Why march with Stony Brook?

So you’re interested in joining a band! Not all band programs are the same. Here are some of the top reasons we think you should join the band:

• Sense of community and belonging - Each year at Presason the band spends nearly 72 hours together rehearsing and bonding. After those experiences, the band becomes a community of friends; not just musicians and marchers.

 

• Source of help and guidance - The marching band has approximately 200 incredible members who are always there to lend a helping hand. Off the field, many members, no matter their year, study together and help each other with homework and projects.  

 

• Connections - Marching band opens many doors and opportunities. You never know who marched when they were in high school or college. Marching band is an asset to your applications!

 

• Love of the art - Marching band is unlike any other musical ensemble you can join in college (especially at Stony Brook). You grow as a musician and marcher by working to perfect drill and music on a quick turnaround.

 

• Happiness - Many of our members are highly involved on campus. Band is their safe space and the place that will always make them happy.

 

• Sense of pride - It’s the feeling after a show when you realize all the hours of practice it took were worth it. It’s hitting your final set and hitting the final note knowing the effort you put in to make that show great. 

 

• Promotes personal growth - Marching band can be difficult but every challenge in band can be transferred to other situations. Persevering in marching band can translate to academic success. Many successful leaders were once in band; more than 70% of Fortune 1000 CEOs participated in band programs either in high school or in college.

 

• Academic achievement - Band members are some of the smartest students on campus. As of Fall 2018, over70% of the band had a GPA above a 3.0, with many students achieving near 4.0. 

 

• Friendship and memories - Most people in the band are friends with other people in the band, and those friendshipsoften extend beyond the field through college and after graduation.

 

• Mentorship - Each incoming student in the band is paired with a returning member who guides them through any questions they may have about the university or in general. These connections build the community of our band.  

 

• Stress relief -   For many of our members, our time rehearsing and performing is a welcomed break from their busy schedules.