Monmouth College has hired John Eckstine as the new Director of Athletic Bands and Symphonic Concert band. With a well-established background of instructing school bands of all different age levels, Eckstine has several goals for the Monmouth College band including creating a new culture with a larger and more dynamic band, immersing the band more within the Monmouth community, but most importantly construct a fun and enjoyable atmosphere for the students:
“The biggest thing I want to do is make the activity fun and enjoyable for the kids and really be able to develop that collegiate type of atmosphere at the college. If that means on a Friday night the band lines up at the music building and we march to the field, kind of like what they do at Notre Dame or the University of Pittsburg, and the students get behind the marching band, they have kind of like a pep rally at the football field every home game, start to do things like that and really build that culture so when people start thinking of Monmouth College, they think of that Fighting Scots Marching Band.”
Eckstine has been teaching public school band for 37 years and comes to the Monmouth College Fighting Scots family from West Virginia.
**Written by WMOI/WRAM Intern Kaden Rogers and Edited by WMOI/WRAM Director of Communications Kelsey Crain**
