| Michigan Marching Band | |
|---|---|
 | |
| School | University of Michigan |
| Location | Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. |
| Conference | Big Ten |
| Founded | 1896; 129 years ago (1896) |
| Director | John Pasquale |
| Assistant Director | Richard Frey |
| Members | 400 |
| Practice field | Elbel Field |
| Fight song | "The Victors" |
| Uniform | |
 | |
| Website | https://michiganmarchingband.com/ |
TheMichigan Marching Band (also known as theUniversity of Michigan Marching Band or theMMB) is the official marching band of theUniversity of Michigan.[1] The band performs at allMichigan Wolverines football home games, select away games, and numerous concerts, pep rallies, and parades.[2] A student musical ensemble,[3] the MMB evolved from the original Michigan Band of twenty-two players in 1896 to today's band of over 400 members.[4][5]
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Though there is evidence of one or more bands formed at the University of Michigan between 1844 and 1859,[6] there is no continuous link between those early groups and the organization of a 22-member university band by Harry dePont on November 13, 1896.[7] At the start, the dePont-organized band received no financial support from the university.[8] The band's first performance was for theLaw School's observance ofWashington's Birthday on February 22, 1897.[7] University presidentJames Burrill Angell granted dePont's request for rehearsal space in Room A of University Hall, and by 1898 the band was being referred to as the "University of Michigan Band" and performed at football games.[9]
The ensemble disbanded in early 1903, but reunited that fall. Eugene J. Fischer became the band's conductor with the start of the 1906 season.[8] During Wilfred Wilson's subsequent tenure as director, membership in the band grew to nearly 100 musicians and the university allocated permanent space for the band's use in Morris Hall.Nicholas Falcone was appointed as conductor in 1927.[8] The band became an adjunct part of the university in 1929.[8]
During the Michigan–Ohio State football game in 1932, the MMB first performed a "script Ohio" formation. That field formation was subsequently embellished by theOhio State University Marching Band, which continues to perform a similar field routine today.[10] The band performed at theCentury of Progress exhibition in Chicago in October 1933.[11]
On August 26, 1935, while Bernard Hirsch was serving as Acting Conductor during Nicholas Falcone's medical leave due to hearing loss, the university offered Falcone's position toWilliam D. Revelli, who accepted.[12] By 1942, the band had been "voted 'All-American Band' by the nation's sportswriters" for two consecutive years.[13] The band was able to continue performing during the years ofWorld War II.[8] The band's home was relocated toHarris Hall in 1946.[8]
Life featured the band's New York City performance in its October 30, 1950, edition that included anAlfred Eisenstadt photograph of children marching behind drum major Dick Smith.[14] During Homecoming Weekend in November 1950, sixty-five former Michigan bandsmen attended a reunion which resulted in the formation of the University of Michigan Band Alumni Association.[8] In 1953, the Alumni Band began to join the regular band playing and marching at the Homecoming pre-game and halftime shows.[15]George R. Cavender was appointed as Assistant Director of Bands for the University of Michigan in 1952.[16] The band was featured on a color broadcast of the "Today Show" with hostDave Garroway in October 1955.[17] The MMB performed in the so-called "Snow Bowl" game against Ohio State in late November,[18] and later traveled by train[19] to perform in the1951 Rose Bowl.[20]
