Hawkeye Marching Band

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Hawkeye Marching Band

School	University of Iowa
Location	Iowa City, Iowa
Conference	Big Ten
Founded	1881
Director	Kevin Kastens
Members	240
Uniform	White coat with gold center and black trim. "IOWA" printed across the chest. Black pants with gold stripe, white spats, and black shoes. Black and gold shako with "I" logo and gold plume.

The Hawkeye Marching Band (or HMB) is the marching band for the University of Iowa. 240 members strong, it performs at all home Hawkeye football games inside historic Kinnick Stadium. It is the largest and most visible musical ensemble at the university and was awarded the Louis Sudler Intercollegiate Marching Band Trophy in 1990. The band was founded in 1881 as a military band, giving membership to both music students and members of the military.[1]

1 History
2 Personnel
3 Marching Style
4 Performances
5 Past Directors
6 Traditions
7 External links

[edit] History

As stated above, the Hawkeye Marching Band was founded in 1881 in order to provide music for the State University of Iowa Battalion. During this time, members of the band would undergo the same training as their military counterparts. However, over the years, the military and band would gradually grow into separate entities. Because of this growing rift between the two organizations, the marching band became more of a form of entertainment than a military group by the year 1929, the same year that Kinnick Stadium was completed.

Around this time, when the distinction between the military and the marching band grew larger, the band began to perform for more public events, rather than the military gatherings of the past. The Iowa marching band, like other Big Ten bands, began to make appearances at concerts, University ceremonies, and football games. During the mid-twentieth century, the band adopted a very militaristic style of marching. Marchers were expected to march with crack precision and the band's director during that time, Frederick C. Ebbs, eliminated any flags or twirlers that the band had used up to that point.

In 1973, Morgan Jones became director of the Hawkeye Marching Band and once again changed the style and look of the band. Jones added a line of flag twirlers and six other twirlers to accompany the featured twirler. Jones also changed the style of music played. The band began to perform different styles of music, easygoing slow music and loud fast-paced music, as well as displaying both abstract formations and recognizable patterns on the field. The Hawkeye Marching Band was widely regarded as one of the few bands that effectively executed all of these things. After the 1990 season, the band was awarded the prestigious John Philip Sousa Foundation Sudler Trophy. The 1990 season and the Sudler Trophy would mark the end of the Morgan Jones era for the HMB. Jones' 18 year period as director was one of the most successful in the history of the Hawkeye Marching Band.

The band went through three different directors during the next few years and included a brief return by Morgan Jones during the mid-1990's. In the summer of 1998, the band found its next permanent director in Kevin Kastens, current HMB director and former director of the Marching Mizzou from the University of Missouri. Kastens stressed musicianship and Hawkeye pride in all that the HMB stood for and continues his work to this day. [2]

[edit] Personnel

The drumline and sousaphone sections prepare for the pregame show.

[edit] Instrumentation

The 2006 Hawkeye Marching Band roster includes:

All instrumental sections are lead by a section leader, who is charged with teaching the required musical selections for a particular show; and an "undergrad staff" member, who is in charge of teaching marching fundamentals to the section during the band's training week known as "Hell Week".

The HMB uses a squad system when writing drills for both pregame and halftime. Squads are composed of four members of a particular section and are designated an alphabetical symbol in marching drills. Sometimes, squads can be comprised of members of different sections. For example, one particular squad may be made up of two members of the trumpet section and two members of the trombone section.

Sometimes, members of a section are placed on "reserve" for a certain week. This is because the amount of spots in a particular drill may not have enough spots for every member of a section. HMB members who are placed on reserve fill vacant spots during rehearsals and may even be called upon to fill spots during performances if the original member is not able to attend. Members placed on reserve may also be called upon to aid the graduate staff members with equipment or other items during performances.

