FAQ's

How do I join?
Fill out our information sheet to get on our email list!

What's the audition process?
There's no formal audition for most instruments in the Green Machine --just show up to rehearsal during the first week of classes to get oriented. However, all rhythm section instruments have formal, individual auditions (such as drums, guitar, bass, keyboard, and vocals). Auditions will be arranged while at rehearsal.

What sorts of things do you play at?
The band plays over 50 events each school year, including academic events, football, men's and women's basketball, Washington Capitals games, and various other sporting, charity, and community events. Students attend these events as their schedule allows, so that no one student will be stuck with the burden of playing every event. We travel with the basketball teams to their post-season tournaments and also travel to additional tournaments, as funding becomes available.

Do I have to be a music major to play in Pep Band?
No! We have over 40 different majors in the band. We welcome students of all majors and college level (graduate/undergraduate). Other than music majors, our talented Green Machine members major in a wide variety of degrees such as Administration of Justice, Arts Management, Biology, Communications, Computer Science, Conflict Analysis, Economics, Education, Engineering, Film and Video Studies, Global Affairs, History, Information Technology, Management, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Nursing, Political Science, Psychology, and many others.

How do I register for Pep Band as a class?
Pep Band counts as a chamber ensemble credit for music majors and an elective credit for non-music majors. The "class" (rehearsal) meets on Wednesday nights from 7:20-10:00pm in the Patriot Center, as schedule allows. The undergraduate CRN for pep band is 72091 and the graduate CRN for pep band is 72092. You can register online via PatriotWeb.

Do I have to register for Pep Band as a class?
No! If you have available credit in your schedule, we would highly encourage it, as it helps us with our accreditation and it helps us financially. But if you're "maxed-out" in your schedule, we don't want to add that additional burden. The only students required to take Pep Band as a class are students on scholarship. Scholarship students and students just registered for the class also have a set amount of events that they are required to attend--if you just want to be a part of pep band without participating in the class, you are free to attend as many (or as little) events as you are able.

How do the scholarships work?
Typically, our scholarship recipients spend at least a semester in the band so that they can get used to the time commitment it demands. Scholarship students are required to attend a certain amount of events per year, and their scholarship amount is directly related to that availability. For example, the (hypothetical) student who receives $2,000 has more of a time commitment to the band than a student who receives $1,000. For more information on our scholarship commitment levels, please go here.

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