University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band
Encyclopedia
The University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band (UMMB) is the marching band
for the University of Massachusetts Amherst
. The band currently has about 352 members and was directed by George N. Parks
from 1977 until his sudden death in September 2010. Assistant Thomas Hannum
was named interim director, assisted by Michael Klesch and Frederick Omega Pye. On May 9th 2011, in an e-mail to students, chancellor Robert C. Holub
announced the appointment of Timothy T. Anderson as director of the band. Mr. Anderson previously has directed the marching band at California State University, Fresno
.
The Minuteman Band plays halftime and post-game shows at all home football
games and frequently travels to away games. The band has also performed at Bands of America
in 1993, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2011. In 1998, the Minuteman Marching Band was awarded the prestigious Sudler Trophy, the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a collegiate marching band.
In recent years, The Minuteman Band has performed hits from Madonna
, Elton John
and Earth, Wind, and Fire as well as songs from West Side Story and the movie Troy
. A new tradition, UMass Night at the Pops, features the UMMB alongside the Boston Pops orchestra at Symphony Hall
. This event is an annual celebration of all things UMass, though the UMMB does not always attend.
In the fall of 2011, the George N. Parks Minuteman Marching Band Building was completed, giving the band its first home since the Old Chapel was closed in 1997.
started in 1863 when the University was known as the Massachusetts Agricultural College. The Morris Drum Corps, as it was known, was the first resemblance of a marching band at the school, and it was directed by First Lieutenant Charles Morris of the 5th Army Artillery.
In the 1890s, the band was renamed the Clark Memorial Cadet Band after former college president William S. Clark. At the close of the century the band's instrumentation expanded, but the musicians consisted only of military cadets.
In 1931, the Massachusetts Agricultural College, or "Aggie", became the Massachusetts State College. Soon after, in 1934, the College hired its first music instructor, Frank Stratton. A year later, Massachusetts Agricultural College started to organize a formal band program, and appointed its first non-military band instructor, Charles Farnum. The newly created band became known as the "Redmen Marching Band". In 1938, the band had its most successful season to date by playing at all home games and an away game versus the United States Coast Guard Academy
. During World War II
, all bands at the University were disbanded from March 1943 until September 1945 because many of the members served in the military.
After the war, the band remained small, so the director set out to create a female "drill team" to augment the band. In 1946, this team expanded to a size of 44. This drill team was given the name of the "Precisionettes" in 1952.
In 1947 the Massachusetts State College became the University of Massachusetts. The band's name changed from the Redmen Marching Band to the Minuteman Marching Band in the 1970s under the leadership of Professor John Jenkins. Jenkins brought a new style of marching, high step rapid rhythm (thighs parallel to the ground) to UMass from the University of Michigan. While Jenkins led the band it played at a New England Patriots
game as guests of the Patriots. In 1977, George N. Parks
was hired to direct the band. Parks brought the roll-step marching style and fostered the reputation that the band has today. His unique styles and intensity were widely praised.
Until 1998, the band was housed in the Old Chapel on campus. Since then the band has been dispersed about the campus, though in 2009 the campus dedicated $4.5 million to a new building. The band is currently collecting donations to fulfill the remainder of the costs for an adequate building at $8 million. Groundbreaking for the new building, adjacent to the band's current storage building in Grinnell Arena, was held on October 17, 2009. The University announced that it would be named the George N. Parks Minuteman Marching Band Building.
In 2010, George Parks suffered a fatal heart attack while traveling with the band to the University of Michigan. Associate director Thomas Hannum was named interim director.
The UMMB incorporates a pre-game show at all home football games in which several traditional songs are always played and the band marches into its traditional "M" formation. The Minuteman Band always features a Colonial Honor Guard made up of band members during the pre-game show. They march onto the field to the theme from "The Patriot" for the National Anthem. There is also a post-game "5th quarter" show at all football games in which the band's normal show is performed again. The band always closes its shows with Frank Sinatra's "My Way".
The Traditional Songs:
", "El Boro", "Legend of the One Eyed Sailor", "Get it On", and Gloria Estefan
's "Oye Tu Conga". The pit was featured on a version of Radiohead's "Paranoid Android". The band went to Delaware
, Allentown, MICCA Regionals in Bridgeport, CT., and to a post-season game at Colgate.
