Marching into the fall semester

For both current students and alumni, excitement is building up in anticipation of the UTRGV Marching Band, which the university plans to roll out as early as next fall. 

Saul Torres, an assistant professor and director of Bands for the School of Music, will be one of two directors at the helm for the UTRGV Marching Band.

Torres told The Rider the goal is to hire a director of Athletic Bands before the semester ends. 

Interest forms to join the band for the Fall 2023 semester are available through Aug. 28. Auditions are set to take place during the summer break. 

Currently enrolled students, new freshmen and transfer students at UTRGV can audition. All majors are welcome. 

Torres said the marching band will include flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, baritones, tubas and a drumline.

He has an ambitious goal of creating a 250-person band, which he said is an average number of members for a university marching band. Another goal is to have two self-sufficient bands in Edinburg and Brownsville but said he understands that may take some years to accomplish. 

Bigger schools, such as the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Alabama, have about a 400-member band on average. 

As of last Tuesday, the university had received 250 interest forms, said Torres, adding that he expects that number to grow in the coming months.

“We’re looking at getting enough instruments that anybody that wants to participate should be able to participate,” he said. “We don’t want to turn down a student because we don’t have an instrument or they don’t have it. … My main goal as director of bands is to make sure we have a complete marching band. … There’s no reason for them not to be in it.” 

Torres said whether or not students would have to pay an equipment fee is still up in the air.

“We’re going into uncharted territory, so we have to go through a season and we’ll learn through the process,” he said. “But there’s some fees that students will be required to pay. What those fees are, we still don’t know yet. … The fees may include students purchasing their own shoes and maybe … a marching band shirt.” 

Torres also mentioned marching band students will receive scholarships due to the time commitment that is required with rehearsals, game day and event attendance. 

“It’s a big time commitment,” he said. “We’re looking at at least six hours of rehearsal a week.” 

Aiming to start auditions and teaching students the fundamentals in late August, another goal Torres has for the marching band is for the first performance to be during the annual McAllen Holiday Parade. 

Depending on when the marching band can get its instruments and uniforms, he also hopes for the band to perform at other community events, parades and for local high schools during marching competitions.  

Ruben Adame, Fine Arts director for La Joya Independent School District and executive secretary for University Interscholastic League Region 15, told The Rider last Tuesday that having a marching band at UTRGV is a great opportunity for local kids who want to continue their passion for marching. 

“We have a very rich tradition of marching bands here in the [Rio Grande] Valley and a lot of kids, not necessarily majoring in music, want to continue being in marching band and that was never an option here,” Adame said. “They were always having to go to Kingsville or San Marcos. … It is a huge opportunity for this passion of marching band to thrive at the university level here in the Rio Grande Valley.” 

Adame, who was a high school marching band director from 1996 to 2014, and Torres are good friends and are both alumni from legacy institution University of Texas-Pan American.

Adame asked Torres if UTRGV would have an exhibition marching band at competitions later this year, to which Torres replied with an immediate yes.

“So, for that to be possible so early, even before the football program, is very exciting,” Adame said. “I know that’s a venue and an opportunity to advertise that program … to as many as 10,000 people.” 

Emily Castillo, a music education junior, said she is excited for what is to come, from simply being in a marching band again to increased funding, enrollment and recognition in the School of Music. 

“I already submitted my interest form,” Castillo said. “I play clarinet, but I also want to, hopefully, be one of the drum majors. Me and my friends are all talking about it, how we’re all gonna do the Vaquero marching band, and it seems really fun and exciting.” 

She said any student interested in joining the marching band should not be scared to do so.

“If you’re really interested, totally reach out to someone who is in the music department,” Castillo said. “… Come and have fun. Share a love of passionate music making. … That’s what it’s all about.” 

For more information on the marching band or to fill out an interest form, visit link.utrgv.edu/marchingband.