The LSU Tiger Band and Department of Bands are raising money to give to high school bands negatively affected by the Louisiana Flood of 2016. In collaboration with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, the Music Club of Baton Rouge and The Foundation for Music Education, the band department created “Band Together,”a fundraiser designed to help local flood victims.
“Our band department has always had close relationships with the high schools surrounding LSU,” said music senior and Tiger Band member Daney Glover.
Because many students in the University’s band program come from high school programs in the surrounding area, graduate assistants typically work with some of the bands over the summer and form relationships with the students.
“We have students who lost everything,” Glover said. “We have people who are just being able to clean out their homes.”
Tiger Band’s last two home football games’ field shows have been tributes to Louisiana.
The first show specifically honored flood victims’ resilience, along with the resilience of Baton Rouge residents after the tough summer they endured, Glover said.
The donations will be presented to the band programs at Tigerama, a huge musical and fundraising for Tiger Band and the Department of Bands, on Oct. 25.
Initiated by former Director of Bands Frank Wickes, Tigerama began as a recruitment event 35 years ago, according to the band’s website. Today, the event operates for recruitment and fundraising purposes.
All aspects of the band program, which includes Tiger Band and the different ensembles, will perform. Mike the Tiger and University cheerleaders will also be in attendance.
Director of Bands Damon Talley said the bands were affected and could use help moving forward, which is why the band decided to reach out.
“No donation is too small and anything that people can do is a huge help,” Talley said.
To donate to the Band Together fundraiser, visit the band’s website, www.bands.lsu.edu.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated Tigerama was on Oct. 24.