Penn Band tunes up

With more than 100 gigs throughout the year, the group doesn't limit itself to sporting events. Both the Penn Band and a hotel attendant arranging fresh roses greeted the arriving members of Shared Medical Systems's annual sales convention Monday. The Penn Band -- which played songs for the employees -- added to the meeting's collegiate theme in a series of corporate events. Opening the three-day convention at the Philadelphia Marriott allowed the event to expand its schedule beyond its normal routine of athletic events. The musicians played to approximately 450 sales representatives at the meeting. Greer Cheesemen, director of the Penn Band, explained how outside events move the band along -- creating new traditions as well as keeping old ones alive. "Outside events bring notoriety and publicity and extends the band's name beyond the Penn community," said Cheesemen, a 1977 Engineering graduate and one-time bandmember. Although they are seeking outside events, the band's present players remain aware of the past as they begin preparations for the beginning of their centennial year this fall. "We play all home football and basketball games -- and the away games as well -- whenever the budget allows," said Engineering junior Scott Levine, who explained how the band rarely declines to attend an event. Playing at lacrosse, swimming, hockey and other less-attended athletic events, the Penn Band sometimes provides the best fan support a team has during the year. And playing at over 100 events throughout the school year, the band refuses to discriminate between experienced and novice musicians wishing to participate. "We'll take anyone who wants to play, some cannot read music and some have played in bands in the past -- we're just here to have a good time, watch the games and play," said Levine, the band's captain. The band allows its members an opportunity to play together in friendship as well as in song. "I bake cookies for my section, a very close-knit group that has a lot of fun on the road," said Engineering sophomore Sylvia Caram. "On the way to Columbia we played 100 bottles of Coke on the wall, singing and drinking the soda together." The time spent with the band has provided numerous fond memories for its members. "They put us on the Jumbotron the morning we played at the Phillies game and everyone watched the screen instead of their music -- one drummer dropped a stick after seeing himself," Levine said. As a volunteer group, participation remains optional for the 115 bandmembers. "I still have 60 of them here for practice on Mondays -- they're here because their friends are here," Cheesemen said.