. Notable performances included the Bands of America
Grand Nationals at the RCA Dome
in Indianapolis, Indiana.
and the band Earth, Wind, and Fire. Among the notable performances during this season, the band played at the football game between UMass and the United States Army at West Point. During this performance, the band played Lee Greenwood
's "God Bless the USA
" in honor of the armed forces.
and the band Chicago
. Performances included the UMass football games against the US Navy and the Canadian national football league playoff game in Montreal. The band's normal season was extended because UMass's football team made the playoffs. The band played their final halftime show of the 2006 post season in Chattanooga, Tennessee
at the NCAA National Championship game vs. Appalachian State University
.
", and three hits by Gloria Estefan
including "Anything for You", "Oye tu Conga" and "Get on your Feet".
In 2007, the Band performed in Allentown, Pennsylvania
, all home UMass Football games, and the National Bands of America
in Indianapolis.
's Symphonie fantastique
, an abridged version of Billy Joel
's "And So It Goes
", Dave Weckl
's "Tiempo de Festival" (performed as the percussion feature), and a medley of Stevie Wonder
songs ("Uptight (Everything's Alright)", "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing", "For Once In My Life", and "Fingertips"). "Mon Homme" (known by its English title "My Man") and "Stars and Stripes Forever" were arranged for the season's performance with University of Delaware
Fightin' Blue Hen Marching Band, and a medley of patriotic songs was performed during the final two home football games. The final home football game also featured a performance of "Malagueña".
Performance locations in 2008 included Allentown, PA, Fanueil Hall, the West Boyleston Parade and Field Show, and the MICCA High School Marching Band Championships. The band performed at all home football games, as well as two away games at College of the Holy Cross
and Northeastern University.
. Selections included "Jack Sparrow", "The Kraken", "Davy Jones
" and "He's a Pirate". Other featured selections included "Swing Street" By Barry Manilow and Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture". The percussion section headlined "Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey". The show was debuted on September 12, 2009 at halftime of the Albany game. During band camp
, the band recorded a music video with the group Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers
for their newest song at the time "Shady Esperanto and the Young Hearts". The group choose to use the Marching Band in the video because several members of the Sixers are Alumni of the university and the marching band.
as well as a medly Madonna
songs. The selection from the movie included "The Wind and The Lion". Other music included "Canto Del Viento", the percussion feature "Oye Tu Conga", and Madonna's "Like a Prayer
". Later shows in the season added arrangements of I'll Be There by The Jackson 5 and When the Saints Go Marching In
. Parts of the show were debuted on September 4, 2010 at halftime of the William and Mary game. The fall 2010 season included performances in Allentown and a game at the University of Michigan
.
On September 16, 2010 while in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
, George N. Parks
suffered a fatal heart attack after the band's performance for the local high school and opposing team's band. The band played for the high schoolers as a "thank you" for being allowed to use their facilities during a stopover on the Michigan trip. The band decided to go ahead to Michigan, and performed to great success in front of 110,187 people, the largest audience in the band's history. When the band returned to Cuyahoga Falls on their way home, the town provided a banquet when the band arrived, and a police escort when they departed the next day.
Two weeks after Michigan, the band performed in Allentown. The following week, for Homecoming, the school held a two hour tribute in the Mullins Center
for Parks before that days football game. For halftime, an alumni band composed of almost 1,000 past members performed first a tune, and then a combined performance with current members of the band. In all, almost 1,300 members past and present were on the field for this performance. The next week the band attended an away game versus the University of New Hampshire
at Gillette Stadium
, which was billed as the "Colonial Clash." The band performed at MICCA Finals in Lowell, MA the day after.
The twenty-sixth annual band day occurred two weeks later. Almost three thousand students from elementary through high school were in attendance. The next week, the band performed their field show for the last time for Senior Day.
in 1830. The next song is You Can't Stop the Beat, from the musical Hairspray
. The next song is the 1812 Overture
, and this is followed by Big Noise from Winnetka
. On Saturday November 5, 2011 homecoming, the George N. Parks Minuteman Marching Band Building was dedicated. On November 12th the band performed at Lucas Oil Stadium for Bands of America Grand Nationals in Indianapolis, Indiana. Next Week on Saturday November 19, 2011 the band performed their field show for the last time for Senior Day.
s instead of French horns, alto and tenor saxophone
s, flute
s, piccolo
s (audition only), clarinet
s, trumpet
s, trombone
s, euphonium
s, and sousaphone
s instead of tuba
s.
