Harvard University Band
Encyclopedia
The Harvard University Band (HUB) is the official student marching band
of Harvard University
. The Harvard Wind Ensemble, the Harvard Summer Pops Band, and the Harvard Jazz Bands also fall under the umbrella organization of HUB.
Currently, the band plays for all football games (both home and away) as well as home men's and women's ice hockey games. Occasionally it plays at men's and women's basketball games. The uniform for both football games and formal "gigs" consists of a crimson
wool HUB blazer worn over a white shirt with a black HUB logo tie, black pants (since 1961), and black shoes. In the early days of the Band, white sailor hats and khaki pants were worn. For hockey games, the band wears (over casual clothes) a custom Harvard Band hockey jersey, modeled after the home jerseys for men's hockey, which features images of Bertha (the huge bass drum) on the sleeves. Band alumni, known as crusties, maintain strong ties to the HUB, sometimes continuing to act as regular members well after graduating from the University. Illegitimum non carborundum (INC) is the HUB motto. Written correspondence from HUB or HUB members is frequently signed with INC.
, a method that was also adopted by most other Ivy League
marching bands (as well as the Stanford Band
and the Rice Marching Owl Band
), with the exception of the Cornell University
band. While the inventor of the scramble band technique remains in debate, the HUB maintains a strong claim to the title. A scramble band simply runs from one formation to the next in lieu of marching on a cue, typically a starter's pistol.
The HUB office was formerly at 9 Prescott St., and moved to 74 Mt. Auburn St, in Cambridge
, Massachusetts
in 1995. The Harvard University Band's new headquarters was named the "Anderson Band Center" in 1995 in honor of Leroy Anderson
.
The senior staff uniforms vary from the standard uniform. The Drum Major wears a tuxedo and carries a mace
, the Drill Master wears a black trench coat, the student conductor wears a HUB bow tie, the manager wears a black hat, and the Schneider wears a green tie.
Junior Staffers, who often later become Senior Staffers, work to build up band loyalty and spirit, and themselves provide the core active membership. Junior staff is composed largely of committees under each of the Senior Staff members:
Other miscellaneous personnel include the Assistant Director, HUB accountant, Prop Crew (who maintains, guards, and transports show props and equipment), MOM, Crusties (band alumni), and foosball league commissioner. Local artist Alice Tondel served as MOM and began her association with the HUB in 1949 until her passing in 1993.
The Senior Staff is selected by the previous Senior Staff. The official transition takes place annually in the HUB section of the stands after the completion of the halftime show at The Game.
Fight songs
Fight Fiercely
Unofficial
Staff cheers
These cheers are intended for the band itself, rather than the audience
Trumpet cheers
The Harvard Band delights in mocking the conventions of High School bands. With that in mind, where a typical High School band, or for that matter most major college bands, will have their trumpet section play traditional fanfares such as an organist might play at a baseball game, followed by shouting "fight," the Harvard Band trumpet section is famous for playing orchestral excerpts followed by shouting the same "fight." Their repertoire currently includes both network's Olympic fanfares; Eine Kleine Nachtmusik; the triumphal March from Aida; the Overture to the Marriage of Figaro; the entry of the Doge from Otello; Rue Brittania; Dies Irae from Verdi's Requiem; the trumpet solo from Petrushka; the slow movement of Beethoven's 7th (when losing); the finale of Stravinsky's Firebird and several others. The tradition is believed to have originated at Harvard under John Posner '71 and Ken Zunder '73, and has been added to by each section leader ever since.
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
of Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. The Harvard Wind Ensemble, the Harvard Summer Pops Band, and the Harvard Jazz Bands also fall under the umbrella organization of HUB.
