Penn State Blue Band
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| Penn State Blue Band | |
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| School | Pennsylvania State University |
| Location | State College, PA |
| Conference | Big Ten |
| Founded | 1899 |
| Director | O. Richard Bundy |
| Members | 305 |
| Uniform | Blue jacket and pants, black shoes with white spats, white gloves, white PSU overlay, white hat with navy plumes |
Blue Band redirects here. For other bands named "Blue" and other uses, see Blue (disambiguation)
The Penn State Blue Band is the marching band of Penn State University. Recognized as one of the nation's finest college marching bands, the Blue Band performs to capacity crowds in 107,232 seat Beaver Stadium—home of Penn State Nittany Lion football. The Blue Band has performed at every major bowl game in the U.S., including the Rose Bowl and the Tournament of Roses Parade. The 2006–2007 season is the 107th year of the Blue Band’s existence.
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[edit] Instrumentation
The current Marching Blue Band numbers 305 members, including 262 instrumentalists, 29 silks, 12 Touch of Blue (majorettes), a drum major and a blue sapphire. Members come from virtually all curricula and colleges represented at the University Park campus of the Pennsylvania State University. They have also performed for Marc Jacob's 2006 Spring Fashion Show in New York City and graced the pages of December 2005's Vogue Magazine.
The 2006 Penn State Marching Blue Band currently includes
- 1 Drum Major
- 13 Piccolos
- 25 Clarinets
- 25 Saxophones
- 67 Trumpets
- 25 Mellophones
- 29 Tenor Trombones
- 4 Bass Trombones
- 16 Baritones
- 25 Sousaphones
- 33 Percussion
- 29 Silks
- 12 Majorettes
- 1 Blue Sapphire (feature twirler)
[edit] History
The Penn State Blue Band traces its history to 1899 with the formation of a six-member drum and bugle corps initiated by student George H. Deike.
A donation from steel magnate and Penn State College Board of Trustees member Andrew Carnegie made possible the formation of a brass band in the summer of 1901.
By 1913, the organization was known as the College Band, and the first permanent director of bands, Wilfred O. “Tommy” Thompson, was appointed in 1914.
In 1923 a few new blue uniforms were purchased towards replacement of the old brown military style uniforms in use. Blue uniforms were issued on the basis of ability and rank. Photos from 1924 (not shown here) show a nucleus of blue uniformed members in a block “S” formation surrounded by a large number of brown uniformed band members. This select group of instrumentalists became known as the “Blue Band” and represented Penn State as the official traveling band.
During succeeding eras in which Hummel (Hum) Fishburn (1939–1947), James W. Dunlop (1947–1975), and Ned C. Deihl (1975–1996) served as directors, the name Penn State Blue Band was kept even though all members were uniformed in blue. Today the director of the Marching Blue Band is Dr. O. Richard Bundy. The assistant director is Gregory Drane.
[edit] Auditions
Blue Band is open to all students at the University Park campus by audition. The Blue Band accepts 290–310 student members annually. Not everyone who auditions is accepted.
The audition process consists of two parts of a standard etude or solo played on the Sunday before band camp. The student should pick a slow/lyrical section and a technical/virtuosic section that demonstrates his/her current playing level. The following day, rookies are taught the Blue Band style of marching, during which time other members of the blue band staff, as well as section leaders make decisions for finals cuts which happen that evening.
Though the band consists of over 300 players, there are fewer positions in both the pregame and halftime performances. After all the available slots on the drill are filled, the remaining players (usually rookies) are assigned to double a spot on the field with another blue band member (usually a sophomore). These "alternates" are required to learn all the music and drill just as a regular member. Within each alternate pair, each person is guaranteed one performance between the first two football games. Afterwards, the whole section competes for spots on the field by memorizing and "checking off" (playing a school song or chaser for a section leader (guide), without music) as many pieces as possible. If there is a tie or the entire section has all of their music checked off, there are challenges where a player my challenge any one person in the section for a position. A challenge consists of the playing of Lions '68 (Floating Lions Music) while marching the "skill drill", which is a basic outline of what each player must do while floating the "LIONS" during pregame.
[edit] Rehearsal
Membership in the Penn State Blue Band requires a large time commitment. The band practices weekly on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m., and on Tuesday from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The band performs at all home football games and must arrive for an additional Saturday morning rehearsal five hours before the scheduled kickoff.
