While the entire student body waits for finals week to show its ugly head, students in University Band 188.04 are embracing the idea of an early final exam. Instead of taking a written test or writing a term paper, they will perform a free concert open to the public tonight at 8 p.m. in Weigel Auditorium.”This is the best final anybody could ever have,” said Angela Conard, a senior majoring in medical technology from Mabank, Texas.The University Band is a 115-person ensemble made up of undergraduate and graduate students with the majority being non-music majors, said conductor Craig Young. Consisting of woodwind, brass, and percussion sections, the University Band plays mostly entertainment-oriented transcriptions, said Young, who is also a graduate student.Unlike all other bands on campus, the University Band does not turn anyone away. All students who enjoy playing music are welcome to schedule the one credit course, Young said.”U-band is for students who played in high school, enjoyed it, but can’t dedicate a lot of time to practice,” said Jason Rubenstein, a sophomore majoring in business from Wanaque, N.J. “Plus, it’s a good way to meet people and make new friends,” he said.Frank Holdren, a senior majoring in communications from Plain City, Ohio, joined the University Band because playing relieves stress, he said. Class is held two nights each week and culminates with a quarterly performance/final.With only eight weeks of practice under their belts, Tuesday’s rehearsal of Reed’s “A Festival Prelude” sounded incredibly tight.In addition to Reed’s composition, the University Band will perform Holst’s “A Moorside Suite,” selections from “West Side Story” by Bernstein, and John Pennington’s “Apollo”. “Apollo” is a strange piece whereby the clarinet section bites reeds shut and makes kissing sounds on the reeds, Holdren said.”Craig (Young) wants us to experiment with different musical styles, beyond what is traditional,” Holdren said.