The dates for the 2012 KUMU Band Camp are:
Drum Majors - Monday, August 13 – Sunday, August 26
BEC & Student Leadership - Wednesday, August 15 – Sunday, August 26
Drumline & Colorguard Members - Wednesday, August 15 – Sunday, August 26
Remaining Winds & Brass - Friday, August 17 – Sunday, August 26
The good news is, you will move into your permanent academic housing on
Friday, August 17! More detailed reporting times will be available in the July
newsletter. Camp concludes on Sunday, August 26 with an afternoon performance
for the KU Freshmen Convocation.
The time commitment consists of 4 1/2 hours of rehearsal during the week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3:00-4:30 p.m.). Perfect attendance at all rehearsals is the expectation. Please keep this in mind when registering for classes. Rehearsals are scheduled so that conflicts with other classes are kept to a minimum. The Marching Unit will perform at all home football games, selected away games, and several exhibitions each season. Drumline, Color Guard, and all winds schedule additional sectionals. While in the Marching Unit, many members also perform in the Concert Band, Jazz Band, Orchestra, and various smaller ensembles as well as keeping a full academic load. There is time to do it all.
Absolutely! ALL the bands at Kutztown University are open to ALL KU students. Around 75% of KUMU is made up of non-music majors. Music majors are required to be in one large ensemble each semester and the Marching Unit can count towards this requirement.
Register for the appropriate band at registration or during add and drop. If you enroll for credit, you will receive a grade for "1" hour of credit. Many students participate in the Marching Unit in the fall semester and Symphonic Band and/or Wind Ensemble in the spring semester. The Department of Music is committed to providing a musical opportunity for every interested KU student.
Winds & Brass: All Winds and Brass members are asked to contact
Professor Neuenschwander to arrange for a hearing for part placement. This
should be finished prior to band camp. Inclusion in the Marching Unit is
dependent upon attendance at the weeklong summer band camp (see above).
Everyone present at band camp will take part in the Marching Unit show.
Please fill out this form to receive information on
Band Camp. Contact KUMU as soon as possible to be placed on our mailing list
for all future information you will need! Band Camp concludes with an
exhibition in the stadium. Parents and friends are welcome to attend.
Colorguard/Band Front: Color Guard members audition each year
during the early part of May. Auditions for membership in the 2012 KU
Marching Unit Colorguard are Sunday, May 27 from Noon – 4:30 p.m. on the
campus of Kutztown University. Students who are interested in auditioning
for Color Guard, even if it is after May 27, please contact
Professor Neuenschwander immediately.
Drumline: Auditions for membership in the 2012 KU Marching Unit
Drumline are Sunday, May 27 from Noon – 4:30 p.m. on the campus of Kutztown
University. The Drumline Caption Head will place each person on the
instrument(s) they are best suited for contributing to KUMU. There are
currently only battery positions. Prospective Drumline members should add
your name to the mailing list here. You may also
send an e-mail to
Professor Neuenschwander. You will be sent instructions on how to best
prepare for the May audition.
Music majors and non-music majors may sign up for private lessons with our applied music faculty. Sign-up sheets are in the Music Department Office in Old Main 114.
Currently, each member pays a fee based on your year in the organization:
First Year - $120
Returning Member - $90 (Only if you have KUMU shorts and ball cap from previous years)
This fee pays for band camp, KUMU T-shirt (required), KUMU shorts (required), a KUMU ball cap (required), and select meals on trips. Another required purchase (only if you DO NOT currently own a pair of BLACK marching shoes) is marching shoes, which is an additional cost of approximately $40.
Auditions for scholarships occur in December, January and February for the following school year. Auditions are open to majors and non-majors. To audition, each person must prepare two works of contrasting styles, (ie. a lyrical section vs. a technical section), play scales and possibly sight-read. If you are interested, contact the music department at (610) 683-4550 ASAP for a suitable audition time. You will be notified of an award in early spring. Find more information on music scholarships here.
If an instrument is available to rent from KUMU, the cost to rent a KUMU instrument for the marching season is $35.00. Instruments used in the Marching Unit include piccolo, clarinet, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone, trumpet, mellophone, trombone, baritone, sousaphone, and percussion.
Currently, KUMU rehearses on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. In addition, we also rehearse on game days. Rehearsal times for game days are announced during regular weekly rehearsals.
No. Please return to our homepage for frequent updates.
Prof. Daniel Neuenschwander is the Director of the Kutztown University Marching Unit.
Yes, there are four: Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Sigma Alpha Iota.
The band room is located in Old Main 31, “C” Wing. Download a KU Campus Map here. Old Main 31 is building number 31 on the campus map.