All practices take place at the Blue Band Building, the home of the Penn State Blue Band as of Fall of 2004, or on the practice field next to it. A few weeks into the football season, however, Intramural Sports occupy the field on Tuesdays, so the band has to rehearse on the turf fields next to Holuba Hall, just off of University Drive.
[edit] Performances
The Blue Band performs many times throughout the school year, not only during football season. In addition to home football games, the entire band travels to one away game per season, and there is also a small 15-person pep band that travels to the other away games. The band learns a new halftime show for every home game to add a variety of music to the band's repertoire, as well as adding variety to halftime performances.
Saturday performances start by marching over to the Bryce Jordan Center in parade formation to Parade Order. When the band reaches the BJC, the band plays its Pregame and Halftime music at an event known as Tailgreat, a pre-game pep rally, including performances by the Penn State Cheerleaders and an appearance by The Lion. After Tailgreat, the band makes its way outside to line up in parade formation to march to the stadium. As is tradition, the band starts it march to Beaver Stadium by singing a rousing rendition of "The Nittany Lion". The band then proceeds to the stadium and prepares for the pregame performance.
When the band is not playing in on the field, it is located within the student section, just behind the South end zone. While in the stands, the band plays a variety of stands tunes and fight songs, including the official fight song of Penn State: Fight On, State. After the game, the band has a post-game performance on the field, which consists of the traditional playing of "Lion Special", followed by select tunes from their half time performance. There is also a separate performance after the game on the Northwest corner of the field known as the "Corner Concert," where the percussion section highlights their parts for halftime, Parade Order, and, more often than not, something entertaining they have come up with during the week.
The band also has many other performances during the year including Men's and Women's Basketball and Volleyball games, and other various sporting events, such as Cross Country meets. Outside of the Blue Band's obligations as a pep band, the band has its own concert, traditionally known as "Band-o-rama", during which the band will reprise the year's halftime music and fight songs.
[edit] Class
Members of the Penn State Blue Band are not paid or given any scholarship money by the university for being a member of the band. Marching Band is a 1 credit class (Music 081) that students must pay to enroll in.
[edit] Organization
[edit] Director
Since 1983 the Blue Band has been under the direction of O. Richard Bundy. Dr. Bundy received his undergraduate degree in music education from Penn State, then after receiving a masters degree from the University of Michigan, he returned to Penn State for his doctoral degree. Prior to his appointment to the faculty, he served as trombonist with the United States Continental Army Band and as band director/instrumental music instructor in the Iroquois School District, Erie, Pennsylvania. In addition to conductor of the Blue Band, he teaches courses in conducting, marching band techniques, instrumental music education, and band literature.
An active guest conductor and adjudicator, Bundy has conducted ensembles and presented clinics throughout the eastern United States and Canada. He is a member of the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), Music Educators National Conference, Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, Phi Beta Mu, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He is a past president of the Eastern Division of CBDNA and Phi Beta Mu, Nu chapter.
[edit] Instructors and Graduate Assistants
Working directly under Dr. Bundy are graduate assistants and instructors. Instructors are typically paid positions and their duties range from assistant band director to working with specific sections such as a percussion instructor. Graduate assistants are unpaid graduate students from the PSU School of Music who help arrange music for halftime shows, write drill, assist with auditions, and work with individual sections.
[edit] Officers
The Blue Band is maintained in a large part by student officers who are elected by the band at the end of the season for the next season. The Band has positions for
- President
- Vice President
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- 3 Librarians
- 1 Head and 4 Regular Managers
- Webmaster
Officers control uniform assignment, the band finances, the music library, equipment set up and transfer, as well as maintaining the band's website, http://www.blueband.psu.edu/ . Officers also organize intramural sports, ticket raffles, and getting vital information to the section through list serve.
[edit] Drum Major
The Penn State Blue Band has one drum major whom is chosen in the spring prior to each band camp. The drum major is the highest ranking student in the organization and leads the band through warm-ups and fundamentals as well as instructing the band during rehearsals. Penn State's drum majors have become famous for their two front flips during the pregame performance.
[edit] Guides
The Blue Band's most experienced members in each section are the guides (section leaders). Guides help the section , especially rookies, to learn the Penn State way of doing anything from marching to playing to specifics about each section such as how to hold your instrument.