Starting in 1961, the Symphony Band recorded several music albums released by Vanguard Records that were credited to "University of Michigan Band". These albums documented the continued, functional specialization of the various ensembles comprising the Michigan Bands at that time. The Varsity Band played at basketball games and campus affairs. The Symphony Band performed in more traditional concert settings. The Marching Band performed at football games.[6][21] The band received new uniforms, percussion equipment, and fiberglass sousaphones in 1962.[22] The annual Band-O-Rama concert was first held in November 1964.[23] The band performed its "Peace Show" at the nationally televised Michigan-Ohio State football game in 1969.[24] The MMB also performed at the1970 Rose Bowl following the 1969 season.[25]
In 1970, Carl Grapentine was appointed the band announcer, becoming the "Voice of the Michigan Bands" (and, since 2006, the "Voice ofMichigan Stadium").[26][27] The performance block had grown to 210 members.[25] Dr. Revelli retired from the band in the summer of 1971 and was succeeded by Cavender. Women were allowed to join the marching band starting in 1972.[28] The MMB performed as part of the halftime show at 1973'sSuper Bowl VII, collaborating withWoody Herman andAndy Williams.[29] A new facility, named Revelli Hall, was built to house the marching band.[8] The MMB's practice field formally known as Wines Field was renamed Elbel Field.[30] Cavender retired in 1979 and was succeeded by Glenn Richter.[8] The MMB performed at the1972,[31]1977,[32]1978,[33] and 1979 Rose Bowl games, as well as at the1976 Orange Bowl game.[34] The 1978 Rose Bowl performance featured the first public performance of theJohn Williams' musical score to the movie,Close Encounters of the Third Kind.[35]
Eric Becher succeeded Richter as the MMB's conductor in 1980.[8] The band appeared on the television special,A Bob Hope Celebration on October 22, 1981.[36] In 1982, the MMB performed inSuper Bowl XVI[37] and was selected as the inaugural winner of theSudler Trophy.[38] The MMB also performed at the final game of the1984 World Series[39] inTiger Stadium[40] and survived a mob attack in the riot that followed.[41] In 1989, Jerry Luckhardt became the MMB's conductor.[8] The MMB performed at the1981,[42]1983,[43]1987,[44] and1989 Rose Bowl[45] games.
Dr. Gary Lewis became Director of the MMB in 1990.[8] On November 20, 1992, the MMB appeared as musical guests on theABC television variety show,Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.[46] Jeff Grogan directed the band for the 1995 season.[8] Dr. Kevin Sedatole was appointed as Director of the MMB in 1996, with Grogan remaining as Assistant Director.[8][47] Dr. James Tapia was appointed as Director of the MMB in 1999.[48] The band performed at the1990 Rose Bowl.[49]
In 2001, Jamie L. Nix was hired as the 13th Director of the MMB.[8] That same year, the MMB elected Karen England as its first female Drum Major.[50] On January 2, 2007, having performed at theRose Bowl the previous day,[51] the Michigan Marching Band attended the arrival ofPresident Gerald Ford's body inGrand Rapids, Michigan.[52] The MMB honored President Ford's funeral procession with somber performances of "Ruffles and Flourishes", "Hail to the Chief", "The Yellow and Blue", and "The Victors".[52][53] Dr.Scott Boerma succeeded Nix as director of the band that same year.[54]
In 2013, Dr. John Pasquale became Director of the MMB.[55] He replacedDr. Scott Boerma, who announced his resignation as director following the 2013Outback Bowl to take the position of Director of Bands at his alma mater,Western Michigan University.[55][56] Dr. Andrea Brown was hired as the band's Associate Director, becoming the first female Associate Director at theUniversity of Michigan.[57] In 2015, the band collaborated with conductorAlan Gilbert and the brass section of theNew York Philharmonic for a halftime performance consisting of 1,000 performers.[58] In 2018, Dr. Richard Frey was hired as the band's Associate Director.
