UCLA Band
Encyclopedia
The 270 member UCLA Bruin Marching Band, known as The Solid Gold Sound, represents the University at major athletic and extracurricular events. During the fall marching season, the Band performs at the Rose Bowl
for UCLA Bruin home football games. Pregame shows by the Band aim to build crowd energy and enthusiasm with traditional UCLA songs like Strike Up the Band for UCLA
, Sons of Westwood
and The Mighty Bruins. Throughout the game, the Band performs custom-arranged rock and pop songs, as well as the traditional fight songs and cheers of the University. The UCLA Varsity band appears at basketball games and other athletic contests in Pauley Pavilion
.
The UCLA Band program, which includes the Marching and Varsity bands, the Wind Ensemble and the Symphonic Band, is in the School of the Arts and Architecture's Department of Music
, part of the UCLA Herb Alpert
School of Music http://www.schoolofmusic.ucla.edu/index.php. Band appearances at athletic events are funded by the UCLA Athletic department, as well as student registration fees, and the Solid Gold Sound foundation.
Instrumentation of the Solid Gold Sound is similar to other major college marching bands.
For Fall 2006, the Band marched
For Fall 2011, the Band is marching
The 2011 Band is also staffed by
For many years, the UCLA band had a featured female baton twirler, known as the "Golden Girl". In 2006, instead of a twirler, the featured performer was a Band Juggler For 2011, the Band has returned to having two Feature Twirlers, ReJoyce Green and Michelle Glymph.
In 2007, the Band marched 24 Sousaphones along with two alternates. 25 new Yamaha Sousaphones were purchased from a special allocation of funds from the Chancellor's Office.
The UCLA Drumline utilizes drums made by Yamaha, with Remo drum heads, as well as cymbals by Zildjian. The bassline typically marches 6 basses and uses Vic Firth Bass Mallets. The tenorline plays on 6 drum multi-toms using MT1A Tenor Mallets by Vic Firth. The snareline plays using Ralph Hardimon sticks by Vic Firth.
Note that the UCLA Marching Band currently does not march Baritones or Baritone Saxophones, although marching baritone horns and before that, bell front euphonium
s had been a component in the past.
style with low mark times and glide steps. Field formations include letter blocks, pictures, concert arcs, and the famous UCLA script. The band does many different styles of shows, depending upon the occasion. Home games allow more time for musical numbers and formations. Away game shows must be shorter, and often will be up-tempo and fast moving to entertain an opposing school's fans.
The exception to the drum corps marching style is the traditional pregame "run-on" where the band rapidly high-steps onto the field into the block letter U-C-L-A formation.
visited Los Angeles in 1928, and were directed by Sousa in the performance of Stars and Stripes Forever. At that time, the director was Ben Laietsky, a member of Sousa's band. The band remained a military group until 1934. In 1935, under the direction of Leroy Allen, the group became an integral part of campus life, providing music at rallies and games. The original uniforms were military style, with military caps and waist-length capes.
Under directors C. B. Hunt and Patton McNaughton, the band increased in size to 128 members by 1947.
football game in 1980. Sawhill and James grew the UCLA band program to include a 100 piece Concert Band, an 80 piece Symphonic Wind Ensemble, a 144-piece Marching Band, and a 60 piece Varsity Band.
In the 1950s the UCLA Marching Band uniforms were gold/yellow jackets with navy blue pants, blue shakos and white shoes. The band marched in a military style. The band appeared in color on the cover of the November 26, 1956 issue of Sports Illustrated
. It is one of the few so honored beginning with the University of Oklahoma marching band
(1954), the Princeton University Band
(1955), and later, The Ohio State University Marching Band
(1958). This marks the first appearance by any UCLA organization on the cover of the magazine. But it is usually not listed along with the other cover appearances by UCLA athletes. (As of 2006, UCLA athletes have appeared on 105 covers, the most of any university and also any sporting organization.)
In the 1960s and 1970s the band emulated the Queen's Guard
. The band had a similar marching style, including the distinctive arm swinging, but also having the high "chair" step. The uniform pants were school colors blue and black trim, and imitation Bearskin
(or tall Busby
) hats. In the early 1960s, the uniform coats were gold. later the uniform coats were dark blue. The shoes were black with white spats.
In 1961, the Band made a European Tour which included performances in Denmark, France, Austria, Germany, England and Switzerland.
In 1972, women were admitted to the UCLA Band, as well as other college marching bands around the country as a response to the Title IX
educational amendment. Many marching bands, including the UCLA Band, had women members or a women's auxiliary unit during World War II
, but the bands gradually became all-male organizations after the war.
In 1973, the band wore gold jackets, navy blue pants, navy blue turtleneck sweaters, and no hat, for one game. They were never used after that.
In 1977, the school purchased new uniforms that were royal blue with yellow trim. The large overcoats had a white front with block vertical UCLA letters. There were tall white plush busby hats with blue and yellow plumes.
came from the University of Kentucky
to become the director. Henderson has been involved with Drum Corps, notably the Santa Clara Vanguard, the Cavaliers
and the Cadets
and brought a military drum corps style to the band. Henderson is serving as Program Coordinator for the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps from Casper, Wyoming for their 50th anniversary season in 2008.
In 1985, the band got newly designed uniforms, in the current military style. These uniforms were designed with band member input to replace the brightly colored 1977 uniforms. The uniforms consisted of navy blue wool trousers and coat with trim of orange-yellow (California poppy
-colored) and white, knee-length, orange-yellow capes on the left shoulder. The shoes were changed to white. White gloves were standard as well. The large bearskin hats were replaced by Shako hats with white 12" feather plumes. An all-powder blue uniform was prototyped, but rejected in favor of the navy blue. The color guard did wear powder blue uniform coats and skirts similar in style to the new uniforms for two years.
In 2007 the band was outfitted with new uniforms at the USC game. The coats are now the official "True Blue
" color adopted by UCLA in 2004. Other elements from the 1985 uniforms were retained.
In 1985, Dr. Thomas Lee came from the University of Texas to be the Director of Bands and Director of the Wind Ensemble.
The UCLA Bruin Marching Band was the 1993 recipient of the Sudler Trophy, presented by the John Philip Sousa Foundation
in recognition of the Band's tradition of excellence and innovation.
Fifty members of the Band, along with six members of the UCLA Dance Team, performed in the Chinese New Year Day Parade in Hong Kong in January 2006. The Band spent six days exploring the city and performing at several venues. The parade was broadcast live all over the Asian continent. The Band returned to Hong Kong in 2008 to perform at this same event.
Fourteen members of the UCLA Drumline traveled to Nagoya, Japan from May 1 to 7, 2010, to perform at the 28th Annual Ekitopia Festival Parade. They also took a sightseeing trip to Kyoto while they were there.
