From rousing half-time shows at home football games to stirring KU pride at occasional away games, pep rallies, campus and community celebrations, the Marching Jayhawks are the soundtrack of KU. During the Ever Onward campaign for KU, the School of Music is hoping that the KU community’s pride in the beloved marching band, now in its 126th year, will help fuel funds for new band uniforms and instruments — now and for the future.
Students are the heart of the KU Marching Jayhawks. Currently, 76% percent are non-music majors and come from across 80 different majors at KU. Each receives use of a uniform and instrument, provided by the school. Interest in the band, which hit nearly 400 student members this year, has grown recently. Unfortunately, the fund allocation for uniforms and instruments has not.
“The need to replace worn and damaged equipment and uniforms is urgent,” said Director of the Marching Jayhawks, Sharon Toulouse. “Our numbers continue to grow as does our need to build an inventory to accommodate the students. Any donation to the Marching Jayhawks is greatly appreciated and provides the ability to outfit our record numbers, replace uniforms that are beyond their usability, and provide quality, reliable equipment to our students, so we can always make it a “Great Day to Be a Jayhawk.”
The average lifespan of the uniforms is approximately 10 years. The current uniforms were purchased in 2015 and have been subjected to wear and tear through numerous, high intensity performances — largely outdoors — each year. Even with regular cleanings and care, many of these items, a key ingredient of the Marching Jayhawks experience, need to be replaced.
Instruments also regularly need repair and can cost anywhere from $1,100 for a clarinet to as much as $13,000 for a mighty sousaphone. The school also endeavors to provide consistency in instruments to keep the band as sharp-looking and -sounding as possible, but it has been challenging.
The School of Music’s Ever Onward campaign priorities include endowing a fund to solve the issue — forever. An endowed fund of $3 million would enable the school to regularly replace worn uniforms and instruments in perpetuity, ensuring a bright future for the Marching Jayhawks.
Individual gifts of any amount can also impact the Marching Jayhawks uniform and instrument needs. For example, a gift of $20,000 could cover 17 uniforms or approximately two sousaphones.
While a full uniform costs $1,135, a gift as small as $5 can provide a uniform hanger, $20 can supply a garment bag or necessary tote for the fabulous “shako” hats (which cost $170 each). The regal plumes for the shakos are $35 each and the Marching Jayhawks coats, which are critical for outdoor performances, cost $440.
In addition to outfitting marching band students, the School of Music also covers their meals on game days and all travel expenses. The popularity of participating in the Marching Jayhawks has only increased the need for new uniforms and instruments for students who fuel the pageantry and majestic sounds of the KU Marching Jayhawks.
To learn more about this Ever Onward campaign priority and others, please visit the School of Music’s campaign page or contact Michael Arp, assistant vice president at KU Endowment, at 785-832-7410.
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