Go Beyond the Notes with Joe Bean

Joe Bean is a senior from Logansport, Ind., studying Electrical Engineering. He is the Big Ten Flag Captain in the “All-American” Marching Band, and a percussionist in various Purdue Bands & Orchestras concert ensembles. Bean is very involved and an extremely vital part of this band department.

Upon his decision to come to Purdue, Bean was drawn to the deep tradition and well-established nature of the Purdue Bands & Orchestras department, as well as the innovation that was happening. His older sister, Kaley Bean, was in the marching band, so he watched, admired, and learned from her.

Being the captain and section leader, Bean carries the Purdue flag. This is Bean’s second year being the Big Ten Flag section leader, though he hadn’t been planning on auditioning for the position until his second year with the section.

“I really came to appreciate how unique and interesting it is,” Bean said. “At the time, the section was on an upswing (in my opinion) and I felt the need to continue those efforts, and try to improve some other areas as well.”

According to Bean, there are definitely challenges that the Big Ten Flags face that are different than most other sections in band. He feels that it has been very rewarding to isolate and solve some of those problems.

There are certain qualities and skills needed to become a Big Ten Flag member.

“In terms of skill, we need people that have strong marching fundamentals and are able to learn drill relatively quickly,” Bean said. “We also look for people that are able to show basic competency in doing group choreography, since we often do that in stand still performances.”

Besides being a section leader in the marching band, Bean has also held other leadership positions within the band department. Freshman year, he rushed Tau Beta Sigma, national honorary band sorority, and was president of the sorority last year. Through Tau Beta Sigma, Bean was also head of the Kloset, which is a small retail operation the sorority runs that sells basic band supplies such as reeds, valve oil, and gloves for the marching band. Bean also became head of video production through the Volunteer Management Teams his freshman year.

“I instantly gained an appreciation for the fact that while we are all students doing volunteer work for a program we want to give back to, that doesn’t mean that the work being done is less important or has lower standards,” Bean said. “At the end of the day, the faculty and staff we get to work with are top class, which means that the experience we’ve gained in working on projects under their direction and feedback has led to an incredible amount of professional development.”

Currently, Bean is the Executive Team Leader over all the Volunteer Management Teams. In this position, he primarily works with each of the team leaders, along with Professor Conaway, Associate Professor of Music, on the management and administration of the Volunteer Management Teams.

In addition, Bean has been invited to the Band & Orchestra advisory board meetings, and he has been a part of Q&A events with new faculty candidates.

The band department has such a large, supportive alumni base, which can, and did for Bean, lead to networking opportunities. At a homecoming event during Bean’s sophomore year, he met a band alumna who happens to be the director of a very well-established facility that does electrical engineering work for the United States Air Force.

“When I introduced myself, we talked about her time in the department, and realized we had pretty similar experiences and were involved in some of the same volunteer work,” Bean said. “Long story short, this led to me interning at her facility the past two summers, and after I graduate, I’ll be starting there full-time.”

There are also many fun perks of being in the band. Members of the “All-American” Marching Band receive several travel opportunities throughout their time in the band. Bean has been fortunate enough to travel to Northwestern University, University of Illinois, Michigan State University, and Lucas Oil Stadium for football games. Bean also went with the marching band to Ireland last spring break. Another privilege he had was traveling with the band to perform at the Foster Farms Bowl Game last year in California, which was his favorite memory of his time in the department.

“It was an absolute whirlwind of an experience,” Bean said. “Honestly, some parts of it were so dense that there was hardly time to enjoy it in the moment, but looking back, it was definitely an incredible trip.”

The “All-American” Marching Band flew to California, performed at a pep rally, explored San Francisco, showcased their talents and experienced a great win at the bowl game, and made the journey back to West Lafayette all in under four days.

For incoming students interested in joining bands & orchestras, Bean wants them to know that there is a place for every musician in our department. With the number of ensembles offered now, there is almost certainly an ensemble that is well matched to a person’s interests and skill level.

“On top of that, there are many different ways to get involved that can be an incredible addition to your college experience,” Bean said. “Whether you’re looking for social events, volunteer opportunities, or leadership development, there is a good chance that this department has something that will cater to your interests.”

And, as Bean said, “there’s nothing better than getting to spend a football Saturday with 400 of your favorite people!”