The LSU Tiger Band starts in August just like the football team does, practicing every hot afternoon, learning new songs and marches, and it’s the band’s job to set the tone before the game, but the young man leading the way is enjoying every second of it.
Even at rehearsals, Senior Drum Major Beau Bujol, already has his game face on. Then again, he already had it on when he joined The Golden Band from Tiger Land four years ago.
"Beau lives for this band,” Dr. Dennis Llina, LSU associate director of bands, said. “His effort on the field is unmatched.”
“I wouldn’t imagine this being the year it has been. This is my last year at LSU, being the way it is without being drum major. It’s a dream come true,” Beau said.
LSU’s drum major is selected after a grueling, week-long, audition process. And while the position might appear ceremonial, it is anything but, especially after the band leaves the field.
“He is that direct line of communication between us and them, along with the planning, facilitating, administering the curriculum through the summertime, fully engrossed,” Dr. Kelvin Jones, LSU associated director of bands, said.
It is only after the drum major’s salute that we get those first four notes.
“It’s just four notes, but to LSU, the LSU faithful, the LSU community and across the nation, it means so much more than just four notes,” Beau said.
Despite this being this being his fourth year with the Tiger Band, Beau didn’t know what to expect for the band’s traditional march down Victory Hill to the stadium.
As the piccolo section leader, he has been the very last spot in the giant parade block, but not anymore.
“Marching down the hill for the first time, as soon as you turn around that roundabout and see just all those people, and they’re just there to see the band, I had goosebumps going up and down my body,” Beau said.
The Tiger Band is about 325 strong and they start on game day at 8 a.m. The rehearse, play Greek theater, pregame, halftime, then the game, then at around 11 p.m. Beau and members of the band go back and watch video of halftime to get better.
Beau says he is humbled to lead the band.
“The thing I’m most fortunate of is being able to represent my peers and my friends in the band because they work so hard. I want my time as drum major to represent all the great things about every single member of this band,” Beau said.