The band became part of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music http://www.schoolofmusic.ucla.edu/index.php in 2007 when the departments of Music, Ethnomusicology and Musicology were combined. Musician and recording executive Herb Alpert
gave $30 million to UCLA in November 2007, the single largest individual gift to music higher education in the western United States.
," and was presented to UCLA at an All-University Sing held in Royce Hall during the Fall of 1936.
The Star Spangled Banner is played by the band in concert formation. Then the band moves into the script UCLA formation to the tune of Sons of Westwood
. The band marches off the field to The Mighty Bruins, composed in 1984 by Academy Award winning composer Bill Conti
to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the UCLA Alumni Association.
At basketball games, the band is pared to an elite squad of 50 players, and selects from a book of over 50 songs, most of which are custom-arranged for the band. Director Gordon Henderson brought the Trombone Cheer from the University of Kentucky, and is played after player introductions and before tipoff, and again prior to tipoff of the 2nd half.
Following all athletic contests, the band plays the UCLA Alma Mater Hail to the Hills of Westwood
. After victories, this is followed by Rover
.
In 2006, the entire UCLA Bruin Marching Band traveled to South Bend, Indiana for a game at the University of Notre Dame
.
144 members of the UCLA Bruin Marching Band performed together with the Oregon State University Marching Band at a regular season football game for the Mirage Bowl
in Tokyo, Japan in 1980.
summer Olympic Games
in Los Angeles under the direction of rival USC's Spirit of Troy Trojan Marching Band leader Dr. Arthur C. Bartner. A small group of these students performed at various sports venues during the games, including those for Cycling, Gymnastics, Archery, Modern Pentathlon and Tennis.
The UCLA Bruin Marching Band has entertained crowds at NFL professional football games on many occasions.
The UCLA Bruin Marching Band has made recruiting appearances at many High Schools in Northern and Southern California. The Band has also performed as a guest in High School field tournaments including those at Los Altos High School in Hacienda Heights, Chino High School, Mission Viejo High School, Royal High School in Simi Valley, Irvine High School, and Rowland High School in Rowland Heights.
for winter sports. The UCLA Varsity Band appears with thirty to eighty members at Women's Volleyball in the Fall, Men's and Women's basketball in the Winter, and Men's Volleyball in the spring. The UCLA Varsity band has appeared at many other events to support the highly successful UCLA teams such as: Men's and Women's soccer, Track and Field, Water Polo, men's baseball and women's softball.
When the Bruin teams advance in NCAA tournament play, the Varsity Band can be found supporting the team at many venues outside Los Angeles. For Men's and Women's basketball, the UCLA Varsity Band has been with the team through their numerous NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
and NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
regional and final runs. The band has also traveled with the Volleyball teams to the championship sites.
The Band also appeared in the 41st Academy Awards
show in 1969 to play the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
theme song
, which was nominated for Best Original Song. They were introduced by Ingrid Bergman
and Sidney Poitier
as the "answer to the musical question: Chitty Chitty, Bang Bang?". Dancer Paula Kelly
performed along with the band. It was listed by Newsday as one of the most memorable moments in the 1969 broadcast, the first international broadcast of the show.
in Westwood Village. The movie was directed by David Silverman
, who was a Sousaphone player with the UCLA Bruin Marching Band in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The band has appeared in a commercials for
s.
released in 1981 by Dan Fogelberg
. The Band is credited for the Washington Post March at the end of the LP
track "Leader of the Band", which rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Single Chart in 1982. The arrangement of the march was by Lawrence Fogelberg, a marching band director from Peoria, Illinois
, and also Dan's father. Dan played the cymbals during the recording session.
video "Bugaboo". Wyclef Jean
appeared in the video as the Band's Drum Major, and also played the marching snare drum. The music video
received heavy rotation on MTV
and BET
.
who is a graduate of the University of Kentucky
. The previous assistant director of the marching band was Dr. Jennifer Judkins, a graduate of UCLA. The current assistant director, as of September 1, 2010, is Keith Kupper who graduated from UCLA in the Spring of 2010 and had served as drum major of the band for three years.The director of bands is currently Dr. Thomas Lee who, joined the faculty in 1985 from the University of Texas. Dr. Lee is a graduate of the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati
.
When the band was in Japan for the Mirage bowl, they brought back with them a pop song called 'UCLA Feeling', also known by its Engrish
title 'UCLA Feering'.
- former Executive Vice President, Executive Producer, for Walt Disney Entertainment.
David Silverman
- animator best known for directing numerous episodes of the animated TV series The Simpsons
Dave Koz
- American jazz saxophonist, was a member of the UCLA Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Gary Gray
. Pursuant with purposes of Kappa Kappa Psi, the Psi chapter works to serve the UCLA Bands and the students involved with the band program.
. The UCLA chapter of ΤΒΣ was founded on June 2, 1973. In 2007 Epsilon Kappa was awarded the Grace and A. Frank Martin Leadership Award, designating Epsilon Kappa as the most outstanding chapter in the nation for the biennium. In 2009, Epsilon Kappa was again honored as a finalist for the Grace and A. Frank Martin Leadership award, placing it as one of the top 10 chapters in the nation.
Rose Bowl (stadium)
The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12...
for UCLA Bruin home football games. Pregame shows by the Band aim to build crowd energy and enthusiasm with traditional UCLA songs like Strike Up the Band for UCLA
Strike Up the Band (song)
"Strike Up the Band" is a 1927 song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin. It was written for the 1927 musical Strike Up the Band, where it formed part of a satire on war and militaristic music...
, Sons of Westwood
Sons of Westwood
Sons of Westwood is the official fight song of the University of California, Los Angeles . The tune comes from "Big C", a school fight song for the University of California, Berkeley and UC Davis....
and The Mighty Bruins. Throughout the game, the Band performs custom-arranged rock and pop songs, as well as the traditional fight songs and cheers of the University. The UCLA Varsity band appears at basketball games and other athletic contests in Pauley Pavilion
Pauley Pavilion
Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion, commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located in the Westwood Village district of Los Angeles, California, on the campus of UCLA. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams...
.
The UCLA Band program, which includes the Marching and Varsity bands, the Wind Ensemble and the Symphonic Band, is in the School of the Arts and Architecture's Department of Music
UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture
The UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture is a professional school at the University of California, Los Angeles. The school plays a vital role in the cultural and artistic life of the campus and the community. Through the six degree-granting departments, it provides a full range of course...
, part of the UCLA Herb Alpert
Herb Alpert
Herbert "Herb" Alpert is an American musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, or TJB. He is also a recording industry executive — he is the "A" of A&M Records...
School of Music http://www.schoolofmusic.ucla.edu/index.php. Band appearances at athletic events are funded by the UCLA Athletic department, as well as student registration fees, and the Solid Gold Sound foundation.