[edit] Squad Leaders
The Band is divided up into about 80 squads, each with a squad leader. During halftime preparation, the squad leader is responsible for obtaining a copy of the halftime drill and teaching the other members of the squad how to read it, as well as assigning positions in the squad and coaching the squad during practices. Squad leaders are usually guides but in the lack of enough, especially in larger sections, the most experienced member of a squad is the squad leader.
[edit] Gameday Traditions
[edit] Tailgreat
Five hours before the kickoff on Saturday, the band meets for a short rehearsal and then gets in uniform to parade to tailgreat. The band starts at the Blue Band Building and marches in parade formation over to the Bryce Jordan Center. Once at the BJC, the band performs its pregame and halftime shows at a pep rally known as tailgreat.
[edit] Parade Order
During the parade to the BJC for tailgreat, the parade from the BJC to the stadium, and the post game parade from the stadium back to the Blue Band Building, the band marches to the percussion cadence, parade order. Each section of the band has their own set of chants and carefully choreographed motions. At one point, the trombone section performs "suicides" where the players alternate the positions of their horn between straight up and to the side, and trumpets all hold their horns in a line parallel to the ground and do a wave. There are also full band motions such as during the beginning of the parade where the whole band jumps and high kicks with their right foot. The full band also performs cheers such as "WE ARE PENN STATE!", and "I wish I was in the land of roses" to symbolize any Big 10 band's wish to make it to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Audio: Percussion section, Parade Order
[edit] High Step Marching
The Blue Band performs their variation of the "Big 10 March style" during every gameday performance. Blue Band marchers must raise their thigh to be paralleled to the ground and have their calf be perpendicular to the ground while high step marching. This style in contrast to typical drum-corps style marching, gives the band a very visual effect. Because the band performs this high step, it enables them do perform certain moves that low stepping does not allow for. Penn State's signature pregame move is the three quarter turn. As current director Dr. Richard Bundy put it "There are no right turns in pregame!" In order for the band to march to their right, the band performs a rapid 270 degree turn to the left.
[edit] Pregame
The band begins their pregame performance with Lion Fanfare and Downfield. Downfield is when the Drum Major will perform the 2 trademark flips, one on the 50 yard line, and one on the South goal line. Next, the Star Spangled Banner is played, followed by the playing of the opponent's fight song. NFOS is then played, during which the band creates the "PSU" formation. From the PSU formation, the PSU Alma Mater is played, and the band performs one verse towards each side of the stadium. The Band finishes up their pregame performance with the Blue Band's "trademark drill," the Floating Lions. The band spells out the word "LIONS" across the field and reverses the drill halfway through, giving the word "LIONS" a full 180 degree rotation. Lastly, the band moves to the "Team Aisle" formation, from which the team will run out of the tunnel.
Audio: Lion Fanfare and Downfield
Audio: PSU Alma Mater
Audio: NFOS
Audio: Floating Lions "Lions '68"
Video: Blue Band pre-game performance video, Homecoming 2005
[edit] Big Ten Salute
Every marching band that plays for a Big Ten Conference football team salutes the opposing team's fans during pregame with their fight song. The Penn State Blue Band inserts the opposing team's fight song into the middle of the pregame performance, directly after Lion Fanfare and Downfield by creating the first letter in the name of the opposing team's school (except for Michigan State University -- an "S" is formed because an "M" is used when saluting the University of Michigan) and playing their song towards their fans. For example, in the above linked video, during Penn State's homecoming in 2005 against Purdue, you can clearly see a "P" formed after the fanfare block after the announcer says "Penn State salutes Purdue".
[edit] Facts & Figures
The Penn State Marching Blue Band has appeared at 31 bowl games including multiple appearances in the Orange, Cotton, Sugar, Fiesta, and Citrus Bowls. The band has also performed at the Outback, Blockbuster, Holiday, and Rose Bowls and for the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. In addition to marching in several Orange Bowl, Citrus Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl parades, the Blue Band marched in the Bicentennial Constitution Celebration Parade held in Philadelphia in 1987 and made its first appearance on January 2, 1995, in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. The Penn State Blue Band also appeared at the 2006 FedEx Orange Bowl.
In 2005, the Penn State Blue Band was honored with the Sudler Trophy. The Trophy, which has been presented by the John Philip Sousa Foundation since 1982, is regarded as the nation's highest accolade for collegiate bands.
