FSU Music Book Club Celebrates the Marching Chiefs of Florida State University
Few marching bands have captured hearts like the Florida State University Marching Chiefs. And this year, alumni and fans alike can celebrate homecoming early, exploring the rich history of “the band that never lost a halftime show” with a free, virtual book discussion. Join us on October 22 as we kick off our Homecoming festivities with guest speaker and alumnus author, Bill Faucett (B.A ‘82, Ph.D. ‘95).
FSU Music Book Club connects alumni and friends through books written by and about alumni and faculty. This semester’s discussion features The Marching Chiefs of Florida State University: The Band That Never Lost a Halftime Show, a chronicle of the history of Florida State’s beloved marching band.
In his author’s note, Bill reflects on his lifelong connection to Florida State University and the Marching Chiefs.
“I’ve been connected to FSU since the ‘70s, having spent three summers at FSU’s wonderful music camps. Later, a bunch of my high school friends, ones who graduated before me, joined the Marching Chiefs, and loved it! After that, there was little chance I wouldn’t join, as well. The idea of writing a history of the Chiefs occurred to me mostly because of family. I’ve had a lot of family members in Chiefs, including my youngest son, Adam (trombone), and we all have a strong emotional attachment to the Chiefs. I also felt a bit of responsibility for writing a history of the band. As probably the only musicologist to come out of Chiefs, I was concerned that if I didn’t write it, it wouldn’t get written.”
― Bill Faucett
“Bill F. Faucett’s superb chronicle of one of the country’s best-known (and best, period) marching bands is written with the objectivity of a historian and the heart of a Marching Chief.”
―Robert S. Thurston, former Chief Arranger-Composer, United States Air Force Band, Washington D.C.
Join us online for the FSU Music Book Club on October 22 at 12:30 p.m. EDT. Registration is free and open to all alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends of the college. Click here to register. For questions or future book club suggestions, please contact Rebekah Hair- Stewart, Assistant Director of Student and Alumni Engagement, at rhairstewart@advance.fsu.edu