Instrumentation
For Fall 2006, the Band marched
- 2 Drum MajorDrum MajorA drum major is the leader of a marching band, drum and bugle corps, or pipe band, usually positioned at the head of the band or corps. The drum major, who is often dressed in more ornate clothing than the rest of the band or corps, is responsible for providing commands to the ensemble regarding...
s - 6 Piccolos
- 12 FluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
s - 18 B♭ ClarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
s - 18 E♭ Alto SaxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
s - 10 B♭ Tenor SaxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
s - 42 B♭ TrumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
s - 21 F MellophoneMellophoneThe mellophone is a brass instrument that is typically used in place of the horn in marching bands or drum and bugle corps....
s - 42 TromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
s - 19 SousaphoneSousaphoneThe sousaphone is a type of tuba that is widely employed in marching bands. Designed so that it fits around the body of the musician and is supported by the left shoulder, the sousaphone may be readily played while being carried...
s - 9 Snare DrumSnare drumThe snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
s - 5 Quint Tenor DrumsTenor drumA tenor drum is a cylindrical drum that is higher pitched than a bass drum.In a symphony orchestra's percussion section, a tenor drum is a low-pitched drum, similar in size to a field snare, but without snares and played with soft mallets or hard sticks. Under various names, the drum has been used...
- 6 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...
s - 7 CymbalCymbalCymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
s - 16 Tall Flags as the Color guard
For Fall 2011, the Band is marching
- 4 Drum Majors
- 2 Feature Twirlers
- 21 Flutes/Piccolos
- 24 Clarinets
- 21 Alto Saxophones
- 12 Tenor Saxophones
- 51 Trumpets
- 15 Mellophones/French Horns
- 33 Trombones
- 24 Sousaphones
- 32 Percussion
- 11 Color Guard
The 2011 Band is also staffed by
- 3 Graduate Teaching Assistants
- 1 Undergraduate Teaching Assistant
- 4 Marching and Percussion Instructors
- 1 Announcer
- 2 Camera Crew
- 2 Directors
For many years, the UCLA band had a featured female baton twirler, known as the "Golden Girl". In 2006, instead of a twirler, the featured performer was a Band Juggler For 2011, the Band has returned to having two Feature Twirlers, ReJoyce Green and Michelle Glymph.
In 2007, the Band marched 24 Sousaphones along with two alternates. 25 new Yamaha Sousaphones were purchased from a special allocation of funds from the Chancellor's Office.
The UCLA Drumline utilizes drums made by Yamaha, with Remo drum heads, as well as cymbals by Zildjian. The bassline typically marches 6 basses and uses Vic Firth Bass Mallets. The tenorline plays on 6 drum multi-toms using MT1A Tenor Mallets by Vic Firth. The snareline plays using Ralph Hardimon sticks by Vic Firth.
Note that the UCLA Marching Band currently does not march Baritones or Baritone Saxophones, although marching baritone horns and before that, bell front euphonium
Euphonium
The euphonium is a conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. It derives its name from the Greek word euphonos, meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced"...
s had been a component in the past.
Style
The UCLA Marching Band marches in a Drum corpsDrum and bugle corps (classic)
Classic drum and bugle corps are North American musical ensembles that descended from military bugle and drum units returning from World War I and succeeding wars. Traditionally, drum and bugle corps served as signaling units as early as before the American Civil War, with these signaling units...
style with low mark times and glide steps. Field formations include letter blocks, pictures, concert arcs, and the famous UCLA script. The band does many different styles of shows, depending upon the occasion. Home games allow more time for musical numbers and formations. Away game shows must be shorter, and often will be up-tempo and fast moving to entertain an opposing school's fans.
The exception to the drum corps marching style is the traditional pregame "run-on" where the band rapidly high-steps onto the field into the block letter U-C-L-A formation.
History
In 1925, at the Vermont avenue campus, The UCLA Marching Band originated as a 50-piece ROTC unit under the direction of W.G. Powell. The band was part of the welcoming group when John Philip SousaJohn Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....
visited Los Angeles in 1928, and were directed by Sousa in the performance of Stars and Stripes Forever. At that time, the director was Ben Laietsky, a member of Sousa's band. The band remained a military group until 1934. In 1935, under the direction of Leroy Allen, the group became an integral part of campus life, providing music at rallies and games. The original uniforms were military style, with military caps and waist-length capes.
Under directors C. B. Hunt and Patton McNaughton, the band increased in size to 128 members by 1947.
Clarence Sawhill and Kelly James 1952-1982
In 1952, Clarence Sawhill http://www.uclaband.com/about/sawhill/index.htm became director of Bands. F. Kelly James http://content.cdlib.org/xtf/view?docId=hb4d5nb20m&doc.view=frames&chunk.id=div00076&toc.depth=1&toc.id= became the director of the marching band, a position he would hold until suffering a stroke at the UCLA-CalUniversity of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
football game in 1980. Sawhill and James grew the UCLA band program to include a 100 piece Concert Band, an 80 piece Symphonic Wind Ensemble, a 144-piece Marching Band, and a 60 piece Varsity Band.
In the 1950s the UCLA Marching Band uniforms were gold/yellow jackets with navy blue pants, blue shakos and white shoes. The band marched in a military style. The band appeared in color on the cover of the November 26, 1956 issue of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
. It is one of the few so honored beginning with the University of Oklahoma marching band
The Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band
The Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band, known as "The Pride", is the student marching band for the University of Oklahoma Sooners.-Early years:The Pride was founded in 1901 as a pep band to play at Sooner football games...
(1954), the Princeton University Band
Princeton University Band
The Princeton University Band serves as the marching band and pep band of Princeton University. Like most other Ivy League bands, it is a scramble band. To members and fans, it is often known as the PUB or simply The Band...
(1955), and later, The Ohio State University Marching Band
The Ohio State University Marching Band
The Ohio State University Marching Band performs at Ohio State football games and other events during the fall quarter...
(1958). This marks the first appearance by any UCLA organization on the cover of the magazine. But it is usually not listed along with the other cover appearances by UCLA athletes. (As of 2006, UCLA athletes have appeared on 105 covers, the most of any university and also any sporting organization.)
In the 1960s and 1970s the band emulated the Queen's Guard
Queen's Guard
The Queen's Guard and Queen's Life Guard are the names given to contingents of infantry and cavalry soldiers charged with guarding the official royal residences in London...
. The band had a similar marching style, including the distinctive arm swinging, but also having the high "chair" step. The uniform pants were school colors blue and black trim, and imitation Bearskin
Bearskin
A bearskin is a tall fur cap, usually worn as part of a ceremonial military uniform. Traditionally, the bearskin was the headgear of grenadiers, and is still worn by grenadier and guards regiments in various armies.-Origins:...
(or tall Busby
Busby
Busby is the English name for the Hungarian prémes csákó or kucsma, a military head-dress made of fur, worn by Hungarian hussars. In its original Hungarian form the busby was a cylindrical fur cap, having a bag of coloured cloth hanging from the top. The end of this bag was attached to the right...
