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By Sarah Kaufman

This fall, the ������Ƶ (Central) football field will be alive with the sounds of cheering fans, crushing tackles, and music when the marching band returns for the first time since 2019, accompanied by the flag-bearing color guard.

As an incentive to music and non-music majors alike, the Music Department is offering $1,000 scholarships to students who join the marching band and participate in band activities throughout the full school year. Students also can receive $500 scholarships for joining the color guard. Even graduate students can join the band and receive the scholarships. 

Several factors lead to the marching band’s hiatus, according to Music Department Chairman Dr. Charles Menoche. Dr. In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic that started in early 2020, the professor who taught band remotely during that time decided to retire along with three other professors in the Music Department.

“We originally tried to restart the marching band for Fall 2022. We were going to bring in a one-year emergency hire to do it,” Dr. Menoche said. “But by the time we could do the search we couldn’t find a workable candidate. We had an interim person to come in and do the sitting band but the interim wasn’t in position to do marching band.”

In late June, Central hired former University of Hartford Marching Band Director Dr. James Minnix to lead the marching band. Minnix also will lead the basketball band and concert band and teach instrumental music education.

“He’s going to be wearing multiple hats — typical of how we do things here at CCSU,” Menoche said. “We did a national search, and it’s just a coincidence that he happened to be familiar with the area. He has a bit of a jump start on knowing the area and being able to get things off the ground.”

Minnix had to hit the ground running, but Menoche believes the new director is up to the task.

“He is going to be doing a lot of work in a short period of time,” he said. Obviously, Dr. Minnix has experience with this type of thing. He’s been in a number of situations where he’s rebuilding a program ,and that’s what he is going to be doing here.”

Minnix became the marching band director at the University of Hartford in 2020 while he was completing his doctorate in music. Prior to that, he was at the University of Massachusetts Amherst working on his graduate degree.

“I’ve had a lot of great experience working with the UMass band, which has a world-renowned marching band,” Dr. Minnix said. “I love to teach marching band, and I’m looking forward to rebooting it at CCSU.”

Minnix said the marching band purchased new uniforms in 2019 but only got to use them for one season. He checked out their condition in late June and said they are still in good shape.

“I love the uniforms,” he said. “I really think they’re perfect. I don’t think I could have picked a better option myself."

Drew Benard of Wallingford, an incoming CCSU senior who plays the flute, said he is excited for the return of the marching band. 

“Marching band was a big reason why I came here,” Bernard said. “CCSU was the only school that checked off all my boxes. It’s the only one of the four state colleges with a marching band.”

Benard said while the scholarship amount might not sound like a large sum, it makes a dent in Central’s already low tuition rate of $9,000 for in-state students.

“I already got a $3,000 scholarship, so this will be in addition to that,” he explained.

The Music Education major said he has not been in a marching band since high school. Benard is looking forward to getting back into it this fall.

“I’m a little nervous about re-learning how to march. It’s been so long since I’ve done it,” he said. “There’s going to be a bit of a learning curve for all of us. Students who’ve never been in a marching band before shouldn’t be intimidated because we’ll all be learning together.”

Marching band is one of the big reasons I came here, and I finally get to experience it.”

Menoche, Minnix, and Bernard all noted that they hope non-music majors will consider joining the band. 

“I think key things to know about joining marching band (for non-music majors) is that it is a great way to start make those bonds and connections right away,” Menoche said. “They also come to campus a week early for band camp. So, when they start classes, they have already been here and know their way around campus a bit and have made some friends.”

Minnix said that joining the marching band is an opportunity to be part of an organization with a common goal. He said he is still in contact with non-music majors he was in band with during college.

It’s certainly one of the great social environments I’ve ever had the pleasure of being a part of,” Dr. Minnix said. “If a non-music major is a sports fan, they’ll be there to support CCSU teams and get to watch the games. It’s going to be a great experience and a chance for students to have a great time.”

Benard said marching bands form community and lasting friendships.

“You’ll probably never find a group of people you fit in more than with the people in marching band. That’s what I found in high school,” Benard said. “When I walked into the band room for first time, I said to myself, ‘These are my people.’”

Minnix said he is ready to get to work determining the songs to play and choreographing the routines. 

“There are so many things dancing around inside my head,” he said “We’re playing behind a little bit. We may not have a completed show by band camp day one, but I think we’re still going to be fine. Once we get the number of our students in, I will be fast at work on the shows."

The schedule for band camp has not been posted, yet. Students interested in learning more about the marching band and available scholarships should contact Dr. Charles Menoche at menochec@ccsu.edu/.