Fire Mark Walker

Won't happen. Troy would actually have to care about the band and tradition for that to happen and as you can tell they don't. 

I generally avoid posts like these, so as to not stir up any trouble, but I'll try my best to be civil on this one.

Dr. Walker is an amazing band director. He's been here for more than 20 years and in that time, he's managed to keep the status of our bands and our music program as one of the best in the state. Have you seen the symphony band lately? There's a good argument to be made that it IS the best in the state, even above Alabama and Auburn. For a university our size and in our location, it's truly a feat that year after year, we continue to bring in excellent musicians and continue to push the boundaries for symphony band. Each year, our high school honor band brings in around 800 kids who want to come here. Not many universities, especially those of our size, can say that. 

On marching band size: Our size hasn't changed much. In fact, it's gone up significantly from last year. We have around 330 total, with our pre-covid average being around 350. In the band world, that's not too big of a difference. We were given an extra section in 2021 by athletics, so it may appear that we're smaller because we're not as packed-like-sardines as we used to be. 

On the fanfare and dixie: I'm one of the <50 people who have conducted the fanfare. Ever. Dr. Walker never has, the assistant DMs never have. I can speak on behalf of the last 5 head drum majors when I say that sometimes there are things that are more important than tradition. The decision to change the fanfare and to remove dixie went way above Dr. Walker's head. Your opinions can be what they are, but I believe that in the grand scheme of things, what matters most is the public perception of the University and of the band program. Keeping the old fanfare and keeping dixie would have caused more problems to how people see our university than good.

On JSU's band: They're good. They're really good. Take what I said about having a small university and still managing a huge marching band and multiply it by 50. They were awarded the Sudler Trophy and they truly deserve it. However, the thing to keep in mind about JSU's band vs SOTS is the styles.  JSU's shows are competition-style, they're incredibly difficult, and their only intention is to recruit more people to join their 500 member band. If you want to keep tradition in mind, that's not how SOTS is, and it's not how SOTS was in the "good 'ol days." Our style, and our goal, is to be loud and to be entertaining to more than just high schoolers. Whether we are or not is subjective, but comparing SOTS and JSU's band is hard to do just because of how much we differ. If you want us to be "better" than JSU's band, you're going to have to give up a lot of the traditions you want to keep. 

On him specifically: At the end of the day, what matters the most is the students. I can guarantee you that Dr. Walker has the support of the school of music, and all of the students within it.

Sure doesn't look like 330 and I have been coming to Troy games since the 1980's. I'll take your word for it but it looks drastically smaller than prior years when they are in the stands

My issue is the replacement does not sound good, if that was the best that could be inserted it would have been better to just scrap the whole thing. Also directing the fanfare does not make you any more or less an expert or give you any more or less of a voice than anyone else. I have a lot of respect for Dr. Walker, he helped me through some really dark times when I was there. That aside I also agree he is a great director who is simply different than Dr Long or Mr Ford.

You should have avoided this one, too.



...I still haven't seen proof of it on the field.



FIFY




No one who was in the band when they played Dixie or Are You From Dixie? is racist, bigoted, or ignorant simply because of the time they were in SOTS. I don't appreciate the insinuation, and I really don't appreciate the condescension.




Dixie is the title of the song, and therefore capitalized whether you like the song or not. Also, again, it's not changing the Fanfare, it's changing it to something terrible that no one wants to hear.



Then stop playing Top 40 from revolving decades with a bland drill.



I DEFY you to tell me the Marching Southerners are not entertaining. I dare you. Quote this sentence, then below it, post, "The Marching Southerners are not entertaining." I dare you. They play great music at a very high level, which is entertaining in itself. You can count on them to have something different every year, not pop and classic rock over and over again. When you combine that with a drill that is fun to watch you've really got something special. They also maintain tradition. Ever heard them play Malaguena, or Salvation Is Created? or the Bottle Dance? Nah, no tradition there at all. Excellence is also a tradition in itself.



Fail. You're entertaining the people who think bands are good because they recognize the songs and that's about it. The Southerners can take half their band and be twice as loud as SOTS and maintain a quality ensemble sound. Don't go there.



No, it's really not, and every band person here knows that.




Seems like they've already been given up, so where's the improvement?




"This is a really special group of guys."

Amen.

my dad said the same thing saturday he even booed the fanfare change and he graduated in '86

One could change 4 notes and then not repeat any note except the last one.
Any person who ever played “name that Tune” or has any musical ability at all could alter this. Hint it could even be similar but NOT Dixie.
Many players in that band could alter it to satisfy the woke stupidity and actually not use Dixie. But more importantly than all the above it would sound better (much better)
I grew up Lutheran and basically our music in the Missouri Synod was whole note Gregorian chants. Sort but hideous to any music appreciative person.
Use your student talent and improve the Gregorian Chant part of the fanfare.