Re: Re: Anyone go to or know about ucf??


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TubeNet BBS ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Tim Cary on January 24, 2000 at 16:41:04:

In Reply to: Re: Anyone go to or know about ucf?? posted by Sage One on January 24, 2000 at 00:38:35:

I think that you have missed the point of this young man's question. He wants to know if decent horns are available at Central Florida or if he should try to buy one. Most schools own the more expensive instruments and the percussion equipment used by their bands. Just because he won't major in music doesn't mean that he should provide his own horn. At most colleges, its the music majors who own their own instruments. Those of us who played in college for "fun" or to help master their instruments usually play school horns. BTW, while I wasn't a music major, I owned my own horn in college, a Mirafone 186-5U CC, that I paid for myself.

Colleges have bands to provide music education and to be a part of the school that can help with a certain amount of PR. Also, while UCF is a state college (supported by taxpayers) the students still pay tuition. A very small amount of your state tax dollar goes to support higher education, and an even smaller portion of that finds its way eventually to a music program. Central Florida a few years back decided to upgrade its athletics to Div. 1A. Most likely, even with the succes of Dante Culpepper, UCF athletics are a money losing proposition (this isn't a bash on UCF, most athletic programs lose money, even at SEC and Big Ten schools). If you're worried about people having fun with your tax dollars, look to places other than music; music programs are often among the first hit when it comes to "cutting costs."

Now that I am out of college, I play in a local community band. We make it clear that you must own your own instrument. We own a BB-flat and an E-flat tuba, as well as percussion equipment and some of the "oddball" woodwind instruments, but everyone else provides their own. We recieve no money, directly or indirectly, from any government or taxing authority. We own most of the music that we play - we pay for our "fun." However, at the college level, these young people serve as representatives of their schools, and paying for college is hard enough without the expense of musical instruments. In time, Pedal Bb may buy his own horn, but for now he nneds a school horn. Do you question the student who needs to use the computer lab, the library, the IM center, or attends sporting events?



Follow Ups: