Taffy Hui, 20, junior music education major and music director for the pep band, directs the group during a soccer game on Oct. 26. Hui said the band is a relaxing place for her to play music without the pressure of the rigorous courses in the music department. Photo credit: Trevor Stamp / Daily Sundial
The Matador PepBandarrives early before the sporting events. They need to figure out how many are attending and what songs they are prepared to play.
The Matador Pep Band supports the athletics department at most sporting events. Photo credit: Trevor Stamp / Daily Sundial
The band is one of the loudest groups during the game. Each member is as loud as the next, their sound echoing across the field and the campus.
Braddock Sandoval, 21, junior bio chemistry major and tenor saxphone player for the band, said he wanted some way to keep playing music at school, so he joined the group. Photo credit: Trevor Stamp / Daily Sundial
The game is over, and whether the team wins or loses, the band is still there playing. Their school spirit and dedication to playing music and having fun is evident before, during and after each event.
Laura Marquez, 21, a junior deaf studies major and clarinetist for CSUN’s pep band, said that through pep band she has befriended people outside of her major with many different interests. Photo credit: Trevor Stamp / Daily Sundial
“These games, they would be kind of lame without anybody just trying to hype up the crowd,” said Laura Marquez, 21, a junior deaf studies major and vice president of the Matador Pep Band.
The Matador Pep Band is considered a part of Matador Spirit within the Athletic department. Members receive priority regirstration if they perform at 10 sporting events. The band consists of mostly non-music majors. Photo credit: Trevor Stamp / Daily Sundial
The Matador Pep Band is a branch of Matador Spirit, a collective of student organizations that cheer at CSUN sporting events.
Anthony Dorantes, 19, sophomore biology major and trombonist for the Matador Pep Band, joined the group because he played music in highschool and loved the experience. Photo credit: Trevor Stamp / Daily Sundial
There is an incentive for many of the students to join the band and perform. The students receive priority registration for playing at 10 sporting events, according to several members of the group. However, this has led to the number of members in the group to fluctuate between practices and sporting events.
Members of the pep band usually decide together which songs to play for sporting events. Some of the music is composed and arranged by the members. Photo credit: Trevor Stamp / Daily Sundial
Taffy Hui, 20, a junior music education major and music director for the Matador Pep Band, said a group of music majors formed the group six years ago. However, non-music majors began taking over as the music students became to busy with the music department.
Anthony Dorantes, 19, sophomore biology major and trombonist for the Matador Pep Band, joined the group because he played music in high school and loved the experience. Photo credit: Trevor Stamp / Daily Sundial
“Pep band is basically the only place that you can go to, to still play music and not have to worry about the amount of skill you have,” Hui said.
Some members of the band said that they hope they can eventually bring back the CSUN marching band, which disbanded simultaneously with the football team in 2001. Photo credit: Trevor Stamp / Daily Sundial
Patrick Cruz, 20, a junior kinesiology major and drummer for the pep band, said the group allows him to experience the fun and camaraderie from high school band.
