College marching bands in the United States are frequently associated with college football and their performance activities often (but don't always) revolve around the sport. [1] In the context of football, marching bands can be seen on the field both at pregame and at halftime, and performing in the stands during the game. College marching bands can also be found performing in parades such as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Rose Parade and performing in exhibition at high school marching band competitions such as those run by Bands of America and USBands. There are several styles of marching bands typically found at American colleges and universities.
Schools with prominent football programs in the power 5 conferences typically field traditional, Big Ten-style show bands, whose repertoire largely consists of popular music. They often perform a different half time show at each home game and frequently use a high march style.
Though sharing similarities with other show bands, the marching bands of HBCUs have a style, status, and legacy that differs significantly from bands at other institutions. [2] The bands' repertoire costists largely of Hip Hop and R&B. The reach of HBCU bands extends far beyond the universities they represent and they are renowned for their contributions to black culture. [3] The most famous exhibition of HBCU bands is the Honda Battle of the Bands.
Many Mid-major and FCS schools field corps-style bands drawing inspiration from Drum Corps International. Corps-style bands typically field a single show that is refined and performed throughout the season, These shows often have intricate drill, technical musical passages, and thematic choreography.
Military marching bands at academies and senior military colleges have a more traditional regimental style. They are military units made up either of cadets or full time active duty personnel.
Scramble bands are a type of band often found at selective universities such as those in the Ivy League. Instead of marching set to set, scramble bands often run or "scramble" between sets. Unlike most other marching bands which are led by faculty, scramble bands tend to be student led.
A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who play while marching. Historically they were used in armed forces and many marching bands remain military bands. Others are still associated with military units or emulate a military style, with elements such as uniforms, flags and batons and occasionally rifles or sabers. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments.
A scramble band - also known as a scatter band - is a particular type of field-performing marching band with distinct characteristics that set it apart from other common forms of marching bands; most notably, scramble bands do not normally march. In fact, the name comes from the way in which the band moves between formations – members run to each form without using a predescribed path; this is known as scrambling.
Alabama State University is a public historically black university in Montgomery, Alabama. Founded in 1867, during the Reconstruction era, it was one of about 180 "normal schools" established by state governments in the 19th century to train teachers for the rapidly growing public common schools. It was one of 23 established to train African Americans to teach in segregated schools. Some of the 180 closed but most steadily expanded their role and became state colleges in the early 20th century and state universities in the late 20th century. ASU is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.
The Goin' Band from Raiderland is the 418-member marching band of Texas Tech University.
Prairie View A&M University is a public historically black land-grant university in Prairie View, Texas. Founded in 1876, it is one of Texas's two land-grant universities and the second oldest public institution of higher learning in the state. It offers baccalaureate degrees in 50 academic majors, 37 master's degrees and four doctoral degree programs through eight colleges and the School of Architecture. PVAMU is the largest HBCU in the state of Texas and the third largest HBCU in the United States. PVAMU is a member of the Texas A&M University System and Thurgood Marshall College Fund.
The Pride of Arizona (PoA) is the marching band and pep band at the University of Arizona. The band was founded in 1902 as the UA ROTC Band and contained 12 members. The band is well-known for their performance at Super Bowl I and the Inaugural Parade of President James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr.
Talladega College is a private, historically black college in Talladega, Alabama. It is Alabama's oldest private historically black college and offers 17 degree programs. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
The Marching Illini is the marching band of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The Marching Illini is an organization which annually includes approximately 400 students enrolled in the University of Illinois, and Parkland College. It was founded in 1867 and primarily performs at Illini football games as well as other events around campus.
The University of Minnesota Marching Band is the marching band of the University of Minnesota and the flagship university band for the state of Minnesota. The Pride of Minnesota serves as an ambassador for the university, representing the school at major events both on and off campus. The band performs before, during, and after all home Golden Gopher football games and bowl games, occasional away games, local parades, numerous pepfests, exhibition performances, as well as a series of indoor concerts toward the end of the regular football season. Members of the band, along with non-member students, also participate in smaller athletic pep bands that perform at other major sporting events, including men's hockey, men's basketball, women's hockey, women's basketball, and women's volleyball.
The University of Florida Fightin' Gator Marching Band, also known as The Pride of the Sunshine, is the official marching band for the University of Florida. The current era of the band is also referred to as The Sound of the Gator Nation. They perform at every Florida Gators home football game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and also at various other events such as pep rallies, parades, and the annual Orange and Blue spring scrimmage game. A full band usually travels to two away games a year while at other games a small/medium-sized pep band will attend. Members of the Gator Band, as well as other University of Florida students, are encouraged to join other ensembles such as concert band, jazz band, basketball band, and volleyball band. The twirlers for the Gator Band are referred to as the Gatorettes and the color guard is called the Florida Visual Ensemble.
Carson High School is a four-year public high school in Carson, California, United States. It is situated in the District South area of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Carson High is located on the corner of 223rd Street and Main Street. Carson's rivalry with Banning High School in Wilmington, Los Angeles, California is one of the top high school rivalries in the South Bay region of Los Angeles. Enrollment at Carson High School for the 2018–2019 academic year was 1,499 students.
The Thunder of the East is the marching band of the University at Buffalo in the State University of New York system. UB's first marching band was created in 1920, and disbanded in 1927. It was revived in 1946, increasing in size and reputation until about 1970. It was known as "The Pride of the East." At that time, it was dissolved upon UB's departure from Division I athletics. In 1981, some UB students continued the tradition of playing music at UB's home football and basketball games by forming UB's Pep Band. In anticipation of UB's return to Division I athletics, a marching band was formed in 1999 and named, "Thunder of the East." The band debuted at the University at Buffalo Stadium on September 11, 1999. The Thunder of the East is currently led by James E. Mauck; and performs at UB's Buffalo Bulls home football games, as well as in other musical venues.
The Boston College Marching Band (BCMB), also known as the Boston College "Screaming Eagles" Marching Band, is the marching band for the Boston College Eagles. Founded in 1919, The Band is the largest and most visible student organization at Boston College, and represents the school at home football games, most bowl games, international events, and parades.
The "Pride of Mid-America" is the name of the Ball State University marching band. Consisting of around 200 members, it is the largest student organization at Ball State.
"The Marching Thunder" is the marching band of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. The Marshall University Marching Thunder is the largest and most visible student organization on campus. As the largest student organization on campus, the 130 piece marching band provides entertainment and school spirit at football games, basketball games, and other community functions.
The Pride of the Mountains Marching Band is the marching band which represents Western Carolina University. The band performs pre-game, halftime, and post-game shows at all Catamounts Football home games and routinely provides exhibition performances throughout the Southeast. Unlike most college marching bands, the Pride of the Mountains designs, creates, and performs one perfected halftime show other than doing different performances every week.
Southern Pride is the name for the marching band of Georgia Southern University located in Statesboro, Georgia.
The Blue and Gold Marching Machine is the official marching band of North Carolina A&T State University. The Blue and Gold Marching Machine performs pre-game and halftime shows at all North Carolina A&T Aggies football home games and travels to most away games.
GSU Tiger Marching Band, also known as the Tiger Marching Band is Grambling State University's marching band. It is often billed as the "World Famed Tiger Marching Band". Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones founded the band in 1926.
A Historically Black College and University marching band is the marching band sponsored by a historically black college or university. A distinctive "HBCU-style" of marching band originated in the American South in the 1940s through the blending of earlier traditions of military music and minstrel shows with a performance repertoire based on popular song.
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