) hats. In the early 1960s, the uniform coats were gold. later the uniform coats were dark blue. The shoes were black with white spats.
In 1961, the Band made a European Tour which included performances in Denmark, France, Austria, Germany, England and Switzerland.
In 1972, women were admitted to the UCLA Band, as well as other college marching bands around the country as a response to the Title IX
Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a United States law, enacted on June 23, 1972, that amended Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2002 it was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author Congresswoman Mink, but is most...
educational amendment. Many marching bands, including the UCLA Band, had women members or a women's auxiliary unit during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but the bands gradually became all-male organizations after the war.
In 1973, the band wore gold jackets, navy blue pants, navy blue turtleneck sweaters, and no hat, for one game. They were never used after that.
In 1977, the school purchased new uniforms that were royal blue with yellow trim. The large overcoats had a white front with block vertical UCLA letters. There were tall white plush busby hats with blue and yellow plumes.
Dr. Thomas Lee and Gordon Henderson
The band underwent a shift in style in 1982 when Gordon HendersonGordon Henderson (Band Director)
Gordon Henderson is the Director of the UCLA Bruin Marching Band. He is also Associate Director of Bands and Vice Chair of the Department of Music at UCLA...
came from the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
to become the director. Henderson has been involved with Drum Corps, notably the Santa Clara Vanguard, the Cavaliers
The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps
The Cavaliers are a World Class drum and bugle corps based in Rosemont, Illinois and founded in 1948 by Donald Warren, and are a member corps of Drum Corps International, marching music's major league. The Cavaliers are currently under the direction of Adolph DeGrauwe...
and the Cadets
The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps
The Cadets are a Drum Corps International World Class drum and bugle corps based in Allentown, Pennsylvania...
and brought a military drum corps style to the band. Henderson is serving as Program Coordinator for the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps from Casper, Wyoming for their 50th anniversary season in 2008.
In 1985, the band got newly designed uniforms, in the current military style. These uniforms were designed with band member input to replace the brightly colored 1977 uniforms. The uniforms consisted of navy blue wool trousers and coat with trim of orange-yellow (California poppy
California poppy
The California poppy is a perennial and annual plant, native to the United States, and the official state flower of California.- Description :...
-colored) and white, knee-length, orange-yellow capes on the left shoulder. The shoes were changed to white. White gloves were standard as well. The large bearskin hats were replaced by Shako hats with white 12" feather plumes. An all-powder blue uniform was prototyped, but rejected in favor of the navy blue. The color guard did wear powder blue uniform coats and skirts similar in style to the new uniforms for two years.
In 2007 the band was outfitted with new uniforms at the USC game. The coats are now the official "True Blue
True Blue (color)
True Blue is a tone of blue deeper than powder blue and lighter than royal blue that was developed by the UCLA Athletic Department and Adidas to be the color for all of UCLA's athletic teams starting in the 2003–2004 school year. Previously, the football team had worn powder blue while the...
" color adopted by UCLA in 2004. Other elements from the 1985 uniforms were retained.
In 1985, Dr. Thomas Lee came from the University of Texas to be the Director of Bands and Director of the Wind Ensemble.
The UCLA Bruin Marching Band was the 1993 recipient of the Sudler Trophy, presented by the John Philip Sousa Foundation
John Philip Sousa Foundation
The John Philip Sousa Foundation is a non-profit foundation dedicated to the promotion of band music internationally. The foundation administers a number of projects and awards supporting high quality band performance, conducting, and composition....
in recognition of the Band's tradition of excellence and innovation.
Fifty members of the Band, along with six members of the UCLA Dance Team, performed in the Chinese New Year Day Parade in Hong Kong in January 2006. The Band spent six days exploring the city and performing at several venues. The parade was broadcast live all over the Asian continent. The Band returned to Hong Kong in 2008 to perform at this same event.
Fourteen members of the UCLA Drumline traveled to Nagoya, Japan from May 1 to 7, 2010, to perform at the 28th Annual Ekitopia Festival Parade. They also took a sightseeing trip to Kyoto while they were there.
The band became part of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music http://www.schoolofmusic.ucla.edu/index.php in 2007 when the departments of Music, Ethnomusicology and Musicology were combined. Musician and recording executive Herb Alpert
Herb Alpert
Herbert "Herb" Alpert is an American musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, or TJB. He is also a recording industry executive — he is the "A" of A&M Records...
gave $30 million to UCLA in November 2007, the single largest individual gift to music higher education in the western United States.
Traditions
For the football pregame show, the UCLA Marching Band traditionally opens with the Bruin Fanfare and Strike Up The Band for UCLA! a gift from George and Ira Gershwin to UCLA. It was adapted from their showtune "Strike Up the BandStrike Up the Band (song)
"Strike Up the Band" is a 1927 song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin. It was written for the 1927 musical Strike Up the Band, where it formed part of a satire on war and militaristic music...
," and was presented to UCLA at an All-University Sing held in Royce Hall during the Fall of 1936.
The Star Spangled Banner is played by the band in concert formation. Then the band moves into the script UCLA formation to the tune of Sons of Westwood
Sons of Westwood
Sons of Westwood is the official fight song of the University of California, Los Angeles . The tune comes from "Big C", a school fight song for the University of California, Berkeley and UC Davis....
. The band marches off the field to The Mighty Bruins, composed in 1984 by Academy Award winning composer Bill Conti
Bill Conti
William "Bill" Conti is an American film music composer who is frequently the conductor at the Academy Awards ceremony.-Early life and career:...
to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the UCLA Alumni Association.
At basketball games, the band is pared to an elite squad of 50 players, and selects from a book of over 50 songs, most of which are custom-arranged for the band. Director Gordon Henderson brought the Trombone Cheer from the University of Kentucky, and is played after player introductions and before tipoff, and again prior to tipoff of the 2nd half.
Following all athletic contests, the band plays the UCLA Alma Mater Hail to the Hills of Westwood
Hail to the Hills of Westwood
Hail to the Hills of Westwood is the school song or alma mater of the University of California, Los Angeles. It was written by Jeane Emerson, a 1929 graduate of UCLA, and adopted by the school in 1960. The current arrangement performed by the UCLA Marching Band was written by band member Dwayne S...
. After victories, this is followed by Rover
Rover (song)
"Rover" is a song traditionally sung at the end of athletic contest victories by fans of the University of California Los Angeles. It is a parody of the song I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover. The UCLA Band arrangement opens with There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight. Following the...
.
Away game appearances
The entire UCLA Bruin Marching Band travels to the San Francisco Bay area each fall for either the Stanford or Cal game. This tradition began in 1931, when the band traveled to the Stanford game by ship from Los Angeles. Beginning in 1989, a portion of the band has taken regular season trips to football games at Arizona, Michigan, Texas, Miami, Ohio State, Colorado, Illinois, Washington, Arizona State, and Tennessee.In 2006, the entire UCLA Bruin Marching Band traveled to South Bend, Indiana for a game at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
.
