School of Music

The Tennessee Tech University Golden Eagle Marching Band is a corps-style university marching band that performs for a variety of athletic, campus and community events.  Averaging 150 players annually, the band is comprised of students pursuing academic degrees from virtually every department on campus.  The band entertains thousands of fans each year at home football games, performing custom drill design and music arrangements.

Quick Facts

The GEMB is open to all Tennessee Tech students. Experience performing on a standard band instrument is highly preferred.
Students must enroll in MUS 1033 and will receive academic credit for participation.
The GEMB rehearses Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 4:00-6:00 p.m. and performs at all Golden Eagles home football games.
Preseason Band Camp takes place one week before the fall academic semester begins.
Prospective members of the Drumline will audition for membership. There is no audition for wind players, but a part-placement audition is required.

Mission

The mission of the Golden Eagle Marching Band is to:
- Serve the alma mater
- Encourage student involvement
- Foster musical achievement
- Promote the spirit and traditions of Tennessee Tech University.

The GEMB provides members positive, life-long experiences through participation and performances that build pride, leadership and confidence. 

Philosophy & Purpose

The GEMB exists for the following purposes:

Educational - To provide a training environment for all students, particularly music education majors, to develop skills to be master teachers and performers.
Cultural - To develop an appreciation and understanding of music as an art form through listening, practicing and performing music from many different composers and styles.
Support - To act as music ambassadors for the School of Music, College of Fine Arts, Tennessee Tech University and the State of Tennessee while presenting quality entertainment for our audiences at concerts, football games, pep rallies, parades and other performances.
Recreational - To provide students with an activity that offers them the opportunity for recognition, satisfaction and enjoyment through a worthwhile experience.

Do I have to be a music major to march in the band?

Only music majors are required to participate in the GEMB, otherwise our membership is made up of non-majors.  All are welcome to join!

Will I have time for marching band in my class schedule?

Yes! We take great care to ensure that students are able to balance their time between band and their other classes. This is an ensemble which offers social activity, continued musical enjoyment and leadership opportunities to those who seek them.

Do I have to enroll in a course to be a member?

Yes. All students are required to enroll in "MUS 1033" for academic credit.

Can I join the marching band if I don't attend Tennessee Tech?

Students who attend Volunteer State Community College may have the option to participate in the GEMB.  Please contact Dr. Jeffrey Miller for more information.

When does the marching band rehearse?

The GEMB rehearses during the fall academic semester from 4:00-6:00 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Do I have to attend a band camp?

Yes. All members of the GEMB are required to attend Preseason Band Camp. The camp occurs every year in August and begins one week before the fall academic semester. During camp, members come together as one group to learn the basic fundamentals of marching and music and to learn the pregame and halftime routines.

Do I have to audition?

All Tennessee Tech students with previous band experience are eligible to join the GEMB. There are auditions for drumline, but no formal admission audition for winds. All sections have part assignment auditions that occur during Preseason Band Camp.

Can I be in the marching band and other ensembles?

Yes! We encourage students to enroll and participate in other Tennessee Tech ensembles such as the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band, Concert Band, Golden Eagle Brass or one of our Jazz Ensembles. Members should speak with each ensemble director for audition information. Rehearsal schedules between bands will not conflict.

Will I be able to borrow an instrument?

Percussion, sousaphones, baritones, mellophones and piccolos will be provided. Other instruments are available on a limited basis upon request. If you own an instrument, you are expected to play that instrument.

Are there expenses associated with being a member?

Band members must purchase gloves and marching shoes. A cleaning fee for the uniform will be assessed at the end of the fall semester.  Other uniform-related items will be provided free of charge.

Are there scholarships available?

Students seeking a scholarship are encouraged to audition during one of the School of Music audition dates.

Please contact Dr. Jeffrey Miller (jlmiller@tntech.edu) for more information.

 

Why do we have a pre-season band camp?

To achieve excellence, we must be able to execute the fundamentals of marching and playing at a very high level.  Preseason Band Camp provides members, new and returning, the opportunity to get into shape physically, mentally and musically so that we can work together to produce exciting performances. The emphasis is on fundamentals, but we will also focus on learning music and drill maneuvers for the season ahead. 

Drill Spot Reservation Form

If you intend to be a member of the Golden Eagle Marching Band, you must fill out the Drill Spot Reservation Form.  This form, in combination with your class enrollment, provides us details to plan for the upcoming season.  Members must submit a new form every year.

GEMB Summer Newsletter

Please read the Summer Newsletter and respond to requests accordingly—some items are time sensitive. 

Early Housing Move-In

This is ONLY for students living on campus during the fall.  Please read the Summer Newsletter for more details.  Members must indicate their housing status on the Drill Spot Reservation Form by August 1.  Please contact the Residential Life office directly if you have questions about your housing assignment.  If you live off campus, please make arrangements to move in prior to band camp. 

What do I do when I arrive for pre-season band camp?