The Michigan Marching Band announced an entirely virtual season for the 2020–2021 academic year in response to thecoronavirus pandemic.[59]
On September 11, 2021, for the 20th anniversary of theSeptember 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, the Michigan Marching Band performed a tribute show entitled "We Remember", in conjunction with Durant Design.[60] The show featured selections fromJohn Williams' Summon the Heroes;West Side Story's Mambo;Billy Joel's New York State of Mind;Jay-Z andAlicia Keys' Empire State of Mind;Hamilton's Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story;Woody Guthrie's This Land is Your Land; andJohn Philip Sousa's Stars & Stripes Forever.[61]
| Year | Past directors:[8] | Year | Past drum majors:[62] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1896 | Roy P. Warren[63] | ||
| 1897 | Lewellyn L. Renwick[64] | 1897 | Fredrick Lawrence Travers |
| 1900 | Allen Lynn Darr[64] | 1898–1912 | |
| 1903–04 | William Hoffman[8] | ||
| 1906–14 | Eugene "Ike" Fisher[8] | ||
| 1913–14 | George Olsen | ||
| 1914–15 | Herbert E. Richards[65] | 1914–15 | |
| 1915–26 | Captain Wilfred Wilson[8] | 1916–20 | Eugene A. Osius |
| 1921–22 | John P. Lawton | ||
| 1923–25 | Paul R. Sellards | ||
| 1924 | Robert V. Halsey | ||
| 1925–27 | Gordon Packer | ||
| 1926–27 | Norman J. Larson[66][67] | ||
| 1927–36 | Nicholas Falcone[8][12] | ||
| 1928 | Joe Narrin, Roger Kenneth Becker | ||
| 1928–29 | Joe Narrin | ||
| 1930–32 | Frank O. Riley | ||
| 1934–35 | Bernard Hirsch ("Acting Conductor")[12] | ||
| 1933–34 | Donald A. Strouse | ||
| 1935–71 | William D. Revelli[8] | 1935–36 | Robert W. Fox |
| 1936–37 | Frederick N. Wiest | ||
| 1937–38 | Robert W. Fox | ||
| 1939–40 | Gilbert Stevenson, John "Jack" Sherrill | ||
| 1940–41 | John "Jack" Sherrill | ||
| 1941–42 | Lynn Stedman | ||
| 1942–43 | Lynn Stedman, Pat McNaughton | ||
| 1943–44 | Lynn Stedman | ||
| 1944–45 | Douglas Clark | ||
| 1945–46 | Douglas Clark, John Harold Packer | ||
| 1946–47 | Lynn Stedman | ||
| 1947–48 | Noah Knepper | ||
| 1948–49 | Fred Briedenbach | ||
| 1950–52 | Dick Smith | ||
| 1953–54 | Floyd Zarbock | ||
| 1954–55 | Vic Walton, Gurdon "Champ" Patton | ||
| 1955–57 | Gurdon "Champ" Patton | ||
| 1958–59 | Gary Kocher | ||
| 1960–64 | Bill McCann | ||
| 1965–66 | Dave Smith, Lynn Cooper | ||
| 1966–67 | Dave Smith, Dick Follett | ||
| 1967–68 | Dick Follett | ||
| 1969–70 | Dave Smith, Mark Brown | ||
| 1970–71 | Mark Brown | ||
| 1971–79 | George R. Cavender[8] | ||
| 1972–74 | Albert Ahronheim | ||
| 1975–77 | Jeff Wilkins | ||
| 1978–80 | Guy Bordo | ||
| 1979–80 | Glenn Richter[8] | ||
| 1980–1989 | Eric A. Becher[8] | ||
| 1981–83 | Steve Roberts | ||
| 1984–85 | Andy Purvis | ||
| 1986–87 | Kevin Ross | ||
| 1987–88 | Andy Purvis | ||
| 1988–89 | Jeff Stokes | ||
| 1989–90 | Jerry Luckhardt[8] | 1989–90 | Jeff Stokes |
| 1990–95 | Gary J. Lewis[8] | 1990–91 | Rodney Weir |
| 1992–93 | Greg Macklem | ||
| 1993–95 | Matthew Pickus | ||
| 1995–96 | Jeff Grogan[8] | 1995–96 | Jason Wuellner |
| 1996–99 | Kevin L. Sedatole[8] | 1996–98 | Ramon Johnson |
| 1999–2001 | James R. Tapia[8] | 1999–2000 | Gregg Whitmore |
| 2001–02 | Karen England | ||
| 2001–06 | Jamie L. Nix[8] | ||
| 2002–03 | Matt Cavanaugh | ||
| 2004–05 | Dennis Lee | ||
| 2006–07 | Iden Baghdadchi | ||
| 2007–12 | Scott Boerma[8] | 2007–08 | Cody Martin |
| 2009–10 | David Hines, Jr. | ||
| 2011–12 | Jeffrey McMahon | ||
| 2013- | John Pasquale[8] | 2013–14 | Jeff Okala |
| 2015–16 | Matthew Cloutier | ||
| 2016–17 | McKenna Thayer | ||
| 2017–18 | Kevin Zhang | ||
| 2018–20 | Kelly Bertoni | ||
| 2020–22 | Walter Aguilar | ||
| 2022–23 | Rachel Zhang | ||
| 2023–24 | Blake Brdak | ||
| 2024–25 | Christian Nunez | ||
| 2025- | Miguel Retto |
Thus, in 1914, the Band gained official recognition and became a unit of the University.Alt URL
In addition to preparing and performing new pre-game and half-time shows for all home games, the Michigan Marching Band plays numerous concerts, pep rallies, and parades
Open to all U-M students, including those at Dearborn and Flint, the Michigan Marching Band has thrilled hundreds of thousands of fans with exciting performances for more than 100 years...
