Baker Band triples in size under Athletic Band Director Logan Dingus as the return of the Marching Wildcats nears.
After a conversation with the Board of Trustees in fall 2023, the Marching Wildcats are expected to return next fall. Since Dingus was hired in January 2024, it’s been full speed ahead preparing the program.
Dingus said it was a rough start trying to build the band, “Last year we started with six kids. I had a flute player, two clarinets, two trumpets, and a snare drummer. And I went home, and I cried because I had no idea what I was going to do with so few musicians.”
He began recruiting through social media, promoting recruitment events like festivals and “Wildcat Band for a Day,” while also following and interacting with high school bands and their members across Kansas and Missouri.
By the time winter and basketball season arrived last year, the band began to gain momentum. He reached out to student-athletes who’d wrapped up their seasons and secured additional members.
Dingus states the biggest challenge in rebuilding the band has been changing the culture and attitude. Because members receive scholarships, the mentality of playing at games was akin to doing a chore. It was something that had to be done, rather than something they wanted to do.
Now, the mentality is that the band is part of the game, giving the players an extra push to perform. Dingus shares, “We play for every first down. We play for every third down when we’re on defense. We play in the timeouts. The drumline gets involved. Now we march to and from the stadium, and we want to make ourselves just as much of the game as the football team is.”
Trilla Lyerla, professor of music, spoke on why having the band on game days is important:
“We want to support [student athletes] and be a positive support and play a positive role in the game-day atmosphere, but just in general the whole Baker University atmosphere. We’re positive contributors to the culture, the liberal arts tradition.”
Another factor contributing to the change in attitude and culture is including student-athletes and musicians that haven’t played in a while. Being proactive with communication and understanding the busy schedules of student-athletes has made those members more motivated. The same goes for members who hadn’t played in a few years before joining.
The rise in numbers has been motivating for longstanding members. Senior percussionist Dylan Price said, “I’m happy to say that I’m part of the process of growing this. And I can’t wait to come back when I’m an alumni and see, hopefully like an 80-person band and be super proud of it.”
Price also noted university and community response as being a catalyst for newfound excitement and motivation amongst band members to be more invested, “It’s been more than just Baker. You know, it’s been families of Baker and just people who live in Baldwin who come up to us and show some genuine support.”
As the band continues to grow, there’s much to look forward to. The hope is eventually to have the band march to the tailgate, do a pregame and halftime performance on the football field, and march back to Parmenter when the game is over. There is talk of increasing marching instruments and getting uniforms for the band.
