In 2025, Bear Nation Varsity Band is celebrating its 10th year of bringing music to the Francis Field stands. (Jessi Szafoni | Contributing Photographer)

The Bear Nation Varsity Band (BNVB) set the tone at the WashU football game on Sept. 27. The band filled the air with music as students and their families filled every corner of the Francis Olympic Field bleachers, their eyes fixed on the football game. The air was alive with cheers from the crowd, synchronized chants from the cheerleaders, and sharp choreographed movements from the dance team, while players hustled across the field. Amid the excitement, BNVB connected fans and athletes with every beat of their music.

As WashU faced off against North Central College, BNVB kicked off its 10th season as the University’s student-run pep band. The pep band has become a staple of game days, energizing crowds and building a tight-knit community of musicians along the way.

“It really was dumb luck that I ended up here,” senior, BNVB president, and tenor saxophone player Zoe Carter said. “I totally wasn’t planning on doing this, and now all of my close friends are from the band. Clearly, I enjoy it, given that I dedicate a lot of my life to it.”

Over the past decade, BNVB has grown into a lively ensemble that plays at football, basketball, and softball games. Many members come in with prior band experience, which helps the group pick up new material quickly. With around 40 songs in their repertoire — split between “shorts” and “longs” — the band rehearses only for an hour each week. For each hour-long practice, the band learns about five songs, quickly building a diverse setlist that keeps games energetic and engaging. 

“We always say that this is a super low time commitment thing, which it definitely is, but you can make it a much bigger time commitment,” Carter said. “I’m a little bit of a crazy person and think about the band 24/7, practically.”

From conducting to directing to curating the setlist, every aspect of the band is managed by its members. Sophomore, public relations chair, and trumpet player Kelsey Conover said that rehearsals are entirely student-run.

“[Student management] gives the exec board more flexibility and makes the band itself feel more tight-knit,” Conover said.

Their close relationships can also be credited to the band’s size. With roughly 40 people in the club, the band must work together to maintain a cohesive sound. This is done through strategic song arrangements that can be easily played by the woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments that make up the band. 

Both Conover and Carter attribute much of the band’s community spirit to its traditions. Before the first rehearsal, members gather for a “walk party” where upperclassmen mingle with newcomers. The band also sponsors social events, like bowling, paintball, and a trip to Six Flags, to create a strong group camaraderie. And if you look closely, between sets, the band plays “BNVB bingo” featuring squares such as “WashU scores the first touchdown” and “The mascot says hi to the band.”

“It is a fun way to be more engaged with each other during the games,” Carter said.

On gameday, the BNVB transforms the stadium with energy and rhythm. 

“The games are 100% better than rehearsals,” Conover said. “It’s higher energy, and we have close relationships with some of the teams. The softball team interacts with us, the football team told us they love our sound effects, and the cheerleaders coordinate with us so we don’t overlap.” 

The band builds on the energy from fans at Francis Olympic Field. At football games, the band sits in the bleachers, in the area where students typically sit. So far this season, football has had high attendance — a combined 4,500 people have come to the first two WashU football games this year.

“We had the most people come to a game [Sept. 27] that I think we’ve had since my freshman year, from our standpoint,” Carter said. “I was really happy, and I feel like we sounded good together.”

Even when WashU isn’t winning, the band keeps spirits high, and fans bop their heads along to the music.

“I feel like we’re definitely helping to hype up everyone … even more so yesterday [Sept. 27], just because it was easier to get down because we weren’t winning,” Carter said. 

Though they may be a small group and not always the focus of attention, the band’s presence is impossible to ignore. Their music, energy, and traditions enhance every game. Without the BNVB, gameday would feel a little less vibrant, a little less alive: a reminder that sometimes, the heartbeat of a game isn’t just on the field, but in the band that drives it.

“We want to bring our best performances and spread joy to the people of WashU,” Conover said.