St. Thomas may see its first marching band take the field if junior St. John Vianney Seminary student Christian DeCarlo’s work goes according to plan.

DeCarlo spent his spring semester presenting the idea to university officials.

“When I came to St. Thomas, I just saw the need for the university to have a marching band … such a fun atmosphere at the games is what the band adds, is what music adds,” DeCarlo said. “Providing that music provides an atmosphere of great school spirit.”

The cost of funding a fully developed marching band would go beyond the university’s club budget allowance, so DeCarlo is pushing for departmental backing. He said uniforms alone can cost more than $500 each. Rev. Michael Becker estimates the cost of all of the necessary instruments being more than $35,000.

“It is a very big process, and I think it’s something that takes more than just three months in the spring semester to put together. So that’s what I’m trying to do, is get that need out there to show (university officials) that we do need a band for the games, to be able to provide that school spirit,” DeCarlo said.

Vice President of Business Affairs Mark Vangsgard said student engagement is important on campus but the institution needs to make sure the concept has traction over time and will continue in the long-term.

“Do we have funding set up and available to initiate this? The answer is no,” Vangsgard said. “But as with most student ideas that come forward, you see what the traction is, you see what the interest is, you see what the momentum is and then if its something that’s meaningful, impactful, embraced, then we try and find funding for it.”

Becker said the music department was not very optimistic about the idea because it is not part of their current mission. He said there has been no money put forward yet to assist the project.

“If the university doesn’t put forth some money on this, it will not materialize,” Becker said.

Junior Bryton Altemose has been spending the last few years commuting to the University of Minnesota to play in its marching band. She said a marching band is one of the best ways to represent the school.

“I just think it’s one of the better ways people show school spirit and just get involved in pretty much everything on campus because a lot of times (universities) just want the band to do random stuff,” Altemose said.

Freshman Jacob Denn was involved in marching band at his high school and said having one at St. Thomas could be a positive addition to the university’s other instrumental ensembles like concert band and orchestra.

“I think it will get people more excited about music because concert band and orchestra, those are super sweet, but you’re not as (physically) active in them,” Denn said. “In marching band, you’re moving around a bunch, and so I think that could really bring people into a different type of music that they’re not used to.”

DeCarlo said he hopes the band will be performing at St. Thomas football games and eventually expand to parades.

“We’d have a pre-game show addition to the quad, so adding some more music to that,” DeCarlo said. “Also, during the game and then a halftime show, and then during the rest of the game and a quick post-game song or two.”

DeCarlo said the focus right now is getting the department directors to start seeing the need for a marching band. He said if the university sees a need, it will be evaluated and St. Thomas can start taking steps to get the program started.

“(The St. Thomas community) seems like it’s on board with it, but we just have a lot of issues we need to work out beforehand: where to practice, how long, where are we going to keep the stuff, logistical questions like that, and also personnel questions,” DeCarlo said.

DeCarlo said he is shooting for a 30-member band that would practice about three times per week and incorporate a mix of marching and playing.

“Anything we do, we’re going to do it with excellence, so we’re going to go and do the best show we can do with 30 people,” DeCarlo said. “I think that we can do a good job and be able to start some real traditions with the university.”

Both Altemose and Denn said that the band may not be a huge success immediately, but they may offer a lot to the university down the road.

“I think it will be kind of weak at first but that’s kind of the way with any program,” Denn said. “It needs time to build up, and I think eventually we could have a super sweet marching band here.”

DeCarlo said a marching band could be a key factor in student attendance at sporting events.

“Keeping people in their seats for the halftime show rather than having 20 minutes of boring nothingness I think would be something that could very well bring in a lot more people and really increase the school spirit,” DeCarlo said.

Vangsgard said this may be something that starts slow and progresses over time. His said his philosophy is to “never say never and never say always.”

“Would we consider it, I think hopefully we would consider almost anything that students brought forward and had interest in and passion about and numbers behind and had figured out ways to do this,” Vangsgard said. “Is it a guarantee of funding? No.”

Zach Zumbusch can be reached at zumb8499@stthomas.edu.