Currently, the band plays for all football games (both home and away) as well as home men's and women's ice hockey games. Occasionally it plays at men's and women's basketball games. The uniform for both football games and formal "gigs" consists of a crimson
Crimson
Crimson is a strong, bright, deep red color. It is originally the color of the dye produced from a scale insect, Kermes vermilio, but the name is now also used as a generic term for those slightly bluish-red colors that are between red and rose; besides crimson itself, these colors include...
wool HUB blazer worn over a white shirt with a black HUB logo tie, black pants (since 1961), and black shoes. In the early days of the Band, white sailor hats and khaki pants were worn. For hockey games, the band wears (over casual clothes) a custom Harvard Band hockey jersey, modeled after the home jerseys for men's hockey, which features images of Bertha (the huge bass drum) on the sleeves. Band alumni, known as crusties, maintain strong ties to the HUB, sometimes continuing to act as regular members well after graduating from the University. Illegitimum non carborundum (INC) is the HUB motto. Written correspondence from HUB or HUB members is frequently signed with INC.
History
The band was formed in 1919. By 1930 the band had become a scramble bandScramble band
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...
, a method that was also adopted by most other Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
marching bands (as well as the Stanford Band
Stanford Band
The Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band is the student marching band of Stanford University. Billing itself as "The World's Largest Rock and Roll Band", the Stanford Band performs at sporting events, student activities, and other functions...
and the Rice Marching Owl Band
Marching Owl Band
The Marching Owl Band is the Rice University "marching band" in the sense that it is the official ensemble that performs during football games, some basketball games, parades, and other public events...
), with the exception of the Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
band. While the inventor of the scramble band technique remains in debate, the HUB maintains a strong claim to the title. A scramble band simply runs from one formation to the next in lieu of marching on a cue, typically a starter's pistol.
The HUB office was formerly at 9 Prescott St., and moved to 74 Mt. Auburn St, in Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
in 1995. The Harvard University Band's new headquarters was named the "Anderson Band Center" in 1995 in honor of Leroy Anderson
Leroy Anderson
Leroy Anderson was an American composer of short, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler...
.
Band leadership
The Band is led by a Senior Staff consisting of five officers:- Manager: Oversees finances and activity bookings. The current Manager is Garrett E. Morton '13.
- Drill Master: Writes and directs the field shows for football games; coordinates the cheers during hockey games. The current Drill Master is Christopher M. Murray '13.
- Student Conductor: Conducts and writes arrangements. The current StudCon is Max Wang '13.
- Drum Major: Serves as the leader for field and parade performances; assists in conducting with a mace; acts as the liaison with other Ivy Bands and coordinator of all away trips. The current Drum Major is Nina M. Khosrowsalafi '13.
- Schneider: The current Schneider is Catherine O. Flynn '13.
The senior staff uniforms vary from the standard uniform. The Drum Major wears a tuxedo and carries a mace
Ceremonial mace
The ceremonial mace is a highly ornamented staff of metal or wood, carried before a sovereign or other high official in civic ceremonies by a mace-bearer, intended to represent the official's authority. The mace, as used today, derives from the original mace used as a weapon...
, the Drill Master wears a black trench coat, the student conductor wears a HUB bow tie, the manager wears a black hat, and the Schneider wears a green tie.
Junior Staffers, who often later become Senior Staffers, work to build up band loyalty and spirit, and themselves provide the core active membership. Junior staff is composed largely of committees under each of the Senior Staff members:
- Manager's Committee: Treasurer, Mailing & Merchandise Coordinator, Webmaster, Alumni & Public Relations coordinator, Historian
- Drill Master's Committee: Assistant Drill Manager (ADM), Prop Crew Manager, Assistant Prop Crew Manager, Recruiting & Postering Coordinator, Blogtographer, Cinematographer
- Student Conductor's Committee: Music Manager, Librarian, Music Archivist, Arrangements and Licensing Coordinator, Instruments Manager
- Drum Major's Committee: Internal, Trips/HUHDS Manager, Section Leaders - Saxophones, Clarinets, Trumpets, Flutes, Percussion, Low Brass
- Schneider's Committee: Weisse (4) (Head weisse goes by "Steinbergowitz"), Schwartz
- Miscellaneous: Wind Ensemble Manager, Jazz Band Manager, Shadow Manager (Currently Conor O'Herin '13)
Other miscellaneous personnel include the Assistant Director, HUB accountant, Prop Crew (who maintains, guards, and transports show props and equipment), MOM, Crusties (band alumni), and foosball league commissioner. Local artist Alice Tondel served as MOM and began her association with the HUB in 1949 until her passing in 1993.