In addition to the instrumentation on the field, the band has keyboards
, marimba
, electric guitar
and bass
as well as various singers. The band does not require instrument audition for its members, however some instruments like the piccolo, guitar, bass, and vocals require an audition which is open to any band member.
There is a large colorguard section known for its excellence in spinning flags, rifles, and sabres. In the 2006 season there were over 40 members of the colorguard.
The colorguard accompanies the band on the field during the performance but is not constrained to marching like the rest of the band. As in most marching bands, the UMass colorguard follows sets and often switches between different flags, rifles, and sabres during the performance depending on the music being played.
s and other percussion often gives the band the reputation as a non-traditional marching band.
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...
for the University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
. The band currently has about 352 members and was directed by George N. Parks
George N. Parks
George N. Parks was the director of the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1977 until his sudden death in 2010. Considered a national authority on drum majoring, he led the George N...
from 1977 until his sudden death in September 2010. Assistant Thomas Hannum
Thomas Hannum
Thomas P. Hannum is the associate director of the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band. He was named interim director after the sudden death of bandleader George N...
was named interim director, assisted by Michael Klesch and Frederick Omega Pye. On May 9th 2011, in an e-mail to students, chancellor Robert C. Holub
Robert C. Holub
Robert C. Holub, Ph.D. is the 28th and current chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, beginning his tenure as chancellor in August 2008...
announced the appointment of Timothy T. Anderson as director of the band. Mr. Anderson previously has directed the marching band at California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno, often referred to as Fresno State University and synonymously known in athletics as Fresno State , is one of the leading campuses of the California State University system, located at the northeast edge of Fresno, California, USA.The campus sits at the foot of...
.
The Minuteman Band plays halftime and post-game shows at all home football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
games and frequently travels to away games. The band has also performed at Bands of America
Bands of America
Bands of America , a division of Music for All, Inc., is an organization that promotes and organizes marching band competitions for high school students. Competitions include both Regional and Super Regional Championships as well as the Grand National Championships...
in 1993, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2011. In 1998, the Minuteman Marching Band was awarded the prestigious Sudler Trophy, the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a collegiate marching band.
In recent years, The Minuteman Band has performed hits from Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
and Earth, Wind, and Fire as well as songs from West Side Story and the movie Troy
Troy (film)
Troy is a 2004 epic war film written by David Benioff and directed by Wolfgang Petersen based on the events of the Trojan War. Its cast includes Brad Pitt as Achilles, Eric Bana as Hector.It was nominated for the Academy Award for Costume Design.-Plot:...
. A new tradition, UMass Night at the Pops, features the UMMB alongside the Boston Pops orchestra at Symphony Hall
Symphony Hall, Boston
Symphony Hall is a concert hall located at 301 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts. Designed by McKim, Mead and White, it was built in 1900 for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, which continues to make the hall its home. The hall was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1999...
. This event is an annual celebration of all things UMass, though the UMMB does not always attend.
In the fall of 2011, the George N. Parks Minuteman Marching Band Building was completed, giving the band its first home since the Old Chapel was closed in 1997.
History
The band program at University of Massachusetts AmherstUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
started in 1863 when the University was known as the Massachusetts Agricultural College. The Morris Drum Corps, as it was known, was the first resemblance of a marching band at the school, and it was directed by First Lieutenant Charles Morris of the 5th Army Artillery.
In the 1890s, the band was renamed the Clark Memorial Cadet Band after former college president William S. Clark. At the close of the century the band's instrumentation expanded, but the musicians consisted only of military cadets.
In 1931, the Massachusetts Agricultural College, or "Aggie", became the Massachusetts State College. Soon after, in 1934, the College hired its first music instructor, Frank Stratton. A year later, Massachusetts Agricultural College started to organize a formal band program, and appointed its first non-military band instructor, Charles Farnum. The newly created band became known as the "Redmen Marching Band". In 1938, the band had its most successful season to date by playing at all home games and an away game versus the United States Coast Guard Academy
United States Coast Guard Academy
Founded in 1876, the United States Coast Guard Academy is the military academy of the United States Coast Guard. Located in New London, Connecticut, it is the smallest of the five federal service academies...
