After three music department staff members left Elon University during the summer, KC Carter — a drum major for Elon’s Fire of the Carolinas Marching Band — said they were concerned about the future of the band.

“In the beginning there was kind of radio silence, and there was a lot of confusion from everyone,” Carter said. “My co-drum major, Alana Driver, she’s been my rock but we were talking to each other a lot and being like ‘What’s going on? What do we do? Is the band even still happening?’”

Jonathan Poquette served as the director of bands since 2019, but he left Elon University over the summer. Poquette’s last day at Elon was July 3. According to Poquette’s LinkedIn profile, he is now the director of instrumental studies at Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas.

Poquette did not respond to ENN’s request for comment.

The College of Arts and Sciences voted on October 9, 2025 to cut the Music Education program because of low enrollment. Students currently enrolled in the program will be allowed to finish their degree. Students who were interested in this major are encouraged to explore a degree in music performance or music in liberal arts.

According to the Spring 2026 Registrar’s Report, only two students were enrolled as music education majors. That same year 15 students majored in music performance and 21 majored in music in liberal arts. The Spring 2026 Registrar’s Report reported that six students were enrolled in music education in 2025 and 2024. The last time 20 or more students were enrolled in music education was 2011.

The Department of Music hired Danny Frye as interim director of bands; his first official day at Elon was Aug. 10. Allison Wente, chair of the music department, said Frye was chosen to fill the role because of his accomplishments as High Point University’s director of athletic bands. He founded the first marching band at HPU and increased the number of students in band programs.

“We were very fortunate that he was here and able to step in, and take over really late in the game,” Wente said.

Driver didn’t know any marching band members enrolled in Music Education and was surprised by Poquette’s departure because he was very involved with the band.

“That has been challenging because he does a lot of stuff behind the scenes that we didn’t really think about,” Driver said. “And so when he left so unexpectedly it’s like ‘OK, who’s doing all of that prep work?’”

Driver said that Frye has been very communicative and responsive with student leadership in band, and that she is looking forward to continuing to work with him.

The Department of Music lost other staff members before the start of the 2026-27 school year, including a drumline instructor and the assistant director of bands.

Despite the loss of staff, the department is still moving forward for the school year. Wente said the department is now offering zero or one-credit options for ensembles, including jazz, wind and various pop ensembles. Students can learn more about these ensembles through OnTrack.

Carter said that even though they were worried about the situation at the start, the Department of Music and the marching band are both optimistic about the year ahead with Frye.

“We have a lot of talented people, and that’s really what it’s about,” Carter said. “It’s about the team, it’s the fact that we are there together that will make it great.”