University of Texas' Longhorn Band will be required to play 'The Eyes of Texas'
After weeks of uncertainty over whether members of the University of Texas' Longhorn Band would be required to play the school's controversial alma mater, "The Eyes of Texas," student musicians have an answer.
Despite previous messaging that no student would be forced to sing or play the song, the school announced Wednesday that Longhorn Band members will be required to play it.
Additionally, the school said that for students who do not want to play "The Eyes of Texas," a new band will be formed in 2022. This separate band will not include the alma mater as required repertoire.
The song has been a key point of contention between students, alumni and administrators. At the beginning of March, a 24-person committee commissioned by UT President Jay Hartzell found the song to have racist origins but no racist intent.
MORE: Four takeaways from university's report on 'Eyes of Texas' fight song
'EYES OF TEXAS': UT students say report misses the mark
OPINION: 'Eyes of Texas' report wrongly ignores song's racist intent
After the report’s release, Hartzell stood by his message before the report that no student would be forced to sing or play the song. But “The Eyes of Texas” was here to stay — ultimately creating a paradox for Longhorn Band members and students in UT’s Butler School of Music who have traditionally played the song at sporting events and graduation ceremonies.
Last fall, the Longhorn Band did not perform at any football games because not enough students were willing to play "The Eyes of Texas."
"It was really difficult being a band member last fall," said Judson Hayden, a Longhorn Band member. "We're so much more than the 'Eyes of Texas,' but because of this, the entire season was stripped away. Everybody else lost a year where they could have been making a whole bunch of different memories with the Longhorn Band and going through some of the greatest collegiate experiences that they could go through, and all of that was taken away because of a school song."
With this new requirement for Longhorn Band members comes the promise of scholarships. Any student who chooses to participate in the Longhorn Band and Longhorn Pep Band, which require the song, as well as Mariachi Paredes and the upcoming University Band, which do not require the alma mater, will get $1,000 performance scholarships; band section leaders will earn at least $2,500.
Any rising senior who decides to leave the Longhorn Band because of the new requirement will be able to keep the scholarship.
These performance scholarships do not apply to University Concert bands, the University Jazz Ensemble, the University Percussion Ensemble and the University Color Guard. Merit-based scholarships will continue to be awarded.
In addition to the new requirements, the Butler School of Music cited the possibility for the University Band to collaborate on performances with the Longhorn Band.
The school also aims to create a security plan for performances at home and on the road. Students have reported receiving threats of violence in response to the song controversy.
"One person can do a whole lot of harm," Hayden said. "I don't want that for the Longhorn Band, and neither should the university."
Concerns about protecting students became a point of discussion for the March 12 Butler School of Music town hall meeting on the alma mater. The school's director, Mary Ellen Poole, said last semester there was a period when she was receiving 20 to 30 emails a day about how she had "ruined the university" or should lose her job.
Some threats were serious enough to involve the UT campus police. Poole said her main priority is getting students "out of the line of fire."
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Longhorn Band members required to play 'The Eyes of Texas' song