. 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...
, all bands at the University were disbanded from March 1943 until September 1945 because many of the members served in the military.
After the war, the band remained small, so the director set out to create a female "drill team" to augment the band. In 1946, this team expanded to a size of 44. This drill team was given the name of the "Precisionettes" in 1952.
In 1947 the Massachusetts State College became the University of Massachusetts. The band's name changed from the Redmen Marching Band to the Minuteman Marching Band in the 1970s under the leadership of Professor John Jenkins. Jenkins brought a new style of marching, high step rapid rhythm (thighs parallel to the ground) to UMass from the University of Michigan. While Jenkins led the band it played at a New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
game as guests of the Patriots. In 1977, George N. Parks
George N. Parks
George N. Parks was the director of the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1977 until his sudden death in 2010. Considered a national authority on drum majoring, he led the George N...
was hired to direct the band. Parks brought the roll-step marching style and fostered the reputation that the band has today. His unique styles and intensity were widely praised.
Until 1998, the band was housed in the Old Chapel on campus. Since then the band has been dispersed about the campus, though in 2009 the campus dedicated $4.5 million to a new building. The band is currently collecting donations to fulfill the remainder of the costs for an adequate building at $8 million. Groundbreaking for the new building, adjacent to the band's current storage building in Grinnell Arena, was held on October 17, 2009. The University announced that it would be named the George N. Parks Minuteman Marching Band Building.
In 2010, George Parks suffered a fatal heart attack while traveling with the band to the University of Michigan. Associate director Thomas Hannum was named interim director.
Traditional songs
The Traditional Songs:
- "Fight MassFight MassFight Mass is the fight song of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. It was written by Captain Edwin Sumner, a military instructor in the spring of 1930...
" - the UMass fight song. This song is played during the pre-game, half-time, and post-game shows as well as after every touchdown. - "Roll Down the Field" - The lyrics and title changed to "Cheer for UMass" in 2003 but the music stayed the same.
- "Twilight ShadowsTwilight Shadows"When Twilight Shadows Deepen", unofficially known as "Twilight Shadows" is the University of Massachusetts Amherst's alma mater. It was composed by Fred D. Griggs, a 1913 graduate of the school, and trustee from 1928 until his death on December 22, 1942....
" - The Alma Mater - "The Star Spangled Banner" - The band is often responsible for providing the National Anthem at all home football games.
- "PatriotThe Patriot (2000 film)The Patriot is a 2000 historical war film directed by Roland Emmerich, written by Robert Rodat, and starring Mel Gibson, Chris Cooper, and Heath Ledger. It was produced by the Mutual Film Company and Centropolis Entertainment and was distributed by Columbia Pictures...
" - The theme from the movie, "The Patriot". - "My WayMy Way (song)"My Way" is a song popularized by Frank Sinatra. Its lyrics were written by Paul Anka and set to music based on the French song "Comme d'habitude" composed in 1967 by Claude François and Jacques Revaux, with lyrics by Claude François and Gilles Thibault. Anka's English lyrics are unrelated to the...
" - A band tradition is to play this song after every post-game show. The band also sings the song at many non-performance events as a traditional way of ending their meetings.
2003 Season
The 2003 Season show consisted of a mix of songs with no clearly set theme. It has sometimes been called "Hot Jazz". Among the songs were "BirdlandBirdland
Birdland may refer to:In music:* Birdland , a club in New York City* Birdland, a jazz club in Vienna founded by Joe Zawinul* "Birdland" , an instrumental composed by Joe Zawinul, originally recorded by his band Weather Report...
", "El Boro", "Legend of the One Eyed Sailor", "Get it On", and Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
's "Oye Tu Conga". The pit was featured on a version of Radiohead's "Paranoid Android". The band went to Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
, Allentown, MICCA Regionals in Bridgeport, CT., and to a post-season game at Colgate.
2004 Season
The 2004 Season show consisted of music from the musical West Side Story and songs written by Elton JohnElton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
. Notable performances included the Bands of America
Bands of America
Bands of America , a division of Music for All, Inc., is an organization that promotes and organizes marching band competitions for high school students. Competitions include both Regional and Super Regional Championships as well as the Grand National Championships...
