University of Massachusetts Lowell Marching Band | |
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School | University of Massachusetts Lowell |
Location | Lowell, Massachusetts |
Founded | 1979 |
Director | Daniel Lutz |
Associate Director | Debra-Nicole Huber |
Members | About 120 |
The University of Massachusetts Lowell Marching Band has about 120 members and is directed by Daniel Lutz and assisted by Debra-Nicole Huber. The band acts as an exhibition band for the University of Massachusetts Lowell, performing for the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association (MICCA), New England Scholastic Band Association (NESBA) and other shows throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut. The band also frequently performs at events on campus and in surrounding communities, including parades.
In recent years, it has performed hits from classic rock and jazz artists such as Queen, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and Chick Corea, arranged by Lutz and percussion arranger Jim Morris.
The UMass Lowell Marching Band draws its members from virtually every department in each of the university's schools and colleges. The band has been a major ensemble of the Department of Music since 1979. [1]
In its role as ambassador for the university, the marching band performs throughout New England at parades, clinics, exhibitions, and serves as an ambassador for the university and serves as a source of entertainment at university activities. Past performances included exhibitions for United States President Bill Clinton, also for Governors of Massachusetts, and other state dignitaries as well as at band festivals and televised performances seen by audiences of thousands. [1]
The marching band's musical program was specially arranged for the ensemble by Lutz, drawn from the classics, jazz, rock and popular idioms. Music and motion were combined through original visual design. The bands consists of instrumentalists, including guitar and bass. [1] The band does not have a color guard.
In the Fall of 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the band's rehearsals were held virtually through Zoom, concluding with a video performance for a limited audience of UMass Lowell music students. For this virtual season, the band's numbers were a fraction of the size from years prior (70).
The instrumentation consisted of piccolos, alto saxophones, tenor saxophones, trumpets, mellophone, trombones, baritones, sousaphone, and a variety of percussion instruments. [1]
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