On the night of November 13, 1896, twenty-two musicians...
The band consists of about 400 members in all...
...in 1844 occurred the first known mention of the band... in 1859 a group of fifteen music-minded students organized themselves...
Much of the early data on the Band has been lost, however... Unfortunately, all too little is known about the Band between the time of the Civil War and the turn of the century... According to a short history written by Henri P. dePont ('02), who played the cornet, the first genuine University Band was organized in the fall of 1896.Alt URL
Students will take the U of M Band to Chicago.
This fluid group divides itself into different units. The University of Michigan Marching Band plays at all the home football games and travels with the team to off-campus games.
A tried and true U-M tradition, Band-O-Rama: True Blue! celebrates its 54th anniversary with a mixture of classic repertoire from many musical genres including traditional favorites for fans of all things blue.
For 210 band members, the trip to the Rose Bowl will take work and concentrated effort.
...Carl has been the "stadium voice" of the University of Michigan Marching Band for forty-eight seasons – his voice being heard on national telecasts of sixteen Rose Bowls and numerous other bowl games. In 2006, he also assumed the responsibilities of game announcer at Michigan Stadium.
...the LSJUMB gained national notoriety at the 1972 Rose Bowl when several members of the Stanford band ran through the Michigan marching formations during a practice session, tossed footballs around and allegedly threw rocks at some of the Michigan bandsmen.
Conductor of the University of Michigan marching band George Cavender is proud of what he has lined up for the 1978 Rose Bowl, which will feature the first public performance of the musical score to "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."
...the high-stepping University of Michigan Marching Band plays its fight song and exits around Bob when he enters.
Due to their reputation for excellence, the band again performed at a Detroit Lions game at the Pontiac Silverdome and provided entertainment at Tiger Stadium the night Detroit clinched the World Series.
The crowd attacked the bus that carried the Michigan Marching Band, breaking every window.
1983 The Rose Bowl... Following the Michigan Band's performance at halftime...
The Michigan band plays during their 15-22 loss to Arizona State at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
The drum section of the 225-member Michigan Marching Band warms up before marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade.
...Gifford entered the arena... with Philbin at her side and the marching band behind.
Kevin Sedatole will assume the duties of director in July. Jeff Grogan, who has served the band as interim marching band director this past year, will become the assistant director.
Just as the Michigan marching band strikes up a preamble to impending victory...
LSA senior Karen England of Greenville made her debut as the band's first female drum major Saturday.
Nix left his post after last season to study for a doctoral degree at the University of Miami.
John Pasquale, assistant director of bands and associate director of marching and athletic bands, was named Wednesday as the next director of Michigan Marching and Athletics Bands, the Band announced on its Facebook page Wednesday. Pasquale will replace Scott Boerma, who resigned from the position on Jan. 8. to accept a position as director of bands at Western Michigan University, his alma mater.
Brown is the first female in University history to be selected for this position...
The performance is at the Wolverines homecoming game against Northwestern on Oct. 10 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. Michigan announced Friday that New York Philharmonic music director Alan Gilbert will conduct the brass section during the show.
[Roy P.] Warren was elected director.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)In December of 1925, the Michigan "Varsity" Band traveled to Detroit to record Varsity, Victors, and The Yellow and Blue.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)Documents the University of Michigan Marching Band in its various stages of preparation for the 1970 Rose Bowl performance in Pasadena...
"Pow Pow" produced in 1960 is a lark, through the rain, with telephoto lens, dissecting the University of Michigan marching band. The band's purposefulness, high seriousness, and utter dedication are shown as never before.
Summary: A behind-the-scene story which shows the practice and drilling required to train the University of Michigan's 150-men marching band for their performance at each football game.