Grand Nationals at the RCA Dome
RCA Dome
RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons ....
in Indianapolis, Indiana.
2005 Season
The 2005 season consisted of music from the movie TroyTroy (film)
Troy is a 2004 epic war film written by David Benioff and directed by Wolfgang Petersen based on the events of the Trojan War. Its cast includes Brad Pitt as Achilles, Eric Bana as Hector.It was nominated for the Academy Award for Costume Design.-Plot:...
and the band Earth, Wind, and Fire. Among the notable performances during this season, the band played at the football game between UMass and the United States Army at West Point. During this performance, the band played Lee Greenwood
Lee Greenwood
Melvin Lee Greenwood is an American country music artist. Active since the early 1980s, he has released more than twenty major-label albums and has charted more than 35 singles on the Billboard country music charts....
's "God Bless the USA
God Bless the USA
"God Bless the USA" is an American patriotic song written and recorded by country musician Lee Greenwood. The first Greenwood album it appears on is 1984's You've Got a Good Love Comin'. It reached No...
" in honor of the armed forces.
2006 Season
The Minuteman Band's main show for 2006 contained music from Henry VHenry V (1989 film)
Henry V is a 1989 film directed by Kenneth Branagh, based on William Shakespeare's play The Life of Henry the Fifth about the famous English king. Branagh stars in the title role, and wrote the screenplay. The film was highly acclaimed on its release....
and the band Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
. Performances included the UMass football games against the US Navy and the Canadian national football league playoff game in Montreal. The band's normal season was extended because UMass's football team made the playoffs. The band played their final halftime show of the 2006 post season in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
at the NCAA National Championship game vs. Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University is a comprehensive , public, coeducational university located in Boone, North Carolina, United States. Appalachian State, also referred to as Appalachian, App State, or simply App, is the sixth largest institution in the University of North Carolina system...
.
2007 Season
2007's show included Russian Christmas Music, "Rhapsody in BlueRhapsody in Blue
Rhapsody in Blue is a musical composition by George Gershwin for solo piano and jazz band written in 1924, which combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects....
", and three hits by Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
including "Anything for You", "Oye tu Conga" and "Get on your Feet".
In 2007, the Band performed in Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
, all home UMass Football games, and the National Bands of America
Bands of America
Bands of America , a division of Music for All, Inc., is an organization that promotes and organizes marching band competitions for high school students. Competitions include both Regional and Super Regional Championships as well as the Grand National Championships...
in Indianapolis.
2008 Season
The 2008 show contained the fifth movement of Hector BerliozHector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie fantastique and Grande messe des morts . Berlioz made significant contributions to the modern orchestra with his Treatise on Instrumentation. He specified huge orchestral forces for some of his works; as a...
's Symphonie fantastique
Symphonie Fantastique
Symphonie Fantastique: Épisode de la vie d'un Artiste...en cinq parties , Op. 14, is a program symphony written by the French composer Hector Berlioz in 1830. It is one of the most important and representative pieces of the early Romantic period, and is still very popular with concert audiences...
, an abridged version of Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
's "And So It Goes
And So It Goes
"And So It Goes" is a ballad written by Billy Joel in 1983, though it wasn't released until six years later. It appeared as the tenth and final track of his megahit album Storm Front. The original 1983 demo was released on the 2005 box set My Lives. Joel wrote the song about a doomed relationship...
", Dave Weckl
Dave Weckl
Dave Weckl is a highly acclaimed jazz fusion drummer. Weckl attended Francis Howell High School in St. Charles, MO and graduated in 1978. He majored in jazz studies at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut...
's "Tiempo de Festival" (performed as the percussion feature), and a medley of Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
songs ("Uptight (Everything's Alright)", "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing", "For Once In My Life", and "Fingertips"). "Mon Homme" (known by its English title "My Man") and "Stars and Stripes Forever" were arranged for the season's performance with University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
Fightin' Blue Hen Marching Band, and a medley of patriotic songs was performed during the final two home football games. The final home football game also featured a performance of "Malagueña".
Performance locations in 2008 included Allentown, PA, Fanueil Hall, the West Boyleston Parade and Field Show, and the MICCA High School Marching Band Championships. The band performed at all home football games, as well as two away games at College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
and Northeastern University.
