New Website, Social Media Presences, & Newsletter Format
The feedback received from a review of our communication modes at the National Association of Alumni Bands Symposium showed that we needed to update and expand our online offerings to reach all of our Bands Alumni. Our members range from age 22 to age 90, so quite a few changes needed to be made!
Our website moved to a new host and domain (www.wcupabaa.com) and was redesigned. The newsletters are now blog posts on the website. We added a Facebook page and an Instagram page, both of which have the handle @wcupabaa. The Facebook group isn’t going anywhere – you’re welcome to join it at https://www.facebook.com/groups/wcupabaa. Twitter and TikTok are under consideration for future additions to the social media toolkit.
We’re glad you’re here – poke around at the website and find all we’ve packed into it!
WCU WIND BAND ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCES
9/2: Home Football Game vs. Bentley – 6:00 p.m. kickoff at Farrell Stadium
9/10: Home Football Game vs. Slippery Rock – 12:00 p.m. kickoff at Farrell Stadium
9/17: Exhibition – Tournament of Bands show hosted by Odessa HS’s band – Time TBD (show starts at 4:00 p.m.) at Odessa HS – 570 Tony Marchio Dr., Townsend DE 19734
9/24: Home Football Game vs. Millersville – 12:00 p.m. kickoff at Farrell Stadium
9/24: Exhibition – Cavalcade of Bands show hosted by Downingtown HS East’s band – Time TBD at Downingtown Area SD-Kottmeyer Stadium: 445 Manor Ave., Downingtown PA 19335
9/25: Collegiate Marching Band Festival – performance time 4:15 p.m. (show starts at 12:00 p.m.) at J. Birney Crum Stadium: 2027 Linden St., Allentown PA 18104
Wind Ensemble and Wind Symphony
10/2: Wind Ensemble and Wind Symphony – 8:15 p.m. at Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall
with Guest Conductor, Sarah McKoin
We are excited to have Sarah McKoin, Director of Bands at Texas Tech University, joining us to open the 2023-23 performance season. The Wind Symphony kicks off the program with John Barnes Chance’s classic Blue Lake Overture. Omar Thomas’ striking pensive setting of Shenandoah and James David’s gritty Urban Light fill out the Wind Symphony program. Zhou Tian’s energetic Seeker’s Scherzo opens the Wind Ensemble’s portion of the program. Jack Hontz’s (BS ‘15, MM, ‘20) transcription of Lili Boulanger’s D’un Matin de Pritemps follows with the concert concluding with Ingolf Dahl’s landmark Sinfonietta.
BANDS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NEWS
Homecoming Weekend 2022 – “Rock & Roll Homecoming”
October 7th through 9th
Registration for the 2022 Alumni RamBand is open!
DON’T FORGET – New Alumni (December 2021, May 2022, and August 2022 grads) can participate for FREE, and must register no later than Saturday, September 17th!
All other registrations that require a uniform t-shirt to be ordered must be completed no later than Saturday, September 17th.
Click here for 2022 Alumni RamBand information and the registration links!
6th Man Basketball Band Performance Opportunity
The WCU Athletic Director would love for the BAA members to cover for the 6th Man Basketball Band members for 7 Home games during the Winter Break!
Sunday 12/11 @ 1:00 p.m. (Women’s)
Friday 12/30 @5:30 p.m. (Women’s
Friday 12/30 @7:30 p.m. (Men’s)
Wednesday 1/4 @ 5:30 p.m. (Women’s)
Wednesday 1/4 @ 7:30 p.m. (Men’s)
Wednesday 1/11 @5:30 p.m. (Women’s)
Wednesday 1/11 @7:30 p.m. (Men’s)
MORE DETAILS TO COME! Mark your calendars now!
Have you registered for your WCUAA PerksConnection account yet?
An Alumni Benefits Program has been created, and it is far more extensive than the WCUAA has ever had available. Disney Parks, Universal Studio Parks, Sea World, Dell, HP, as well as several car rental companies are examples of the 60+ national companies in the program.
Major franchises with locations close to West Chester also participate, such as Subway, Domino’s Pizza, Freddy’s Steakburgers, and Buddy’s Burgers.
