University of Minnesota Marching Band
Encyclopedia
The University of Minnesota Marching Band (also known as UMMB, The Pride of Minnesota) is the marching band
of the University of Minnesota
. The band performs before, during, and after all home Golden Gopher
football
games and bowl games, numerous pepfests and events associated with the University of Minnesota, as well as a series of indoor concerts at the end of the regular football season. Members of the band also participate in smaller athletic pep bands that perform at other major sporting events.
The Minnesota Marching Band was formed with 29 members as the University Cadet Band in 1892.
The band performed its first field show in 1910. Among the formations included was the "Block M" that now serves as the University's logo. The "Block M" formation is still present in the band's pregame show.
In 1961, marching band director Dr. Frank Bencriscutto decided that, in addition to performing at football games, the band should also put on an indoor concert at which the band would be the sole performers, instead of taking a role secondary to that of the football team. This was the first concert of its kind; many other collegiate marching bands have adopted this practice since. The Indoor Concert has been continuously performed at the University of Minnesota's Northrop Auditorium
since its creation.
. In 1950, a "Women's division" of the band was created, which lasted for several years. Women were finally allowed to be full members of the band in 1972. Molly Watters was selected in 2006 as the first female Drum Major in the history of the band.
The Minnesota Marching Band primarily uses the traditional "chair step" for performances, similar to other bands of the Big Ten Conference
. The band's pregame show is performed almost entirely with this step. It consists of bringing the leg up so that the thigh is parallel to the ground and the shin is completely vertical and toes are pointed at the ground.
Parade marching is performed using a modified chair step known as "parade chair," which is far less tiring than a traditional chair step. It is similar to the chair step, but the thigh only comes up 45 degrees instead of the full 90.
Halftime shows are performed using a corps-style low step marching that allows for more musicality and forms that do not necessarily conform to a grid.
"Run-Cadence" is the band's method of getting on and off the field for a show. It is essentially a double-time chair step, although the quickness of it necessitates that at times neither foot is in contact with the ground, as with the regular chair step.
The pregame show in its current configuration consists of the following:
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
of the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
. The band performs before, during, and after all home Golden Gopher
Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are the college sports team for the University of Minnesota. The university fields both men's and women's teams in basketball, cross country, gymnastics, golf, ice hockey, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Men's-specific sports include baseball, football, and...
football
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
games and bowl games, numerous pepfests and events associated with the University of Minnesota, as well as a series of indoor concerts at the end of the regular football season. Members of the band also participate in smaller athletic pep bands that perform at other major sporting events.
History
The band performed its first field show in 1910. Among the formations included was the "Block M" that now serves as the University's logo. The "Block M" formation is still present in the band's pregame show.
In 1961, marching band director Dr. Frank Bencriscutto decided that, in addition to performing at football games, the band should also put on an indoor concert at which the band would be the sole performers, instead of taking a role secondary to that of the football team. This was the first concert of its kind; many other collegiate marching bands have adopted this practice since. The Indoor Concert has been continuously performed at the University of Minnesota's Northrop Auditorium
Northrop Auditorium
Cyrus Northrop Memorial Auditorium is a stage venue at the University of Minnesota's Minneapolis campus named for Cyrus Northrop, the university's second president. Various events are held there, including concerts, ballet performances, and lectures. The structure was built in 1929 and has...
since its creation.
Women in the Band
When it was originally formed, the band consisted of exclusively males. Women were first allowed to perform with the band in 1943-1945, when they were allowed to "fill in" for male members of the band that were serving in World War IIWorld 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...
. In 1950, a "Women's division" of the band was created, which lasted for several years. Women were finally allowed to be full members of the band in 1972. Molly Watters was selected in 2006 as the first female Drum Major in the history of the band.
Marching Style
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
. The band's pregame show is performed almost entirely with this step. It consists of bringing the leg up so that the thigh is parallel to the ground and the shin is completely vertical and toes are pointed at the ground.
Parade marching is performed using a modified chair step known as "parade chair," which is far less tiring than a traditional chair step. It is similar to the chair step, but the thigh only comes up 45 degrees instead of the full 90.
Halftime shows are performed using a corps-style low step marching that allows for more musicality and forms that do not necessarily conform to a grid.
"Run-Cadence" is the band's method of getting on and off the field for a show. It is essentially a double-time chair step, although the quickness of it necessitates that at times neither foot is in contact with the ground, as with the regular chair step.
Pregame Show
The Minnesota Marching band performs one of the longest and most complex pregame shows of any band in the country. In its entirety, it is over 15 minutes long and includes over 75 pages of drill. Periodically throughout the season, band members audition for a spot in the pregame block. There are 243 marching spots in the pregame block.The pregame show in its current configuration consists of the following:
- Run-Cadence on to the field in entry lines.
- Expand the lines into a block formation to "Fanfare '87"
- March down the field to John Philip Sousa'sJohn Philip SousaJohn 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....
"Minnesota MarchMinnesota MarchMinnesota March is a march for wind band written by John Phillip Sousa for the University of Minnesota. It is now used as one of the university's school songs, with lyrics written by university band director Michael Jalma. The piece is regularly performed by the Minnesota Marching Band, both on...
" - Spell out "GOPHERS" while playing "Go Gopher VictoryGo Gopher Victory"Go Gopher Victory" is one of the school songs of the University of Minnesota. Composed in the early 1920's by University graduate Addison H. Douglass, this tune was originally entitled "The Gopher M"...
" - Play the opposing team's school song. This is removed if the opposing school sends a band with the team. (Big Ten Opponents only)
- Play "Battle Hymn of the Republic" while performing the "Swinging Gates" formation.
- "Cascade" into the compressed "Block M" formation.
- Expand into the "Block M" formation while playing "Fanfare '78-Pageant"
- Play the "RouserMinnesota RouserThe "Minnesota Rouser" is the fight song of the University of Minnesota. It is played at all Minnesota Golden Gophers games.-History:It was the subject of a 1909 contest held by the Minnesota Daily and the Minneapolis Tribune to write a suitable song for Minnesota football games, to replace the...
." - Rotate the "Block M" formation toward the student section.
- March the "Block M" downfield while playing "Our MinnesotaOur Minnesota"Our Minnesota" was one of two winners of a 1925 contest to find an additional fight song for the University of Minnesota. Despite the popularity of the Minnesota Rouser, the Minnesota Union offered a hundred-dollar prize for the best college music and lyrics. Marion L. Bassett, a University of...
" - Cadence into the "Gauntlet" formation. A shortened version of the RouserMinnesota RouserThe "Minnesota Rouser" is the fight song of the University of Minnesota. It is played at all Minnesota Golden Gophers games.-History:It was the subject of a 1909 contest held by the Minnesota Daily and the Minneapolis Tribune to write a suitable song for Minnesota football games, to replace the...
is played while the football team runs onto the field. - Play a modified version of the theme from "Superman" while Goldy GopherGoldy GopherGoldy Gopher is the mascot for the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus and the associated sports teams, known as the Golden Gophers, as well as the defending UCA Mascot National Champion...
runs onto the field. - Play the "RouserMinnesota RouserThe "Minnesota Rouser" is the fight song of the University of Minnesota. It is played at all Minnesota Golden Gophers games.-History:It was the subject of a 1909 contest held by the Minnesota Daily and the Minneapolis Tribune to write a suitable song for Minnesota football games, to replace the...
" as the football team runs onto the field. - Play the "Star Spangled Banner" from this block. The B.A.R.F. (Big American Representational Flag) is unrolled during the National Anthem.
- Run-Cadence off of the field.