2009 Season
The fall 2009 show featured music from the Disney Motion Picture Pirates of the CaribbeanPirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean is a multi-billion dollar Walt Disney franchise encompassing a series of films, a theme park ride, and spinoff novels as well as numerous video games and other publications. The franchise originates with the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, which opened at Disneyland in...
. Selections included "Jack Sparrow", "The Kraken", "Davy Jones
Davy Jones (Pirates of the Caribbean)
Davy Jones is a fictional character and antagonist in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. Davy Jones is the captain of the Flying Dutchman , roaming the seas in search of souls to serve upon his vessel for a century...
" and "He's a Pirate". Other featured selections included "Swing Street" By Barry Manilow and Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture". The percussion section headlined "Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey". The show was debuted on September 12, 2009 at halftime of the Albany game. During band camp
Band camp
A band camp typically refers to a high school, college, or university marching band summer camp. Band camp is often mandatory for members of the band, and constitutes the majority of the preparation a marching band makes before its marching season...
, the band recorded a music video with the group Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers
Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers
Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers is an American rock band formed in Western Massachusetts in 2003. The band features lead singer Stephen Kellogg , bassist and keyboard player Kit 'The Goose' Karlson, drummer Boots Factor, and electric guitar/pedal steel player Sam 'Steamer' Getz...
for their newest song at the time "Shady Esperanto and the Young Hearts". The group choose to use the Marching Band in the video because several members of the Sixers are Alumni of the university and the marching band.
2010 Season
The fall 2010 show featured music from the motion picture The Wind and the LionThe Wind and the Lion
The Wind and the Lion is a 1975 adventure film. It was written and directed by John Milius and starred Sean Connery, Candice Bergen, Brian Keith and John Huston...
as well as a medly Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
songs. The selection from the movie included "The Wind and The Lion". Other music included "Canto Del Viento", the percussion feature "Oye Tu Conga", and Madonna's "Like a Prayer
Like a Prayer (song)
"Like a Prayer" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna on her fourth studio album of the same name . It was released on March 21, 1989, by Sire Records as the album's lead single...
". Later shows in the season added arrangements of I'll Be There by The Jackson 5 and When the Saints Go Marching In
When the Saints Go Marching In
"When the Saints Go Marching In", often referred to as "The Saints", is an American gospel hymn that has taken on certain aspects of folk music. The precise origins of the song are not known. Though it originated as a spiritual, today people are more likely to hear it played by a jazz band...
. Parts of the show were debuted on September 4, 2010 at halftime of the William and Mary game. The fall 2010 season included performances in Allentown and a game at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
.
On September 16, 2010 while in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,374 people, 21,655 households, and 13,317 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,932.9 people per square mile . There were 22,727 housing units at an average density of 889.7 per square mile...
, George N. Parks
George N. Parks
George N. Parks was the director of the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1977 until his sudden death in 2010. Considered a national authority on drum majoring, he led the George N...
suffered a fatal heart attack after the band's performance for the local high school and opposing team's band. The band played for the high schoolers as a "thank you" for being allowed to use their facilities during a stopover on the Michigan trip. The band decided to go ahead to Michigan, and performed to great success in front of 110,187 people, the largest audience in the band's history. When the band returned to Cuyahoga Falls on their way home, the town provided a banquet when the band arrived, and a police escort when they departed the next day.
Two weeks after Michigan, the band performed in Allentown. The following week, for Homecoming, the school held a two hour tribute in the Mullins Center
Mullins Center
The William D. Mullins Memorial Center, also known as the Mullins Center, is a 10,600 seat multi-purpose arena, located on the campus of the University of Massachusetts, in Amherst, Massachusetts. The Mullins Center is the home of UMass Minutemen Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, and Men's Ice...
for Parks before that days football game. For halftime, an alumni band composed of almost 1,000 past members performed first a tune, and then a combined performance with current members of the band. In all, almost 1,300 members past and present were on the field for this performance. The next week the band attended an away game versus the University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
at Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution...
, which was billed as the "Colonial Clash." The band performed at MICCA Finals in Lowell, MA the day after.
The twenty-sixth annual band day occurred two weeks later. Almost three thousand students from elementary through high school were in attendance. The next week, the band performed their field show for the last time for Senior Day.
