Yale Bands Officer Responsibilities

Yale University Bands Officers (link)

• President:

  A position of honor, and he/she presides. Maintains contact with the Yale Administration and serves as the band's official student representative at University functions. Prepares the agenda for, calls, and chairs the officer meetings. Assesses the capabilities of band leaders and delegates jobs accordingly; oversees activities of all YUB leaders. Acts as a liaison between members and Mr. Duffy. Resolves intra-band conflicts. Oversees general direction of band from the students' perspective, scheduling and execution of events for all YUB groups, YPMB shows and rehearsals, election and appointment of officers, and Commencement activities. Coordinates activities of all the various groups of the YUB, and thus must be omniscient, omnipotent, and present at a lot of the events.

• General Manager:

  The General Manager position holds much responsibility, mainly keeping Mr. Duffy from worrying over operations of the bands. Works with the Business Manager to ensure the YCB and YJE operate smoothly. Quick decision-making organization, and initiative are essential. Specifically, GMs must set up and break down equipment for all YUBs, work with percussion leaders to transport equipment whenever necessary, organize work crews, and make sure that rehearsal and performance venues look better after an event when they are done cleaning up. GMs are the first people who want to move things or make things happen.

• Personnel Manager:

  Responsible for recording and encouraging attendance. Specifically, s/he must: keep records of members in all YUB organizations (w/info such as addresses, ph#, etc.); contact AWOL members; make sure all members are present before going on trips; maintain and update bands panlists; organize housing for Commencement.

• Events Coordinator :

  The Events Coordinator is responsible for coordinating publicity for all Yale Concert Band and Yale Jazz Ensemble concerts (distributing posters, creating Facebook events, and other publicity-related activities), as well as organizing special Yale University Bands events (i.e. Alumni Weekend, Bandquet, recruiting at Bulldog Days and during Camp Yale). This position largely entails behind-the-scenes work, but the Events Coordinator should also be able to communicate well with group members concerning what they should be doing to help, and when they should be doing it.

• Social Chairs:

  The Social Chairs provide opportunities for YUB social gatherings. These can range from parties to picnics and barbecues to bowling trips. Though the specific details are left up to the social chairs, there are some standing responsibilities of the office: preparing receptions after YCB concerts, working with the dining hall to provide lunch for the YPMB at football games, helping provide entertainment at Go-Away and during Dead Week, and generally making sure all band members are having as good a time as possible. The social chairs must work closely with the Business Manager to keep receptions within budget, and must raise funds for all other YUB social events. Creativity, energy and a desire to make others feel welcome are essential.

• Media/Technology Specialist:

  The Media/Technology Specialist helps to update and maintain the Yale University Bands website at www.yale.edu/yaleband, takes care of the computers in the band room and offices, and acts as a general computer and technology guru for all band members and band-related projects. He or she is also responsible for other audiovisual work, including editing and producing videos of YCB and YJE concerts and working with the Events Coordinator to produce and post media (YouTube videos, audio samples) for publicity purposes.

Yale Jazz Ensemble Leaders (link)

• YJE Managers:

  The Yale Jazz Ensemble Managers perform a variety of roles including searching for gigs, organizing the setup and take down of concerts, organizing social gatherings or the YJE, answering general questions of students regarding the Jazz Ensemble, and helping with the publicity for YJE performances.

YPMB Leaders (link)

Note: The Drum Major, the Marching Band Manager, the Announcers, and the YPMB Photographers are not elected, but rather appointed by Mr. Duffy, with the input of the outgoing DM and Manager, as well as a volunteer Selection Committee.

• Drum Major:

  The Drum Major's most obvious duty is conducting. The DM directs the marching band at all events, and leads rehearsals. But the Drum Major also plays a large role in the general climate of the band ... the DM can be a social leader, a spiritual leader, a musical leader, and a bit of everything else. The DM is also the decision maker for the marching band, and as a team with the Manager is responsible for seeing that things run smoothly.

• Marching Band Manager:

  The Manager's duties are vast. The Manager is responsible for all of the details of running a band ... making sure schedules are kept, food is supplied, contacts are contacted, etc. The manager, working behind the scenes, is the one person worrying about all the stuff everybody else can take for granted.

• Announcer:

  The Announcer reads the script from the pressbox at football games. In general, the Announcer is also responsible for creating the scripts, either writing them or seeing that they get written. Script Meetings are typically initiated and overseen by the Announcer.

• Freshperson Representative:

  The Freshperson Representative, elected from, for, and by the Freshmen, represents the new bandies at officer's meetings, hosts social events for them, etc. The position, probably more so than any other, is defined by the electee.

• YPMB Photographers:

  The YPMB Photographers go to every YPMB event to capture the band's crazy moments and memorable activities on film. They compile scrapbooks to share the memories with the band.

• YPMB Stud. Arranger:

  The Stud. Arranger ("Student Arranger" or "Stud Arranger"? You decide.) writes the majority of the arrangements performed by the YPMB during their halftime shows, from Bach to Britney Spears.