Author: Band Alumni Association

The Band Alumni Association Board of Directors/Officers present you with a unique challenge- read below for more exciting details!

With the rebuilding of Westbrook Music Building starting, there is a wonderful opportunity to create a state-of-the-art band rehearsal hall. Jack and Mary Alice Snider left a sizeable amount at the University of Nebraska Foundation earmarked for “costs associated with constructing and equipping the ‘Lentz-Snider’ Hall, Glenn Korff School of Music, Hixson Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, University of Nebraska–Lincoln.”

After a meeting with the dean of Fine Arts, the band staff, and the Foundation, the Snider family came up with the following:

The Nebraska Bands Program has been at the forefront of performance and pedagogy for more than 140 years. We look forward to a new rehearsal space with technology that will enable us to:

Link sections of the Cornhusker Marching Band who are now rehearsing in various spaces to enable full ensemble preparation while indoors.

Share cutting edge rehearsal techniques from our Ensemble Performance Lab with partner ensembles nationwide.

Engage in virtual side-by-side coaching with young bands that cannot afford a trip to the Lincoln campus.

Collaborate with composers worldwide to prepare and premiere new works.

Engage guest artists remotely to share their expertise with our students.

Capture the work of conducting students and enable concurrent voice-over coaching on video.

…and even more applications we’re only just beginning to imagine.

It is estimated that only $12,000 more is needed to make all this happen. The Band Alumni Association presents you all with an opportunity- we will match all contributions up to $6000! We are hoping that you all will help us reach our goal over the next few months!

Contributing is easy via the University of Nebraska Foundation website for the Jack and Mary Alice (Petie) Snider Fund. Just click the GIVE NOW button.

You can also donate via our registration page: https://nebandalums.org/registration/

If you prefer to go ‘old school,’ you can send a check to:

Jack and Mary Alice (Petie) Snider Fund #01074861
℅ University of Nebraska Foundation
1010 Lincoln Mall, Suite 300
Lincoln, NE 68508

Any amount you can send is greatly appreciated. This is a very exciting project that goes way beyond buying chairs and music stands.

Please share with other band alumni, friends, family, fans, etc.

Remember to ask your employer for a contribution match!

Reunion will be September 22-23, 2023. The game is Louisiana Tech. Registration will open sometime in July.

To provide scholarships for Physician Assistant students at UNMC

On April 9, 2022, our alum, Ryan Houser, died unexpectedly in an automobile accident. He attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 2003-2009 where he earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and athletic training. During his time at UNL, Ryan played played trumpet in the Cornhusker Marching Band, Symphonic Band, and Jazz Band. He loved the Cornhusker Marching Band so much he decided to take six years to graduate.

Ryan later attended the Physician’s Assistants program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, graduating in 2017. At the time of his passing Ryan worked as a PA at MD West One Orthopedics.

A scholarship in his name has been created to provide scholarships to the Physician Assistant students at UNMC. This scholarship is very important to his family to keep his memory and legacy alive. The family is hoping to raise enough money so the scholarship can become an endowment and thus a permanent scholarship.

The scholarship donation page is currently active, and collecting donations until March 31, 2023.

We’re gearing up to celebrate the fifth annual Glow Big Red! On Feb. 15-16 from noon to noon (central time), we’re celebrating 24 Hours of Husker Giving — and we’re counting on you! Our fundraising will specifically support the Jack R. Snider UNL Band Alumni Association Scholarships.

The Jack R. Snider Scholarship is awarded to current members of the Cornhusker Marching Band who are non-music majors. Recipients demonstrate leadership (formal or informal), volunteerism and integrity. They are a role model for their section and the band and exemplify what it means to be the Pride of All Nebraska.

Last year, we received 23 gifts totaling $2,550 and made a big difference! Check out a few impact stories from previous scholarship recipients.

You’ll uplift Husker students and make a meaningful impact in their lives when you:

• Give: Join your fellow Huskers by making a gift of $5 or more!
• Share: Share your Husker pride on social media, using the hashtag #GlowBigRed; and
• Glow: Light up your room, home, or business to let your Husker pride shine.

We’ve set an ambitious goal of $4,000 and we’re confident we’ll meet this goal together! Thanks to band alum, Scott Washburn, all gifts will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $1,000. Make your gift ahead of time at glowbigred.unl.edu and still have it count toward our big day.

Let’s Glow All In for Glow Big Red, Huskers!

P.S. Make a gift of $60 or more by noon (central time), on Feb. 16 and the NU Foundation send you a reversible Husker bucket hat! Perfect to wear with your alumni uniform for the Reunion Weekend.

Anna Gullett is a junior from Bellevue, Nebraska with a major in Mathematics and minor in Statistics. Over her past two years at UNL, Anna has been a part of numerous clubs and activities including Math Motivators, Actuarial Science Club, and the Cornhusker Marching Band. As a junior marching band member, she is in her first year on the leadership team.

In addition to her on-campus activities, Anna also teaches the front ensemble at Bellevue West High School. Over the years, she has performed with the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps as well as the Blue Devils. In spring of 2023, Anna will move to San Jose, California where she will perform with RCC Indoor Percussion, study remotely, and teach various ensembles in the area. After graduation, Anna hopes to pursue a career in data analysis. 

Brynn Boes plays percussion and is a junior in Biological Sciences from Gretna, Nebraska.

Peter Lux is a freshman from Blair, Nebraska with a major in Mechanical Engineering. Peter began playing trumpet since he was seven years old. While attending Blair High School, Peter was a member of the show choir, concert, jazz, and marching bands. He also played in the

pit orchestra for his school’s musical. Peter is proud to have made all state four times and have been awarded the Louis Armstrong Jazz award in high school. Peter is a member of the hall of fame for Musical Distinction.

Peter joined the CMB because he really enjoys playing the trumpet and thought that he may have had to give it up otherwise. By majoring in Mechanical Engineering, he doesn’t have much time to practice his instrument or play in other bands, that is why he’s so grateful to be a part of the CMB. It allows him to not only to keep playing but connect with a group of people whom he may have otherwise never known.

“My experience with the CMB so far has been extremely positive and fulfilling. Performing in front of a crowd of thousands of people is both exhilarating and enjoyable at the same time. Quite frankly even my first time performing on the Memorial Stadium Field I never felt nervous or anxious in the slightest. I would say this is due in part to the fact that the Nebraska fans are always so supportive of the band and excited to see it.”

Peter Lux