Visit wcuaa.perksconnection.com and get yourself registered!
2022 BAA Officer Elections
Timeline for the 2022 BAA Officer Election Process:
- Electronic Nominations accepted from August 27th through October 6th
- Nominations close on October 7th during the BAA Annual Meeting
- Nominees announced by October 9th
- Electronic Election Ballots will be live from October 14th to October 24th
- Elected Officers announced by October 26th
NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN! – Click here for more information.
Additional information about the elections process can be found here.
Directors of Bands Notes
Andy Yozviak, Greg Martin, and Adam Gumble
We’re just barely into the Fall semester, but we wanted to be sure that you knew about three performance opportunities you may wish to explore for your for intermediate, middle, and high school bands occurring in February and April. Have a great year, friends!
Ninth Annual National Band Association High School Wind Band Symposium
Friday and Saturday, February 3 and 4, 2023
Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre
Six high school wind bands will join Vandercook College’s Alex Kaminsky and the WCU Wind Band Directors during this two-day clinic. Interested ensembles should contact Dr. Yozviak at [email protected] for information.
Inaugural Wells School of Music Young Band Clinic
Saturday, February 11, 2023
Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre
Intermediate and middle-level bands will work with the WCU Wind Band Directors and Wells School of Music students during this single-day experience focused on ensemble growth in a positive and student-centered environment. Interested ensembles should contact Dr. Gumble at [email protected] for additional information.
Music for All Philadelphia Wind Band Festival
Thursday, March 16, 2023
West Chester University
The Wind Bands at WCU are honored to be hosting the Philadelphia Wind Band Festival as part of Music for All’s Affiliate Regional Music Festival initiative. The Philadelphia Wind Band Festival is modeled after the Music for All National Concert Band Festival and seeks to provide an artistic and educational environment through performance, clinics and feedback from a panel of nationally recognized clinicians. It is our aim to bring the Music For All National Concert Band Festival’s life-changing student and director experiences to our region. Additional information and registration forms can be found at the Music for All website, https://festival.musicforall.org/affiliate/.
Please Support our Bands Scholarships!
Director of Bands Scholarship
Through a collaborative effort, there has been a new scholarship created in honor of the career of Dr. Andrew Yozviak, the Director of Bands at WCU since 2006. The Director of Bands Scholarship will be awarded to a marching band member who consistently exhibits the following characteristics: Love for the activity of marching band, exemplary attendance, commitment to excellence through performance, be a model example for their peers, and going above and beyond the requirements of the class to enhance the experience for all members. It will be available to Sophomore marching band members and higher.
To date, the scholarship has had enough donations accumulated to bring it into existence, but it still needs to be fully funded for awarding to our talented band members.
Amy Walp Memorial Color Guard Scholarship
This scholarship is being established in memory of Amy Walp.
In addition to honoring Amy’s legacy, your gift will help support future members of the INCOMPARABLE WCU Color Guard.
The Scholarship has not yet had enough donated towards it to make into an official fund. The monies are being held in the Director of Bands Scholarship Fund per the WCU Foundation, and are clearly marked for the creation of the Walp scholarship.
How to Donate to These Scholarships
Director of Bands Scholarship
- Click Here to get to the WCU Foundation website
- LOOK FOR “To search for a specific fund for your gift, please click here” and click!
- When prompted, enter this code into the Fund Number box: 2401-600FN
- Click the link that reads, “Director of Bands Scholarship”
- You can complete your donation transaction from this point!
Amy Walp Memorial Color Guard Scholarship
- Click Here to get to the WCU Foundation website
- In the “My Gift is in Response to” field, please enter Amy Walp Memorial Color Guard Scholarship
- You can complete your donation transaction from this point!
Chapter Leadership
| President | Kay Johnson Clauss | [email protected] |
| Vice-President | Michael Wright | [email protected] |
| Secretary/Treasurer | Joey Sita | [email protected] |
| Executive Director | Alison Sharpe Beidler | [email protected] |
| Director of Bands | Dr. Andrew Yozviak | [email protected] |
| Associate Director of Bands | Dr. M. Gregory Martin | [email protected] |
| Director of Athletic Bands | Dr. Adam Gumble | [email protected] |