by Caitlin Conner

During his first week of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, the only thing Austin Welty wanted to do was quit. However, his family encouraged him to stick it out for a few more months and then make his decision.

Three years later, he is the head drum major of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band for the 2010-2011 school year.  

                Welty, a 2006 Coppell graduate, was encouraged by family friend Jack Conner to look into joining the corps.  Conner, a former Corps member graduated class of ’81, and knew what a good opportunity the corps was to get involved with the university.

                Throughout high school, Welty played the tuba in the CHS marching band. He continued when he joined the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band as a bass (tuba). As always, the 300 member band is led by two associate and one head drum major.

                “The five yell leaders and the three drum majors help to represent the university,” junior and sister Melissa Welty said “They meet with the president and a bunch of other important people. He’s also extremely involved in making decisions about the band.”

                In one glance at the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, one can plainly see that Welty plays a major role as their leader. He will lead them during every halftime show for the year.

                “It’s going to be an incredible feeling seeing him leading 300 people on Kyle Field in front of thousands more people,” Melissa Welty said. “It will also be fun to watch him at other big places, like when we play at the Dallas Cowboys stadium.”

                It is a huge honor to be selected as a drum major, much less the head drum major. The audition process is a two month tryout process. Initially, any junior can try out for drum major and about 25 people took this opportunity. 

“During the first month, the former drum majors teach us all of the different conducting movements, different whistle blasts (the Aggie Band uses whistles to signal a new movement), and various other things that a Drum Major needs to know,” Austin Welty said. “After the first month, there is a preliminary tryout in front of the three directors and three former drum majors. This tryout narrows it down to eight candidates.”

Following the preliminary tryout, there is another month of practicing and perfecting every detail because even the slightest mistake can take you out of the running. The final tryout is a two part process. In the morning, the candidates have to conduct two songs in front of the entire band.

The second part is leading the band in a short drill, similar to something the band would do in a half time show. This part is important because the drum major candidate explains and teaches the drill to the band on the spot, so it gauges how well the drum major can teach. After the second part, the directors and former drum majors have a meeting where they discussed each candidate. The three drum majors are announced that same day.

 “Almost on a weekly basis, we hear from old Aggies who were in the band decades ago come back and give us compliments,” Welty said. “I have always wanted to lead the Aggie Band, so trying out was something I’ve waited for since I was in high school.”

Now that the wait is over and Welty has been named head drum major, he is ready to begin preparing for the fall football season.

“I can’t wait to work with the other drum majors and the other leaders in the band to make it a great and successful year,” Welty said. “Most college students can’t wait for summer to start; I can’t wait for it to be over so I can go and do my job.”