The Senior Staff is selected by the previous Senior Staff. The official transition takes place annually in the HUB section of the stands after the completion of the halftime show at The Game.
Directors
| • 1919-1921 | Frederic L. Reynolds '20 |
| • 1922-1923 | Addison Simmons '24 |
| • 1924-1926 | Ambrose F. Keeley '27 |
| • 1927-1928 | Harold Holland '28 |
| • 1929 | Leroy Anderson '29 Leroy Anderson Leroy Anderson was an American composer of short, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler... |
| • 1930-1931 | Guy V. Slade '32 |
| • 1932-1935 | Leroy Anderson '29 Leroy Anderson Leroy Anderson was an American composer of short, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler... |
| • 1936-1937 | Robert W. Snyder '38 |
| • 1938-1939 | James C. Gahan '36 |
| • 1940-1941 | James W. Holt DMD '42 |
| • 1942 | Malcolm Holmes '28 |
| • 1943-1944 (Naval unit band) | Ed Chastagner (drum major & drill master) |
| • 1945 (transitional) | - |
| • 1946-1952 | Malcolm Holmes '28 |
| • 1953-1959 | G. Wright Briggs '31 |
| • 1960-1969 | James Walker AMT '63 |
| • 1970 | Frank Battisti |
| • 1971–Present | Thomas G. Everett (longest serving director in HUB history and of all the Ivy Bands) |
Assistant directors
| • 2001-2003 | Nathaniel H. Dickey |
| • 2003–Present | Mark E. Olson |
Big stuff
- The Band's bass drumBass drumBass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
, depicted on the HUB logo, is towed on wheels and measures approximately 8 feet across. The HUB newsletter is also named the "Bass Drum Journal". The drum is called Bertha, and it is the largest playable natural skin bass drum in the world (made from cow's hide). In the past, Bertha was the target of thefts by the rival bands from Yale and Brown. In 1963, the giant drumstick used to sound rhythm on Bertha was spirited away during the second half of the Columbia game at Harvard's home stadium; members of the Columbia University Marching BandColumbia University Marching BandThe Columbia University Marching Band has performed for Columbia University since 1904. In the early 1960s, the CUMB became the first college or university marching band in the United States to convert to a scramble band format. Most of the United States' best universities now feature scramble...
at the time, and their progeny, have no idea who may have taken the stick.- Bertha originally was purchased in the 1930s by the Associated Harvard Clubs, when the band requested a bass drum to play at their convention. Given a blank check, the band purchased the largest drum available. The band has not been invited to play for any Associated Harvard Club conventions since. The current one was purchased in 1956 after a series of fundraising concerts when the other became too damaged to play.
- HUB owns one of the world's largest working tubaTubaThe tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
s: a 7 feet (2.1 m) triple B-flat BessonBesson (company)Besson is a manufacturer of brass musical instrument. It is owned by Buffet Crampon, which bought Besson in 2006 from The Music Group.The company was formed in 1837 by Gustave Auguste Besson, who at the age of 18 produced a revolutionary design of cornet which surpassed all contemporary models. His...
that is more than 50 years old. The musician playing this instrument must experiment and relearn which valve combinations are appropriate for each note. Musicians who have played the tuba in public performances include Boston Symphony Orchestra tubist Chester Schmitz, and Sam Pilafian. The tuba last had a large accumulation of dent damage removed somewhere between 1994-2002. The Tuba is engraved "Besson & Sons, London England, Carl Fischer, U.S Agent, New York", and is one of three sub-bass Tubas. - The band owns a large wooden chair (the Throne) which is ornately decorated with the Harvard logo and HUB motto. It was a gift of the University and the Class of 1903, which the band received in 1953. Currently it is the seat of the Drill Master during drill meetings at which the show for the next week is planned.