A detailed schedule will be sent by email to students enrolled in the marching band class prior to band camp.  Report to the check-in location as indicated on the schedule.  Please note that the report date may vary depending on your instrument and/or membership status (new, returning or Student Leadership).

Pre-Season Band Camp

• Hand sanitizer
• Face mask/face covering
• Personal water cooler or hydration backpack (i.e. Coleman Cooler or Camelbak)
• Athletic shoes (no sandals)
• Sunglasses
• Ball cap or wide-brimmed hat
• Khakis shorts (in good condition—no tears or rips)
• Blue jeans (in good condition—no tears or rips)
• Sunscreen and bug repellant
• Comfortable clothes for outdoor rehearsals
• Alarm clock
• Any medication you may need

New to Tech?

Incoming freshmen and transfer students must register for and attend SOAR before the first day of Preseason Band Camp of the year in which they intend to march.  If you have not registered for a SOAR session, you should do so immediately.

Enrollment

Students are required to enroll in the marching band class (MUS 1033).
Please contact Dr. Miller if you have questions.

Can I join the band if I don't attend Tennessee Tech?

Students who attend Volunteer State Community College may have the option to participate in the GEMB.  Please contact Dr. Jeffrey Miller for more information.

Symphony Band

CONTACT: Dr. Jeffrey L. Miller, Director of Bands
Phone: 931-372-6559 | Email: jlmiller@tntech.edu

The Symphony Band is the principal concert ensemble of the Tennessee Tech Bands and has earned its reputation as one of the finest symphonic organizations in the country. It programs and studies the finest in wind band repertoire.

The Tennessee Tech Symphony Band has performed for state, regional, and national conventions of the Music Educators National Conference and the College Band Directors National Association and is regularly asked to record new music for publishers of band music. The Symphony Band's performances have been featured on National Public Radio and Public Television, and the band regularly seeks and is requested to premiere new literature.

This ensemble is open to all university students, including non-music majors, and requires an audition.

Wind Ensemble

CONTACT: Dr. Jeffrey L. Miller, Director of Bands
Phone: 931-372-6559 | Email: jlmiller@tntech.edu  

The Wind Ensemble exists as the primary concert ensemble in the Fall semester and is devoted to the rehearsal, study and performance of important band literature. During the Spring semester, the Wind Ensemble is incorporated as a part of the Symphony Band.

The Tennessee Tech Wind Ensemble is comprised of a select group of instrumentalists, including non-music majors, who are selected by audition.

Concert Band

CONTACT: Dr. Jeffrey L. Miller, Director of Bands
Phone: 931-372-6559 | Email: jlmiller@tntech.edu  

The Concert Band is an ensemble which studies exceptional band literature and promotes the finest in wind and percussion performance. The concert band is comprised of enthusiastic music majors and non-majors who enjoy performing.  An audition is required. 

The ensemble provides a valuable experience for music students to become familiar with the band's significant repertoire and an outlet for students of other majors to be a part of an excellent ensemble.

The Concert Band performs two programs per year during the Spring semester and frequently has the opportunity to serve as a reading ensemble for student compositions and arrangements. While a membership audition is not required, everyone is asked to perform a private audition for chair placement.

Golden Eagles Band Day

The Golden Eagles Band Day is an event that invites high school marching band students—winds/brass/percussion/color guard—to be VIP guests of the Golden Eagle Marching Band for a day. Students will participate in rehearsal and perform in the stands and on the field alongside the GEMB! This event gives students an opportunity to experience what it’s like to be a member of a university marching band.

Information & Registration

All-Star Instrumental Symposium

Tennessee Tech has hosted nearly 400 high school students for this annual event, which takes place in early November.
During the day, students have the opportunity to meet with Tennessee Tech faculty to discuss auditioning, technique and performance, and to work together as an ensemble. The day ends with a concert featuring all of the ensembles.

Contact: Dr. Colin Hill, cjhill@tntech.edu 

Annual Festival of Winds and Percussion
February 14-15, 2025

The Festival of Winds and Percussion is an honor band weekend for high school students that creates an atmosphere of learning and sharing between high school and college students and band directors from the six-state region.

The annual event brings the nation's finest educators, conductors and composers to the Tennessee Tech campus to serve as clinicians for the Festival.  Notable guests over the years have included James Barnes, Col. John R. Bourgeois, Mark Camphouse, Aaron Copland, James Croft, James Curnow, Elliot Del Borgo, Patrick Dunnigan, Frank Erickson, Morton Gould, Roy Holder, Karel Husa, David Montgomery, John O’Reilly, David Plack, Rebecca Phillips, Richard Saucedo, Philip Sparke, James M. Stephenson, David Waybright, Larry Wells, and Jan van der Roost.

Contact: Dr. Jeff Miller, jlmiller@tntech.edu

The deadline to nominate students is noon on Friday, December 13, 2024.

Registration*
Early Registration: December 16-January 31 = $20
Late Registration: February 1-10 = $25

*Last Day to Pay and Register is 11:59p.m. Monday, February 10, 2025

2025 INVITATION MATERIALS

2025 FOWAP Audition Packets