2011 Season
The 2011 season opened on September 17th during a home game. The first song in the show is an adaptation of Dreams of a Witches' Sabbath, written by Hector BerliozHector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie fantastique and Grande messe des morts . Berlioz made significant contributions to the modern orchestra with his Treatise on Instrumentation. He specified huge orchestral forces for some of his works; as a...
in 1830. The next song is You Can't Stop the Beat, from the musical Hairspray
Hairspray (musical)
Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues...
. The next song is the 1812 Overture
1812 Overture
The 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...
, and this is followed by Big Noise from Winnetka
Big Noise From Winnetka
Big Noise from Winnetka is a jazz composition co-written by composer and bass player Bob Haggart. It was first recorded in 1938 and featured Haggart and drummer Ray Bauduc, both members of a sub-group of the Bob Crosby Orchestra called The Bobcats....
. On Saturday November 5, 2011 homecoming, the George N. Parks Minuteman Marching Band Building was dedicated. On November 12th the band performed at Lucas Oil Stadium for Bands of America Grand Nationals in Indianapolis, Indiana. Next Week on Saturday November 19, 2011 the band performed their field show for the last time for Senior Day.
Instrumentation
The Minuteman Band comprises typical marching band instruments: mellophoneMellophone
The mellophone is a brass instrument that is typically used in place of the horn in marching bands or drum and bugle corps....
s instead of French horns, alto and tenor saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
s, flute
Flute
The 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, piccolo
Piccolo
The piccolo is a half-size flute, and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. The piccolo has the same fingerings as its larger sibling, the standard transverse flute, but the sound it produces is an octave higher than written...
s (audition only), clarinet
Clarinet
The 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, trumpet
Trumpet
The 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, trombone
Trombone
The 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, 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, and sousaphone
Sousaphone
The 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 instead of tuba
Tuba
The 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.
In addition to the instrumentation on the field, the band has keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, marimba
Marimba
The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
, electric guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
as well as various singers. The band does not require instrument audition for its members, however some instruments like the piccolo, guitar, bass, and vocals require an audition which is open to any band member.
Colorguard
The colorguard accompanies the band on the field during the performance but is not constrained to marching like the rest of the band. As in most marching bands, the UMass colorguard follows sets and often switches between different flags, rifles, and sabres during the performance depending on the music being played.
Percussion
The Minuteman Band's percussion section is strongly regarded as among the best in the nation. Sponsored by major percussive manufacturers such as Vic Firth, Pearl Drums, Adams Musical Instruments, Zildjian Cymbals, and Evans Drumheads, the UMass Drumline has built a national reputation for their dedication, skill, and hard work that is paralleled by few others in the nation. The standard of excellence is ever growing, as peaking interests in the ensemble have caused tremendous response in program participation. The percussion section is instructed by DCI Hall of Famer Thomas P. Hannum. Thom is best known for his work in Drum Corps International, as well as being an excellent clinician and author of percussive technique books. The UMass Drumline is also known well for many of its alumni who have branched out into many teaching and writing opportunities in percussive arts throughout the nation, as best noted in an article written for DCI.org. A full listing of alumni can be found here.Style
Most people would regard the Minuteman Band's style as that of a corps style, forming precise drill sets and shapes. The band moves from set to set using a "roll step" or "glide step" and members stay in the form while in motion. However, The Minuteman Band tends to mix in some free form or scramble band techniques with more the traditional marching styles. Usually, for the main show theme, traditional marching band styles will be used and then there will be some songs that are looser and less rigid and members are frequently encouraged to have fun to excite the audience during these tunes. The band's use of amplification with electric guitarElectric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
s and other percussion often gives the band the reputation as a non-traditional marching band.
Directors
A list of band directors:- Charles Morris (1861-???)
- Charles Farnum (1935–1945)
- Doric Alviani (1945–1949)
- Ezra Schabas (1949–1950)
- Joseph Contino (1950–1963)
- John Jenkins (1963–1977)
- George N. ParksGeorge N. ParksGeorge N. Parks was the director of the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1977 until his sudden death in 2010. Considered a national authority on drum majoring, he led the George N...
(1977–2010) - Thomas HannumThomas HannumThomas P. Hannum is the associate director of the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band. He was named interim director after the sudden death of bandleader George N...
(2010-2011) (Interim director) - Timothy T. Anderson (2011-Present)