Prop Crew
The Band "Prop Crew" is unique to the Harvard Band and is an integral part of the band's spirit and performance. Prop crew members do not play instruments but generally assist with putting on the halftime show (often acting as extras in the performances) and playing "Bertha." Prop Crew also protects Bertha at games when it is not being given away by errant Band freshman. The attire for Prop Crew members is a white jump suits with "HARVARD BAND" emblazoned in red stitching on the back.News and stunts
- 1954 - On March 6, the band took to the ice for the first time to skate and play for the Yale Hockey game.
- 1968 - The band is invited to play graveside at the internment service for Senator Robert F. Kennedy at Arlington Cemetery.
- 1970 - To celebrate the integration of the (female) Racliffe students into the traditionally all-male Harvard Houses (upper class dormitories), the band suggested that language study would be particularly improved by these "cunning linguists." Ever since all half-time shows have been reviewed by administration officials.
- 1971 - Director Thomas Everett founds the Harvard Jazz Band
- 1972 - Members of the Brown University Band, posing as an ABC News crew complete with blazers, jump suits, camera and truck, persuades a band freshman to help them transport the "Big Bass Drum" down to Soldiers Field for pre-game filming whereupon they absconded with the drum. A friendly Massachusetts judge (and Band alumn) issues a bench warrant and the malefactors are soon caught by State Troopers. Future band manager Sam Coppersmith remains the only person ever to be awarded "Turkey of the Year" by TWO separate Ivy League Bands.
- 1975 - At the Princeton game, student conductor Tom McGrath, in a tribute to the Boston Pops, led the audience in a mass sing-along of the "Ode to Joy" from the Finale of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, in the original German.
- 1976 - At the Brown game, student conductor Jack Barbash lands in a helicopter on the field dressed as Leonard BernsteinLeonard BernsteinLeonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
, and the impersonation is said to have been believed by the audience. - 1979 - Diane Wasserman is the first woman named manager of the band.
- 1994 - At the 75th Reunion, the 1812 Overture1812 OvertureThe Year 1812, Festival Overture in E flat major, Op. 49, popularly known as the 1812 Overture or the Overture of 1812 is an overture written by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1880 to commemorate Russia's defense of Moscow against Napoleon's advancing Grande Armée at the Battle of...
was performed on the field with the explosion of hydrogenHydrogenHydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
balloons serving as cannon fire. (ref) The idea was inspired by Harvard residence Lowell House'sLowell HouseLowell House is one of the twelve undergraduate residential houses within Harvard College, located on Holyoke Place facing Mount Auburn Street between the Harvard Yard and the Charles River...
traditional courtyard rendition of the same song using the same method. - 2006 - At the Lafayette game, student conductor Kenton Hetrick '07 conducted the HUB with a 12' 6" baton, which broke the Guinness World Record for largest baton. This has since been broken by the Harmonie Amicitia Roggel of the Netherlands, with a baton measuring 13' 11". On October 20, 2007 The University of Pennsylvania BandThe University of Pennsylvania BandThe University of Pennsylvania Band is among the most active collegiate band programs in the U.S...
unveiled a 15' 9" baton nicknamed "The Maestro" in an attempt to one-up the Harvard Band. Despite video evidence, its world record status is pending confirmation by Guinness.
Notable alumni
- Leroy AndersonLeroy AndersonLeroy Anderson was an American composer of short, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler...
'29 (Trombone) was director of the HUB from 1931-35. He also played as an undergraduate beginning in 1926, and was student conductor from 1928-1930. Composer of The Syncopated Clock (used for 25 years as the theme music for "The Late Show," the WCBS late-night movie.), Fiddle-Faddle, The Typewriter, Blue Tango, A Trumpeter's Lullaby and the Christmas classic Sleigh RideSleigh Ride"Sleigh Ride" is a popular light orchestral piece composed by Leroy Anderson. The composer had the original idea for the piece during a heat wave in July 1946; he finished the work in February 1948. Lyrics, about a person who would like to ride in a sleigh on a winter's day with another person,...
among many others. The Harvard University Band's new headquarters was named the "Anderson Band Center" in 1995 in honor of Leroy AndersonLeroy AndersonLeroy Anderson was an American composer of short, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler...
