» Department of Fine and Performing Arts » Music » Ensembles
The Bearcat Marching Band, including the BMB Drumline, Northwest Colorguard, Bearcat Steppers, and Featured Twirlers, performs for all home football games, the Homecoming Parade, at Arrowhead Stadium (home of the Kansas City Chiefs) and in exhibition for numerous regional high school marching band festivals.
The Bearcat Marching Band (BMB) is comprised of students from all over the Northwest campus, each of whom take great pride in all things BMB and Bearcat Nation.
BMB is a one-hour course (19-110 or 19-111) which meets from 4:10-5:15 daily, with additional requirements for Saturday game days and other performances. Students enrolled in the 19-110 section earn academic credit, which counts toward the calculation of the students GPA and credit hours, and brings with it the standard cost for a credit hour on the Northwest campus. Students enrolled in 19-111 earn activity credit, for which there is no charge; the activity credit does not count toward the student’s overall credit hours or the calculation of their GPA.
With the exception of the Colorguard, the BMB is open to all students with high school band experience. Auditions are required for part assignments (winds) or instrument assignments (drumline). Audition materials are emailed to those who register for the required pre-season camps with auditions taking place when students report to camp. Audition materials can also be requested via email. The typical audition consists of school songs and scales (winds) or warm ups and cadences (drumline).
Required fees associated with participation in the BMB are minimal and include a BMB baseball cap and uniform dry cleaning for winds and percussion, and uniform accessories for colorguard. Additional materials needed for marching and performing (instrument lyre, marching shoes, gloves, etc.) are made available for purchase to the membership. There is no cost for use of university instruments or flags, and a BMB t-shirt is provided for free.
The Bearcat Marching Band is under the direction of Director of Athletic Bands Dr. Katy Strickland, with additional instructional staff and student leadership.
Over 70% Percentage of BMB members in non-music majors
You don’t have to be a music major to participate in the BMB! Our membership represents a wide variety of students from all over campus, including Agriculture, Business, Computer Science, Education, Art, the Sciences, and more.
3.12 Cumulative GPA of BMB members in the fall 2023
BMB leadership makes a priority of valuing our member’s time commitments to their studies and life, allowing students of all majors to be successful on the marching field and in the classroom.
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