Bowl game appearances
The UCLA Marching Band has made appearances at major post season college football bowl games throughout the country:- Rose Bowl game, the "Granddaddy of them all" played in the Rose Bowl stadiumRose Bowl (stadium)The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12...
, the home stadium of the Bruins in Pasadena, CaliforniaPasadena, CaliforniaPasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. - Aloha BowlAloha BowlThe Aloha Bowl was a National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game played in Honolulu, Hawaii at Aloha Stadium. With the exception of the 1983-86 playings, the Aloha Bowl was traditionally played on Christmas morning in Honolulu. For most of its...
, Honolulu, HawaiiHonolulu, HawaiiHonolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and... - Silicon Valley Bowl, San Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
- Las Vegas BowlLas Vegas BowlThe Maaco Bowl Las Vegas is an NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually at 40,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. since 1992. From 1992 to 1996, matchups featured the champion teams from the Big West and Mid-American...
, Las Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas metropolitan areaThe Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ... - Freedom BowlFreedom BowlThe Freedom Bowl was an annual post-season college football bowl game played at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California, from 1984 to 1994. Beginning with the 1995 season, the Freedom Bowl's WAC tie-ins were merged with that of the Holiday Bowl and the game was dissolved...
, Anaheim, CaliforniaAnaheim, CaliforniaAnaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States... - Liberty BowlLiberty BowlThe Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003...
, Memphis, TennesseeMemphis, TennesseeMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers.... - Fiesta BowlFiesta BowlThe Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
, Tempe, ArizonaTempe, ArizonaTempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale... - Bluebonnet BowlBluebonnet BowlThe Bluebonnet Bowl was an annual college football bowl game played in Houston, Texas. A civic group was appointed by the Houston Chamber of Commerce Athletics Committee in 1959 to organize the bowl game. It was held at Rice Stadium from 1959 through 1967, and again in 1985 and 1986. The game was...
, Houston, TexasHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ... - Sun BowlSun BowlThe Sun Bowl is an annual U.S. college football bowl game that is usually played at the end of December in El Paso, Texas. The Sun Bowl, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl are the second-oldest bowl games in the country, behind the Rose Bowl...
, El Paso, TexasEl Paso, TexasEl Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States... - Cotton Bowl Classic, Dallas
- Emerald BowlEmerald BowlThe Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually at 40,800-seat AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, in San Francisco, California, since 2002...
, San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
144 members of the UCLA Bruin Marching Band performed together with the Oregon State University Marching Band at a regular season football game for the Mirage Bowl
Mirage bowl
Mirage bowl may refer to:*Mirage Bowl, a series of annual college football games played in Tokyo, Japan, later renamed the Mirage Bowl *An optical illusion device using a parabolic reflector...
in Tokyo, Japan in 1980.
1984 Olympics
125 members of the Band performed in the 736-member All American Marching Band at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 19841984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
summer Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in Los Angeles under the direction of rival USC's Spirit of Troy Trojan Marching Band leader Dr. Arthur C. Bartner. A small group of these students performed at various sports venues during the games, including those for Cycling, Gymnastics, Archery, Modern Pentathlon and Tennis.
Other Events
- Los Angeles Coliseum for the Los Angeles Raiders, including a Monday Night FootballMonday Night FootballMonday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game - Candlestick Park for the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
- Anaheim Stadium for the Los Angeles Rams
The UCLA Bruin Marching Band has made recruiting appearances at many High Schools in Northern and Southern California. The Band has also performed as a guest in High School field tournaments including those at Los Altos High School in Hacienda Heights, Chino High School, Mission Viejo High School, Royal High School in Simi Valley, Irvine High School, and Rowland High School in Rowland Heights.
Varsity Band
The UCLA Varsity Band plays in Pauley PavilionPauley Pavilion
Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion, commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located in the Westwood Village district of Los Angeles, California, on the campus of UCLA. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams...
for winter sports. The UCLA Varsity Band appears with thirty to eighty members at Women's Volleyball in the Fall, Men's and Women's basketball in the Winter, and Men's Volleyball in the spring. The UCLA Varsity band has appeared at many other events to support the highly successful UCLA teams such as: Men's and Women's soccer, Track and Field, Water Polo, men's baseball and women's softball.
When the Bruin teams advance in NCAA tournament play, the Varsity Band can be found supporting the team at many venues outside Los Angeles. For Men's and Women's basketball, the UCLA Varsity Band has been with the team through their numerous NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
and NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
regional and final runs. The band has also traveled with the Volleyball teams to the championship sites.
Movie appearances
Because of the campus location near many movie studios, the UCLA band has appeared in many movies where a marching band is needed.- Elmer GantryElmer Gantry (film)Elmer Gantry is a 1960 drama film about a con man and a female evangelist selling religion to small town America. Adapted by director Richard Brooks, the film is based on the 1927 novel of the same name by Sinclair Lewis and stars Burt Lancaster and Jean Simmons.Lancaster won an Academy Award for...
(1960) on camera - Hello, Dolly! (1969) on camera
- To Be or Not To BeTo Be or Not to Be (1983 film)To Be or Not to Be is a 1983 20th Century Fox comedy-drama film directed by Alan Johnson, produced by Mel Brooks with Howard Jeffrey as executive producer and Irene Walzer as associate producer. The screenplay was written by Ronny Graham and Thomas Meehan, based on the original story by Melchior...
(1983)on camera - Iron EagleIron EagleIron Eagle is a 1986 action film directed by Sidney J. Furie and starring Jason Gedrick and Louis Gossett, Jr. While it received mixed reviews, the film earned US$24,159,872 at the U.S. box office. Iron Eagle was followed by three sequels: Iron Eagle II, Aces: Iron Eagle III and Iron Eagle on the...
(1986) on camera - Little NikitaLittle NikitaLittle Nikita is a cult 1988 American drama film directed by Richard Benjamin and starring Sidney Poitier and River Phoenix.-Plot synopsis:...
(1988) soundtrack - Welcome Home, Roxy CarmichaelWelcome Home, Roxy CarmichaelWelcome Home, Roxy Carmichael is a 1990 American comedy-drama film starring Winona Ryder and Jeff Daniels.-Plot:The film's main character is a 15-year-old girl named Dinky Bossetti . Dinky was adopted as a baby. She appears to have little acceptance in her social circle, although it is not obvious...
(1990) on camera - Fatal InstinctFatal InstinctFatal Instinct is a 1993 comedy film directed by Carl Reiner. It parodies the erotic thriller movie genre, which at the time had reached its commercial peak. The film stars Armand Assante as a lawyer and cop named Ned Ravine who has an affair with a woman named Lola Cain played by Sean Young...