.
- Theodore KaczynskiTheodore KaczynskiTheodore John "Ted" Kaczynski , also known as the "Unabomber" , is an American mathematician, social critic, anarcho-primitivist, and Neo-Luddite who engaged in a mail bombing campaign that spanned nearly 20 years, killing three people and injuring 23 others.Kaczynski was born in Chicago, Illinois,...
'62 (Trombone) is also known as the Unabomber. He briefly joined the HUB as a freshman in 1958. - G. Wright Briggs '31 was band director from 1953-59 was a member of the theory and composition faculty of the New England Conservatory of Music and program director for the famous Boston public radio station WBZ.
- Thomas Eugene EverhartThomas Eugene EverhartThomas Eugene Everhart is an American educator and physicist. He received his M.S. from University of California, Los Angeles. He held a Marshall Scholarship at Clare College Cambridge where he completed a PhD in Physics under Professor Charles Oatley in 1958. He was elected to the National...
'53 (Trombone) was the president of CaltechCalifornia Institute of TechnologyThe California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
from 1987-1997. - David M. DobsonDavid M. DobsonDavid M. Dobson was raised in Ames, Iowa. He is a software developer and an associate professor of geology and earth sciences at Guilford College. He is most notable for being the creator of Snood, a clone of the arcade game Puzzle Bobble/Bust a Move, and other games including Snoodoku, a Sudoku...
'91 (Tuba) is the creator of the computer game Snood. As a Tubist, Dobson was known to play Flight of the BumblebeeFlight of the Bumblebee"Flight of the Bumblebee" is an orchestral interlude written by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov for his opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan, composed in 1899–1900. The piece closes Act III, Tableau 1, during which the magic Swan-Bird changes Prince Gvidon Saltanovich into an insect so that he can fly away to...
and also arranged a 3-tuba Pachelbel's Canon. - David PintoDavid PintoDavid Pinto is the author of the blog Baseball Musings, a general-interest baseball blog, as well as a columnist for Sporting News. He previously worked at Project Scoresheet, STATS, Inc., ESPN, Baseball Info Solutions, and Baseball Prospectus....
'82 (Saxophone) was Drill Master of the HUB in 1980-81. He is currently a baseball blogger at www.baseballmusings.com and a columnist for Baseball ProspectusBaseball ProspectusBaseball Prospectus is an organization that publishes a website, BaseballProspectus.com, devoted to the sabermetric analysis of baseball. BP has a staff of regular columnists and provides advanced statistics as well player and team performance projections on the site...
and The Sporting NewsThe Sporting NewsSporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
. - Tom McGrath '76 (Trumpet) was a founding member of the Harvard Jazz Band and Student Conductor from 1975 to 1976. He is a Hollywood and Broadway producer. Produced the film The Princess Bride and the Broadway revivals of West Side Story and Hair
- Laura J. Garwin '77 (Trumpet) became the first woman ever to be awarded a Rhodes Scholarship. Later physical sciences editor of Nature magazine and Director of the Harvard Human Genome project. In 2006 Garwin left Harvard to study trumpet at the Royal Conservatory in London.
- Sam CoppersmithSam CoppersmithSamuel G. "Sam" Coppersmith is a former Democratic United States Congressman from Arizona from 1993 to 1995....
, 1975-76 Band Manager and victim of the Brown University stolen bass drum stunt, later became a Congressman from Arizona.
Songs
The repertoire consists of traditional Harvard fight songs and their own arrangements of popular songs played for field shows.Fight songs
- 10,000 Men of Harvard by Martin Taylor class of 1910
- Fair HarvardFair Harvard"Fair Harvard" is the commencement hymn of Harvard University. Composed by the Reverend Samuel Gilman of the class of 1811 for the university's 200th anniversary in 1836, it bids the school an affectionate farewell. Of its four verses, the first and fourth are traditionally sung and the second...
