Band leader extends win streak

Most people know him as that guy who dances a lot in front of the band at Quaker games, and who always looks like he's having a great time. To his friends, he's known simply as "James." Now, people everywhere are referring to him as the undefeated band leader. College senior James Stallworth is the drum major -- or student conductor -- of the Penn Band, a position he's held for two years. And during those two years, the Quaker football and basketball teams have never lost a game while Stallworth was conducting. That's because Stallworth has made it an artform to choose songs that will bring the teams, the band and the cheerleaders together with the fans. "My mission in life is to call the songs that the band will play and then conduct them," he said this week. "I work with the cheerleaders and the fans, so basically I try to set the mood for the games." And with brand new uniforms and several new cheers, Stallworth and the rest of the Penn Band will attempt to continue their winning streak as the Quakers play Canisius at the Palestra tonight. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and involved in a concert band since the fifth grade, Stallworth has acquired an impressive repertoire of songs over the years. In fact, his Penn Band can play any of almost 700 songs at a given time. And even though the band only rotates between about 35 different songs each year, song selection is still vastly important. "When we're at a game or event, I'll try to judge what's happening on the field or on the court," he said. "If it's close and there's something I want to play to get the fans involved, then I'll play something upbeat. If there's a little murky place, we'll play something that maybe the cheerleaders can work with. Otherwise, we'll just generally play songs that the fans want to hear." Stallworth added that the only two songs he knows the band will play during a game are "The Red and Blue" and "Highball" -- every other song is spontaneous. The band's favorite song to play is "Down on the Corner," and the fan favorites include "Rock and Roll Part II," "You Can Call Me Al" and the ESPN Sportscenter Theme Song. Through the years, Quaker fans have become more appreciative of the Penn Band, Stallworth said. In addition to enjoying the band's halftime antics, the fans also stand up and cheer whenever the band plays. In fact, he said, fans in the upper deck have started to throw wadded up pieces of paper down to him with song requests. "The band provides a spark that a lot of the fans really need to get going in the game," said College junior and Quaker fan Gerald Greenberg. "For the most part, it's the major source of excitement for much of the crowd." Greer Cheeseman, the band's interim director and advisor, said this week that since more fans are coming to the games to see the Ivy League champion Quakers play, more people are recognizing the "good mix of talent and enthusiasm" that the band embodies. "As the teams have been more successful, we've begun to be more popular, more visible," he said. "Halftime is no longer just the time to get a drink -- it's a time to watch the band." Greenberg echoed Cheeseman's sentiments. "Halftime is one of the highlights of the game," he said. "You have to find some other time to go to the bathroom." Stallworth said he enjoys being able to have such a profound effect on the atmosphere of the games. He cited as an example the Penn-Harvard football game last week, where at times the crowd seemed to be more quiet than usual. "At one point the fans were all sitting and just watching the game and not doing anything," he said. "I called a song and all the fans started clapping -- it gives you a feeling like, 'wow, I did that!' to see people clapping and cheering." Stallworth is also proud of the fact that the band is respected by the teams as well as the fans. He said one of his best memories as drum major was at a football game when the band's pregame show ran late. With the team's captains already on the field for the coin toss, Stallworth was afraid the band would miss its chance to form the ritual tunnel for the team to run through. "We got all the way up there and?[Penn football coach] Al Bagnoli was holding the team back until we got into place," Stallworth said. "He looked at me and pointed to make sure I was ready -- that really meant a lot." Bagnoli said yesterday that the team recognizes the importance of the band in exciting the fans. "I never get a chance to appreciate them," he said. "But they definitely add enthusiasm and vitality to the environment." The band, which has been around since 1897 and now boasts a whopping 115 members, has recently become so popular at football and basketball games that other coaches have requested the band's presence at their teams' matches. Now fans can hear the band play at volleyball, lacrosse and baseball games, tennis matches, and even swimming and gymnastics meets. This is good news for Stallworth, who enjoys conducting for every type of crowd. And it's also good news for the other band members, who enjoy working behind who they call the best drum major in the business. "He looks great in front of us, and shows people how much fun we're having," said Band Secretary and College junior Melissa Kaplan. "I can't imagine anyone else being up in front of us -- he knows the band, he knows what to do, and he knows how to milk a crowd." Stallworth accepts the praise with a smile and a blush, and simply looks forward to each new performance. Although he wants to pursue a masters degree in administration, he said he will always remember his time in the Penn Band. "What I do is the most fun I think I've ever had in my entire life," he said. "I have a great time making a fool out of myself -- [and] I feel that if I'm having fun, everyone else must be having fun too."

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