(1993)soundtrack - In the Line of FireIn the Line of FireIn the Line of Fire is a 1993 American thriller film about a disillusioned and obsessed former CIA agent who attempts to assassinate the President of the United States and the Secret Service agent who tracks him...
(1993) soundtrack - Legends of the FallLegends of the FallLegends of the Fall is a 1994 epic drama film based on the 1979 novella of the same title by Jim Harrison. It was directed by Edward Zwick and stars Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins and Aidan Quinn. The film was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction , and Best...
(1994) soundtrack - That Thing You Do (1996) on camera
- Jingle All the WayJingle All the WayJingle All the Way is a 1996 American family comedy film directed by Brian Levant and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, Phil Hartman, Rita Wilson, Jake Lloyd, James Belushi and Robert Conrad...
(1996) on camera - The Sixth ManThe Sixth ManThe 6th Man is a supernatural sports comedy starring Marlon Wayans and Kadeem Hardison. The film was directed by Randall Miller. The film features real NCAA schools, although the rosters are fictitious...
(1997) - A Bright Shining LieA Bright Shining LieA Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam is a book by Neil Sheehan, a former New York Times reporter who covered the Vietnam War. It is about retired U.S...
(1998) on camera - The WaterboyThe WaterboyThe Waterboy is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler alongside Henry Winkler, Kathy Bates, Jerry Reed, and Fairuza Balk. Lynn Swann, Lawrence Taylor, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Cowher, Paul Wight, and Rob Schneider have cameos...
(1998) soundtrack - The Out-of-TownersThe Out-of-Towners (1999 film)The Out-of-Towners is a 1999 film starring Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn. The movie is a remake of a 1970 film by the same name; the original version, written by Neil Simon, starred Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis.-As remake of 1970 film:...
(1999) - The Other SisterThe Other SisterThe Other Sister is a 1999 romantic comedy film starring Juliette Lewis, Giovanni Ribisi, Diane Keaton, and Tom Skerritt. Garry Marshall directed the film...
(1999) - Road Trip (2000)soundtrack
- Don't Say a WordDon't Say a WordDon't Say a Word is a 2001 psychological thriller film starring Michael Douglas, Brittany Murphy and Sean Bean based on the novel of the same title by Andrew Klavan...
(2001) soundtrack - PumpkinPumpkin (film)Pumpkin is a 2002 romantic dark comedy film starring Christina Ricci. It is a story of forbidden love between a developmentally-handicapped young man and a sorority girl...
(2002) on camera - First DaughterFirst Daughter (2004 film)First Daughter is a 2004 American romantic comedy released by 20th Century Fox. It stars Katie Holmes as Samantha MacKenzie, daughter of the President of the United States, who enrolls at a college and develops a relationship with another student at the college played by Marc Blucas...
(2004) on camera and soundtrack - Click (2006) soundtrack
- Gridiron Gang (2006) soundtrack
- 500 Days of Summer500 Days of SummerDays of Summer is a 2009 comedy drama film. It was written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, directed by Marc Webb, produced by Mark Waters, and stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. The film employs a nonlinear narrative structure, with the story based upon its male protagonist...
(2009) on camera and soundtrack
The Band also appeared in the 41st Academy Awards
41st Academy Awards
The 41st Academy Awards were presented April 14, 1969 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. It was the first Academy Awards ceremony broadcast worldwide. There was no host....
show in 1969 to play the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (film)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a 1968 musical film with a script by Roald Dahl and Ken Hughes, and songs by the Sherman Brothers, loosely based on Ian Fleming's novel Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car. It starred Dick Van Dyke as Caractacus Potts and Sally Ann Howes as Truly Scrumptious. The...
theme song
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (song)
"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" is the Academy Award nominated song from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the 1968 musical motion picture. In the film it is sung by Dick Van Dyke and Sally Ann Howes...
, which was nominated for Best Original Song. They were introduced by Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films. She won three Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, and the Tony Award for Best Actress. She is ranked as the fourth greatest female star of American cinema of all time by the American Film Institute...
and Sidney Poitier
Sidney Poitier
Sir Sidney Poitier, KBE is a Bahamian American actor, film director, author, and diplomat.In 1963, Poitier became the first black person to win an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Lilies of the Field...
as the "answer to the musical question: Chitty Chitty, Bang Bang?". Dancer Paula Kelly
Paula Kelly (actress/dancer)
Paula Kelly is a dancer and actress in motion pictures, television and theatre.-Early life and career:...
performed along with the band. It was listed by Newsday as one of the most memorable moments in the 1969 broadcast, the first international broadcast of the show.
Movie premieres
Because of the number of movies premiered in nearby Westwood and Hollywood, the UCLA Band has been invited periodically to be part of the festivities. In July 2007, the Band played for the premiere of The Simpsons MovieThe Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
in Westwood Village. The movie was directed by David Silverman
David Silverman
David Silverman is an animator best known for directing numerous episodes of the animated TV series The Simpsons, as well as The Simpsons Movie...
, who was a Sousaphone player with the UCLA Bruin Marching Band in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Other Television Appearances
The Band also has made numerous TV appearances on televised college sports, shows and commercials. National and regional broadcasts of UCLA athletic contests have included audio and video of the band in the stands or performing on the field.- The Band appeared in an episode of The New Steve AllenSteve AllenSteve Allen may refer to:*Steve Allen , American musician, comedian, and writer*Steve Allen , presenter on the London-based talk radio station LBC 97.3...
Show airing on December 27, 1961, entitled "Campus U.S.A." - The Band appeared in a Bob HopeBob HopeBob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
special in October 1980 - A member of the band appeared as part of the introduction to each ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
-TV college football telecast during the 1988 college football season. - Members of the band marched onto the Hollywood SquaresHollywood SquaresHollywood Squares is an American panel game show in which two contestants play tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The "board" for the game is a 3 × 3 vertical stack of open-faced cubes, each occupied by a celebrity seated at a desk and facing the contestants...
television show season finale playing 76 Trombones to wish John DavidsonJohn Davidson (entertainer)John Hamilton Davidson, Sr. is an American singer, actor and game show host known for hosting That's Incredible!, Time Machine, and Hollywood Squares in the 1980s, and a revival of The $100,000 Pyramid in 1991....
good luck in a summer tour of The Music ManThe Music ManThe Music Man is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with...
. - The Band played the theme from Jeopardy!Jeopardy!Griffin's first conception of the game used a board comprising ten categories with ten clues each, but after finding that this board could not be shown on camera easily, he reduced it to two rounds of thirty clues each, with five clues in each of six categories...
on the 2001 College Championship broadcast of the show. - The Band also has appeared on ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
Game Day in Miami and Pasadena during football season, and in Atlanta, Indianapolis and San Antonio during the NCAA Basketball Tournament. - The Band appeared on both CBS' The Early Show and NBC's Today Show in 2007.