Harvard's Commencement Hymn by Samuel Gilman, Class of 1811 [Revised 1998] - Fight Fiercely, Harvard! by Tom Lehrer class of 1946
- Gridiron King by Raymond Fletcher class of 1908
- Harvard Eternal (Premiered at the 90th Reunion in 2009, written by Hannah Horowitz class of 2011)
- Harvardiana by R.G. Williams 1911
- Onward Crimson (Premiered at the 85th Reunion in 2004, written by Joshua Rissmiller class of 2006)
- Our Director by F.E. Bigelow
- R-A-D by Alice Hunnewell class of 1914
- Score by J.W. Adams class of 1910
- Soldiers Field by Raymond Fletcher class of 1908
- Up the Street by R.G. Morse class of 1896
- Veritas by John Densmore class of 1904
- Yo-Ho by Raymon Fletcher class of 1908
- Wintergreen for President arr. Leroy Anderson and containing a medley of other fight songs
- Harvard Medley arr. by Leroy Anderson as a medley of several fight songs
Fight Fiercely
- Tom Lehrer, Harvard class of 1946, undoubtedly intended his song parody, "Fight Fiercely, Harvard" to mock the normally bellicose language of football fight songs. In keeping with the irreverent spirit of the band, they have adopted the song, and it is now sung with gusto at all the football games.
Unofficial
- Budweiser (played after every gig)
- Ted Kennedy Song (song in honor of the local senator, Harvard alumnus, and favorite guest conductor)
- Sieve-Goalie (the tune of Hava Nagila played by the clarinets at hockey games to mock the opposing goalie)
- Theme from Hawaii Five-O (played during hockey games when Harvard is winning 5-0)
- Three Blind Mice (formerly played by the tubas when the referees emerge at hockey games, but due to accusations of unsportsmanlike conduct is relegated to a quiet rendition after particularly upsetting judgements against Harvard)
- The Bagpipe Cheer (the saxophones play "Scotland the Brave" while others dance a traditional Scottish dance)
- Underdog Theme played by the trombone section.
Cheers
- Black Hole Cheer – Used in hockey matches against opposing goalie.
- "1 2 3 4 Our team can really score, 1 1 1 1, humiliating isn't it?" OR "2 4 6 8 Our team is really great, 1 1 1 1, humiliating isn't it?" – Cheer for Hockey when the score is 4-1 or 8-1, respectively. Also performed in 4-0 and 8-0 versions.
- "That's all right, That's OK, You'll all work for us some day" – Cheer for when team is losing. Was banned for HUB use by Harvard Administration.
- "Hey Ref, you suck, we know where you live. Hey ref, we know, where you live... sucks."
- Repel them, Repel them, make them relinquish the ball to support the football defensive plays. (Written by Tom Lehrer)
- Navy Cheer: "Gooooooooo Har-vard! Beeeeeeeeat ___-___" for all sporting events
- Safety Cheer: "Hey [opposing school], 3 points is a field goal, two points is a safety, safety schoolSafety schoolA safety school is a training facility where safe operation is taught. It is used in industry and in government , but the more common usages are related to transportation and military operations....
, safety schoolSafety schoolA safety school is a training facility where safe operation is taught. It is used in industry and in government , but the more common usages are related to transportation and military operations....
" alternately: "6 points is a touchdown, etc." (used when Harvard is winning in hockey with a score of 3 to 2 or 6 to 2). It was banned for use by Harvard administration against any non-Ivy LeagueIvy LeagueThe Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
opponent. - Sieve Cheer: (while pointing) "Sieve! Sieve! Sieve! (etc.) It's all your fault!" (used at Hockey games against the opposing goalie at the beginning of each period and when Harvard scores; also used when in the case that any obvious mistake is made, for example a flubbed musical entry or note)
- Engineers Cheer: E to the x, d-y,d-x; E to the y, d-y; Cosine, Secant, Tangent, Sine; 3 point 1,4,1,5,9—Come on Harvard, Give 'em the digit!! (With appropriate accompanying hand gesture.)
Staff cheers
These cheers are intended for the band itself, rather than the audience
- The Flower Cheer – variants: Flour Cheer, Spaghetti Cheer (or any cheer for objects thrown into the HUB section of the stands).
