school and high school jazz
ensembles plus Dave Pietro as guest soloist.
Dave is one of the most in-demand saxophonists
in New York. He plays lead
alto with the Tshiko Akiyoshi Big Band in New York as well as performing
on Broadway in 42nd Street.
Here’s a few other dates:
Sept.
20th - noon- Student Center, Annual Family Weekend concert
Sept.
28th - 1:30-4:30pm- Central Market on Hulen St.- Jazz Combo
Nov.
13th - 7:30pm- Pepsico Hall- Jazz Combo Concert
Nov.
19th – 7:30pm- Ed Landreth- U.S. Naval Commodores Jazz
Ensemble
Nov. 26- noon- Student Center- T/Th Jazz Ensemble Concert
April 15th - Paris, TX - afternoon clinic and evening performance
April
22nd - 7:30 Pepsico - Combo concert
Elections
Can
it be that time again? Yep!
We will be electing officers for the 2003-2004 period.
(But don’t worry; we have a feeling that the current slate of
officers will be running again!)
VP
Comments
O.K.,
so we closed our books and said our good-byes and walked across the
stage. Leaving the hallowed halls of our Alma Mater TCU, a door
closed and the world opened. We
can never go back, or so they say…
Things are never quite the same.
There is, of course, one exception!!!
There is one place where things continue, much the same as
before. Every year at
Homecoming, you can relive the excitement, the color, the noise, and the
music. Best of all,
the camaraderie. It’s all
still there every year, just as though it were yesterday.
Another event for the Band!
Yes, that wonderful purple and white line that says so much to so
many. The best of the best!
What better way to take a trip back in time--- try walking behind that
noisy group. The vibrant
feelings and the excitement of years gone by all comes flowing back with
zeal and pride as though the years have faded away.
Very few of our young memories can truly translate to our kids, and
sometimes, we may even question the accuracy of what we do recall.
However, if you and your family come and follow the band at
Homecoming, you will have the opportunity to truly translate the
feelings of excitement and family you experienced being a member of such
a terrific group of people. Let
the game begin!
My heart fills with immense pride as we take our places to stride out in
step with the new band, just as we always did.
Could there ever be a better feeling??!!
I still pull out the old clarinet, and my son Alexander, steps
beside me with his – you could say, following in the old man’s
footsteps. It gives you
goose bumps along with a healthy dose of Horned Frog Blue.
Come join your family and make your own special memories and
relive your past.
RAH RAH TCU! RAH RAH TCU!!
It
just doesn’t get any better than this!!!
THE BEAT GOES ON!!!!!!!
President's
Final Thoughts
There is a somber note to Bobby Francis’ comments on the next page, one
that rings true for all of us in this life.
Life goes on and will go on after we are done with this earth.
It is up to each one of us to make the most of our time here.
Two Band students were killed in separate accidents this summer.
They died doing things that they loved to do.
One was rock climbing and the other flying in an airplane.
Let’s say a prayer for them and their families and another for
the band during this difficult time.
IT’S
BACK…..!
GO ALUMNI BAND!!
Ex-Bandsmen
Webmaster Kathy Smith
Last modified 08/20/09
Mark Sakovich, President and Editor of
The Frog Horn
Dr. Peter Sakovich, Vice-President
Rick Wilshire, Treasurer
Kathy Smith, Secretary