- Members of the Marching Band Percussion Section appeared at the beginning of a new Paula AbdulPaula AbdulPaula Julie Abdul is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.In the 1980s, Abdul rose from cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to highly sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era before scoring a string of pop music-R&B hits...
video during the Super Bowl XLIISuper Bowl XLIISuper Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
Pregame Show on Fox. - The band performed The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
Theme song at the end of the episode Lisa the GreekLisa the Greek"Lisa the Greek" is the fourteenth episode of The Simpsons third season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 23, 1992. In the episode, Homer begins to bond with his daughter, Lisa, after learning her unique and convenient ability to pick winning American football...
The band has appeared in a commercials for
- Southern Bell
- Southwestern BellSouthwestern BellSouthwestern Bell Telephone Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T. It does business as AT&T Southwest and other d/b/a names in its operating region.The company is currently headquartered in Dallas, Texas at One AT&T Plaza.-History:...
- Federal Express
- ESPN's Sports HeavenESPN's Sports HeavenSports Heaven is a lavish commercial produced by ESPN to hype the release of its short-lived sports-oriented cell phone service, Mobile ESPN. Launched during Super Bowl XL on February 5, 2006, the 60-second ad was one of the most discussed after the game. It featured an ESPN fan walking through a...
(the Super Bowl XLSuper Bowl XLSuper Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
commercial) - McDonald'sMcDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
(chicken nuggets commercial) - Honda
Discography
The Band has recorded several music long-playing records and compact discCompact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
s.
- UCLA BRUIN BAND - LP-1238 FSR (Fidelity Sound)
- Marching Along with Mary Poppins - LP (1965) Walt Disney Music, DQ1288 (Marching band arrangements from Mary PoppinsMary Poppins (film)Mary Poppins is a 1964 musical film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, produced by Walt Disney, and based on the Mary Poppins books series by P. L. Travers with illustrations by Mary Shepard. The film was directed by Robert Stevenson and written by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, with songs by...
) - The UCLA Band Presents To The Blue And To The Gold, A Tradition In Song - LP (1977)
- The UCLA Bruin Marching Band "The Solid Gold Sound" - LP and Cassette (Songs from the 1984 season - recorded in the Ackerman Union grand ballroom)
- The UCLA Bruin Marching Band "The Solid Gold Sound" - LP and Cassette (Songs from the 1985 season and 1986 Rose Bowl - recorded in Royce Hall)
- The UCLA Bruin Marching Band "The Solid Gold Sound" - Cassette (Songs from the 1986 and 1987 seasons - recorded in the Ackerman Union grand ballroom)
- Bruin Spirit - CD and Cassette (1997)
- Bruin Pride - CD (1999)
- True Blue - CD (2009)
Dan Fogelberg The Innocent Age
A recording of the Band is on the double platinum album The Innocent AgeThe Innocent Age
The Innocent Age is the seventh album by American singer/songwriter Dan Fogelberg, released in 1981 . It was also one of his most successful albums; three of his four Top 10 singles on the Billboard pop chart were from this album, as well as another Top 20 single in "Run for the Roses"...
released in 1981 by Dan Fogelberg
Dan Fogelberg
Daniel Grayling "Dan" Fogelberg was an American singer-songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, whose music was inspired by sources as diverse as folk, pop, rock, classical, jazz, and bluegrass music...
. The Band is credited for the Washington Post March at the end of the LP
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
track "Leader of the Band", which rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Single Chart in 1982. The arrangement of the march was by Lawrence Fogelberg, a marching band director from Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
, and also Dan's father. Dan played the cymbals during the recording session.
Destiny's Child video Bugaboo
The band also appeared in the Destiny's ChildDestiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
video "Bugaboo". Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
appeared in the video as the Band's Drum Major, and also played the marching snare drum. The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
received heavy rotation on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and BET
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
.
Directors
Notable directors of the band include W.G Powell, the first director of the ROTC band, Ben Laietsky 1928-31 (former member of the Sousa Band), Leroy Allen 1934-47, Patton McNaughton 1947-51, Clarence Sawhill 1952-72, assistant director Kelly James 1955-81, and Robert Winslow 1972-74. The current director of the marching band since 1982 is Gordon HendersonGordon Henderson (Band Director)
Gordon Henderson is the Director of the UCLA Bruin Marching Band. He is also Associate Director of Bands and Vice Chair of the Department of Music at UCLA...
who is a graduate of the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
. The previous assistant director of the marching band was Dr. Jennifer Judkins, a graduate of UCLA. The current assistant director, as of September 1, 2010, is Keith Kupper who graduated from UCLA in the Spring of 2010 and had served as drum major of the band for three years.The director of bands is currently Dr. Thomas Lee who, joined the faculty in 1985 from the University of Texas. Dr. Lee is a graduate of the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
.
Tunes
In addition to the school songs mentioned above, the UCLA Band plays a number of other arrangements.- "All of the LightsAll of the Lights"All of the Lights" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West, released January 18, 2011, as the fourth single from his fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy...
" by Kanye WestKanye WestKanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and... - "Born This WayBorn This WayBorn This Way is the second studio album by American recording artist Lady Gaga that was released on May 23, 2011, by Interscope Records. The album is a follow-up to her internationally-successful albums The Fame and The Fame Monster...
" by Lady GagaLady GaGaStefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to... - "O FortunaO Fortuna"O Fortuna" is a medieval Latin Goliardic poem written early in the thirteenth century, part of the collection known as the Carmina Burana. It is a complaint about fate, and Fortuna, a goddess in Roman mythology and personification of luck....
" from "Carmina BuranaCarmina Burana (Orff)Carmina Burana is a scenic cantata composed by Carl Orff in 1935 and 1936. It is based on 24 of the poems found in the medieval collection Carmina Burana...
" - "Carry On Wayward SonCarry On Wayward Son"Carry on Wayward Son" is a progressive rock single recorded by Kansas and written by Kerry Livgren for their 1976 album Leftoverture. In 1977, the song peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard pop singles chart, becoming their first Top 40 hit....
" by KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south... - "Come Out and PlayCome Out and Play (song)"Come Out and Play" is a song by the Californian punk rock group The Offspring. It is the seventh track on their third album Smash and was released as the first single from that album. The song was the second single to be released by the band, following "I'll Be Waiting/Blackball"...
" by The OffspringThe OffspringThe Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada... - "Discovery Channel" (The Bad TouchThe Bad Touch"The Bad Touch" is the first single by the Bloodhound Gang of their 1999 album Hooray for Boobies. It was released in 1999 internationally and, a year later, in the US and UK. The song was also remixed by God Lives Underwater and Eiffel 65. Like much of the Bloodhound Gang's other music, the song...
by The Bloodhound GangThe Bloodhound GangThe Bloodhound Gang may be a reference to:*The Bloodhound Gang , a segment on the program 3-2-1 Contact*The Bloodhound Gang, a band that took its name from the TV show segment...
