MSU Alumni Band 2025 Spring Reunion

We’re excited to share that our 2025 Spring Reunion will offer a fresh take on the usual gathering! This year, rather than holding a concert for our friends and family, we’re hosting a social event. This will give our members more time to connect with loved ones and enjoy a wonderful end-of-year performance by the MSU Symphony Band and the Spartan Youth Wind Symphony. Both ensembles will be conducted by Dr. David Thornton and Dr. Dana Sedatole, respectively.

We hope you’ll join us for a fantastic afternoon filled with camaraderie, delicious hors d’oeuvres, and, of course, Spartan musical pride!

Please take the time to read through the information here, before registering for the event, paying annual dues, etc. Reading the information should answer many of the questions you may have. Answers to common questions are below. When submitting information, please use proper capitalization!

Use this site to:

• Register and pay for the April 27th Spring Reunion
• Pay annual membership dues
• Make a donation to the Whitwell, Bloomquist, Falcone, Thoma, and MSU Band scholarships

Event Details

• Date: Sunday, April 27, 2025
• Location: Wharton Center’s Christman Lounge
• Time: 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM (Reception & Hors d'Oeuvres)
• Concert follows in the Cobb Grand Hall

Tickets

Price includes hors d’oeuvres and concert ticket. A cash bar will also be available.

• MSU Alumni Band Active Members: $15
• Non-Dues Paying Guests: $20

Annual Dues

Not an active member yet? You can pay your annual dues during check-out! Most people pay their annual Alumni Band dues in the fall in conjunction with the Fall Reunion or in the winter in conjuction with Winter Bands. If you've graduated in the past year from MSU, the dues are waived - please select the appropriate ticket and provide your graduation year later in the process.

Schedule

• 11:30 - 12:00 PM: Registration in the Wharton Center’s Christman Lounge
• 12:40 PM: Welcome message from Tim Draeger, MSUAB President, and Dr. Kevin Sedatole, MSU Director of Bands
• 12:55 PM: MSUAB Scholarship Presentations to MSU College of Music students
• 1:10 PM: Performance preview by Dr. David Thornton, Conductor, MSU Symphony Band
• 1:30 PM: Presentation by Ann-Marie Lindley, Director of Development, MSU College of Music
• 2:00 PM: Performance preview by Dr. Dana Sedatole, Conductor, Spartan Youth Wind Symphony
• 2:20 PM: Presentations by Merritt Lutz and Dr. James K. Billman
• 3:00 PM: Concert: MSU Symphony Band & Spartan Youth Wind Symphony

Additional Items

There are some additional questions which require a response for instrument, etc. Please provide complete answers. Also - please make sure that the email you provide is current!

Payment

We prefer that you pay by credit card, but you also have the option to send in a check. If you have any questions or comments, please direct them to us at YWx1bWJhbmQgfCBtc3UgISBlZHU=, or call 517-351-4582.

Parking

Vehicle parking is available in the parking ramp connected to the Wharton Center.

1. Who can participate in this event? Anyone! You do not have to be a dues-paying member to attend, however, paying your dues will help the Alumni Band provide scholarships to the College of Music.
2. When is he last day to sign-up? Everyone must be preregistered through this site by Wednesday, April 23rd by 9pm to attend.
3. Do I need to bring proof that I registered? No - we'll have all of that information when you check-in on Sunday.
4. I'm going to arrive late - what arrangements do I need to make? Sorry - you'll have to be checked-in by noon on Sunday to attend the remainder of the day's schedule, including the concert.
5. Is my registration/ticket transferrable? No - it is only for the person who registered.
6. Can I update my registration information? Yes - go back in to the EventBrite site and make the necessary adjustments. If that does not work, send us an email at YWx1bWJhbmQgfCBtc3UgISBlZHU=, and we'll take care of it for you.
7. What is the refund policy? The reunion registration is refundable if you notify us before the event. The registration is not refundable if you simply fail to show up at the event. Dues are not refunable.
8. Where do I park? Parking is available in the parking garage attached to the Wharton Center.
9. I'm not attending, can I just skip all of this? We would rather you didn't! However, you can still pay your dues on this site, without signing up for any of the events. Please take the time to do that and provide your contact information to keep our records up to date. This will help us to keep you informed throughout the year.
10. I have more questions - who do I contact? Send an email to YWx1bWJhbmQgfCBtc3UgISBlZHU=, or call us at 517-351-4582.

The Alumni Band encourages your support of scholarships and projects. Please consider donating to one or more of the following (use the tickets while registering):

• The John Whitwell Band Scholarship Fund - awarded annually each spring to a student in honor of director emeritus John Whitwell.
• The Ken Bloomquist Scholarship Fund - awarded annually each spring to a student in honor of director emeritus Ken Bloomquist.
• The Leonard Falcone Endowed Music Scholarship - provides a scholarship for full time undergraduate and graduate music majors. Awardees are selected by the Director of Bands.
• The Augie Thoma Scholarship Fund - NEW - awarded annually each spring to a student in honor of August (Augie) Thoma.
• MSU Bands - Donations to this fund help secure guest artists, conductors, and composers; travel for the Wind Ensemble to peer-reviewed regional and national conferences; funds to commission new works and to subsidize recording opportunities for the Wind Ensemble; and special scholarships for students to participate in University Bands.
• The SMB Jackets Sponsorship Fund - in support of all freshman in the Spartan Marching Band - to award the coveted jacket to each freshman at minimal cost to them. This scholarship is not available at this time as it is extremely well funded. Please consider donating to one of the other funds/scholarships in its place!

To contribute to the scholarships and projects listed above, you may use the tickets at the beginning of the page. All of the contributions are tax-deductible! Your printed ticket can serve as your receipt for tax purposes. If you would like a receipt directly from the MSU Alumni Band, or if your gift is over $250.00 (the IRS requires a receipt), please contact us and we'll send it to you.

You may also make a donation directly through University Advancement (on-line donation). To do that, visit the following link: https://www.givingto.msu.edu/gift/, and on that page, under "Search for Fund", type in:

• AE06072 for the Whitwell Scholarship
• AE069 for the Bloomquist Scholarship
• AE0603 for the Falcone Endowed Music Scholarship
• AE06056 for the Augie Thoma Scholarship
• AE0601 for the MSU Bands fund
• AE060706 for the SMB band jackets (Knas Family Band Jacket Endowment)

Thank you!

P lease take a moment to read our Code of Conduct, at this link:

https://www.msualumniband.org/s/1393/18/interior.aspx?sid=1393&gid=8&pgid=9936

Note: you will be asked to acknowledge this before completing registration for the event!

Also check out other Music events in East Lansing, Entertainment events in East Lansing, Concerts in East Lansing.