- The Greek Cheer – a rousing cheer in honor of the new freshmen members of the band.
- MOM cheer – a cheer for Alice Tondel, aka "MOM". The word "MOM" is spelled backward, forward, and upside-down (WOW).
- the Humpty Dumpty Cheer, yelled by those in the back of the stands when they can't be heard
- The Bottle Cheer – cheer performed during third quarter during years when drinking age was 18. Band members would rhythmically beat the bottles they had emptied and would punctuate each phrase with the word, FIGHT. Obviously no longer performed (cf. Confetti cheer and one-time only Greek cheer, performed at Yale game 1978)
Trumpet cheers
The Harvard Band delights in mocking the conventions of High School bands. With that in mind, where a typical High School band, or for that matter most major college bands, will have their trumpet section play traditional fanfares such as an organist might play at a baseball game, followed by shouting "fight," the Harvard Band trumpet section is famous for playing orchestral excerpts followed by shouting the same "fight." Their repertoire currently includes both network's Olympic fanfares; Eine Kleine Nachtmusik; the triumphal March from Aida; the Overture to the Marriage of Figaro; the entry of the Doge from Otello; Rue Brittania; Dies Irae from Verdi's Requiem; the trumpet solo from Petrushka; the slow movement of Beethoven's 7th (when losing); the finale of Stravinsky's Firebird and several others. The tradition is believed to have originated at Harvard under John Posner '71 and Ken Zunder '73, and has been added to by each section leader ever since.
Recordings
- Up The Street Ambrose Keeley, cond. for the Victor Talking Machine Co. (1923)
- Harvard University Band Mono (1940)
- Harvardiana Mono 78rpm Malcolm Homes, cond. (1946)
- Ivy League Album Mono (1950)
- Up The Street With the Harvard Band 10" micro-groove LP
- Halftime With the Harvard Band 78rpm
- Harvard University Band, Through The Square - A Tribute To Malcolm H. Homes '28 (1954) E3-KL-5895.
- Between the Halves with the Harvard Band. (1955). MONO LP. BRIGGS, HB LP 5.
- Salute to the Ivy 1963 Mono
- Concert for Winds Harvard University Concert Band, James Walker, cond. 1968
- The Harvard University Band 1919-1969 G. Wright Briggs, cond. Mono (1969) This is a compilation of previous recordings and includes a recording of Up the Street made for the "Victor Talking Machine Co." in 1923 conducted by Ambrose Keeley. Briggs produced the album.
- Toast to the Ivy Ivy League Medleys and fight songs. Thomas G. Everett, conductor (1984)
- 75th Anniversary Album Harvard fight songs - Thomas G. Everett, cond.- Stereo CD (Recorded live 1994)
The Latin verse
There is an old saying that, "You can always tell a Harvard Man (now Grad)....but you can't tell 'em very much." In keeping with that tradition, the main Harvard fight song, Ten Thousand Men of Harvard features a first verse in Latin. The verse is intended as an extended Latin pun and makes little sense when translated:
Illigitimum non Carborundum, Domine Salvum Fac,
Illigitimum non Carborundum, Domine Salvum Fac.
Gaudeamus Igitur,
Veritas, non Sequitur,
Illigitimum non Carborundum, Ipso Facto
Reunions
Uniquely among college bands, the Harvard Band holds its own reunion every five years. It is also the oldest college band reunion in the world, with the first held at the Harvard University Band's 30th Anniversary in 1949. The Band's 90th Reunion in 2009 had almost 200 alumni return to perform in Soldier's Field. These reunions allow a member to reconnect with friends from several graduating classes. By contrast, a typical class reunion is only for people who all graduated in the same year.External links
- HUB Official Site See also the HUB History page
- The Big Tuba
- Harvard Gazette 80th Reunion
- MOM Article on "Mom" (Alice Tondel)
- Big Tuba Photo of Sam Pilafian (photo #25) playing the Big Tuba.
- Big Tuba 2 Photo album of Sam Pilafian playing the Big Tuba in Memorial Hall, on October 8, 2004, as well as some closeup photos