) - "Fire" by Jimi HendrixJimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
- "Heart of a Champion by NellyNellyCornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
- "How Far We've ComeHow Far We've Come"How Far We've Come" is the lead single from Matchbox Twenty's retrospective collection, Exile on Mainstream, which was released on October 2, 2007. The music video premiered on VH1's Top 20 Countdown on September 1, 2007. The CD single comes with two live covers as B-sides; "Remedy" by The Black...
" by Matchbox TwentyMatchbox TwentyMatchbox Twenty is an American rock band, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1995... - "Jungle Love" by Steve Miller BandSteve Miller BandThe Steve Miller Band is an American rock band formed in 1967 in San Francisco, California. The band is managed by Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals, and is known for a string of mid-1970s hit singles that are staples of the classic rock radio format.-History:In 1965, Steve Miller and...
- "Movin' On Up" (Theme from "The Jeffersons")
- "Saturday Night FeverSaturday Night FeverSaturday Night Fever is a 1977 drama film directed by John Badham and starring: John Travolta as Tony Manero, an immature young man whose weekends are spent visiting a local Brooklyn discothèque; Karen Lynn Gorney as his dance partner and eventual friend; and Donna Pescow as Tony's former dance...
Medley" - "Sell OutSell Out (song)"Sell Out" is a song by California ska punk band Reel Big Fish, released as the first track on their 1996 album Turn The Radio Off. The song has proven to be one of Reel Big Fish's more popular releases. It has been interpreted as chronicling the payola scandals of early FM radio. However, it can...
" by Reel Big FishReel Big FishReel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out". The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold certified album Turn the Radio Off. Soon after, the band... - "She Blinded Me With ScienceShe Blinded Me with Science"She Blinded Me With Science" is a New Wave song by British musician Thomas Dolby, released in 1982. It was first released as a single in the UK in October 1982 and was subsequently included on the EP Blinded by Science and the second edition of Dolby's debut album The Golden Age of Wireless. It is...
" by Thomas DolbyThomas DolbyThomas Dolby is an English musician and producer. Best known for his 1982 hit "She Blinded Me with Science", and 1984 single "Hyperactive!", he has also worked extensively in production and as a session musician.-Early life:Dolby was born in London, England, contrary to information in early 1980s... - "StrongerStronger (Kanye West song)"Stronger" is a song by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released as the second single from his third studio album Graduation. It was produced by West and contains an extended outro co-produced with Mike Dean...
" by Kanye WestKanye WestKanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and... - "Sweet CarolineSweet Caroline"Sweet Caroline" is a pop song written and performed by Neil Diamond and officially released on September 16, 1969, as a single. It was later released on December 9, 1972 as a part of Diamond's Hot August Night album. There are three distinct mixes of this song...
" by Neil DiamondNeil DiamondNeil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present.... - "Take On MeTake on Me"Take on Me" is a song by the Norwegian pop band A-ha. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's first studio album Hunting High and Low, released in 1985...
" by a-haA-haA-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar... - "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted SisterTwisted SisterTwisted Sister is an American heavy metal band from Long Island. Musically, the band implements elements of traditional heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, along with a style that is similar to early glam metal bands...
- "Word Up!Word Up! (song)"Word Up!" is a funk/hip hop song written and originally recorded by Cameo in 1986. Due to its heavy play on American dance and R&B radio, as well as music video play on MTV , the single became the band's most well-known hit.From the album of the same name, "Word Up!" was Nick's first US Top 40...
" by CameoCameo (band)Cameo is an American soul-influenced funk group that formed in the early 1970s. Cameo was initially a 13-member group known as the New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo to avoid a lawsuit from Ohio Players, another group from that era. Since then, Cameo has recorded several...
(a song suggested to the band in 1986 by then-basketball coach Walt Hazzard)
When the band was in Japan for the Mirage bowl, they brought back with them a pop song called 'UCLA Feeling', also known by its Engrish
Engrish
refers to unusual forms of English language usage by native speakers of some East Asian languages. The term itself relates to Japanese speakers' tendency to inadvertently substitute the English phonemes "R" and "L" for one another, because the Japanese language has one alveolar consonant in place...
title 'UCLA Feering'.
Famous alumni
Ron LoganRon Logan
Ron Logan is a former executive vice president of Walt Disney Entertainment . After retiring from the company in 2001, he is now a professor at the University of Central Florida Rosen College of Hospitality Management in Orlando, Florida, United States.-Life and career:Growing up in Leavenworth,...
- former Executive Vice President, Executive Producer, for Walt Disney Entertainment.
David Silverman
David Silverman
David Silverman is an animator best known for directing numerous episodes of the animated TV series The Simpsons, as well as The Simpsons Movie...
- animator best known for directing numerous episodes of the animated TV series The Simpsons
Dave Koz
Dave Koz
Dave Koz is an American smooth jazz saxophonist.- Life and career :Dave Koz was born on March 27, 1963 in Encino, California....
- American jazz saxophonist, was a member of the UCLA Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Gary Gray
Kappa Kappa Psi (ΚΚΨ) - Ψ Chapter
The UCLA Band is served by the Psi chapter of Kappa Kappa PsiKappa Kappa Psi
Kappa Kappa Psi is a fraternity for college and university band members. It was founded on November 27, 1919 at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in Stillwater, Oklahoma. William Scroggs, now regarded as the "Founder," together with "Mr. Kappa Kappa Psi" A...
. Pursuant with purposes of Kappa Kappa Psi, the Psi chapter works to serve the UCLA Bands and the students involved with the band program.
Tau Beta Sigma (ΤΒΣ) - ΕΚ Chapter
The UCLA band is also served by the Epsilon Kappa chapter of Tau Beta SigmaTau Beta Sigma
Tau Beta Sigma is a co-educational national honorary band sorority dedicated to serving college and university bands. The Sorority, headquartered at the historic Stillwater Station in Stillwater, Oklahoma, numbers over 3,500 active members in 145 active chapters, and over 40,000 alumni...
. The UCLA chapter of ΤΒΣ was founded on June 2, 1973. In 2007 Epsilon Kappa was awarded the Grace and A. Frank Martin Leadership Award, designating Epsilon Kappa as the most outstanding chapter in the nation for the biennium. In 2009, Epsilon Kappa was again honored as a finalist for the Grace and A. Frank Martin Leadership award, placing it as one of the top 10 chapters in the nation.
External links
- UCLA Bands directory
- UCLA - University Of California, Los Angeles
- UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music
- Oscar moments to remember, Newsday 2/20/2005
- UCLA History Project April 14, 1969 . . . Band Marches into Oscars' Spotlight (photos and article)
- Clothes Make the Band Mark Davis and Misha Gravenor for UCLA Magazine, January 2008 (History of the UCLA Band uniforms)
- George and Ira Gershwin originally wrote the tune for 'Strike Up the Band for UCLA' in 1927 Los Angeles Times story on March 20, 2008, California Section, page B2