[edit] Drum Major

The drum major position is the highest rank that a undergraduate student can reach in the Hawkeye Marching Band. The drum major performs routines during both pregame and halftime shows and incorporates a mace during these routines. Students achieving the rank of drum major are also required to instruct the band during much of the training period at the beginning of a marching season. The current HMB drum major is Jason Hillenbrand, a music education major from Palatine, Illinois. Hillenbrand is in his second year as the Iowa drum major. [3]

A notable Hawkeye drum major and University of Iowa alumnus is David Woodley, from Winterset, Iowa. Woodley is currently director of the Marching Hundred of Indiana University. [4]

[edit] Golden Girl

Like many other collegiate marching bands, a featured baton twirler is used. In the HMB, this twirler is known as the "Golden Girl". Like the drum major, the Golden Girl performs choreographed routines during both pregame and halftime. Many of these routines are choreographed for both the drum major and Golden Girl performing with each other. The current Golden Girl is Chelsea Russell a Theatre major and a member of the UI Honors program. Russell has successfully competed both nationally and internationally (England, France, Japan, and The Netherlands) and is the reigning Miss Majorette of America (2006) She has also appeared as the feature twirler in Dolly Parton's music video Imagine as well as making an appearance on NBC's The Today Show.

[edit] Marching Style

The HMB employs a traditional Big Ten high-step marching style, where the upper leg is lifted parallel to the ground forming a 120 angle with the lower leg, and the foot is pointed to the ground. The band uses this traditional style during their pregame performance, parades, and the unique lengthy drum cadence called "The Series". During the band's halftime performance, a more contemporary low-step style (glide step) is used, where the toe is pointed upwards and the heel is rolled along the ground.

[edit] Performances

The Hawkeye Marching Band performs at all Iowa Hawkeye home football games. The band also travels with the team to usually one away game per year and the team's post-season bowl game when the team qualifies for one. The band also travels to Ames, Iowa every other year when the Hawkeyes play the Iowa State Cyclones in the annual battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy.

The band also holds an indoor concert in Hancher Auditorium on the University of Iowa campus towards the end of the marching season. Along with other University musical groups, the HMB performs the traditional school songs like On Iowa, The Iowa Fight Song, and "Roll Along Iowa", and the different halftime selections from throughout the year.

Every other year, the band travels to Cedar Rapids, Iowa where the different metropolitan Cedar Rapids high school bands, along with the HMB, hold an exhibition of their halftime shows. The Hawkeye Marching Band alternates with the Iowa State University marching band every other year to perform at this event.

[edit] Past Directors

1911-1936 - O.E. Van Doren
1937-1953 - Charles B. Righter
1954-1966 - Frederick C. Ebbs
1967 - Frank Piersol
1968-1972 - Tom Davis
1973-1990 - Morgan Jones
1991-1992 - David Woodley
1993-1995 - Dave Henning
1996-1997 - Morgan Jones
1998-Present - Kevin Kastens

[edit] Traditions

Members participate in the annual Drill Down during Hell Week.

Hawkeye Victory Polka - The HMB plays their rendition of the song "In Heaven There Is No Beer" after every Hawkeye victory. The band alternates between the verses instrumentally and vocally, along with Hawkeye fans. The song was originally played many times during a game when it was first introduced in the 1970's. However, controversy arose concerning the song's lyrics. Critics of the song claimed that the tune promoted the abuse of alcohol and that it was an inappropriate song for the band to play. In 2001, the University of Iowa President completely banned the song from being played, either instrumentally or vocally. However, overwhelming support for the song prompted the President the song back to Hawkeye athletic events. The song is now performed only after Hawkeye victories and on special occasions. The HMB does not circulate sheet music of the "Hawkeye Victory Polka" or teach incoming members how to play it. Members must learn the song by ear. [5]

Hey Jude - Arranged by former HMB director Tom Davis, this popular Beatles classic was first played during a halftime show in 1968. The band then began to play the song during the break between the 3rd and 4th quarters. The band has played "Hey Jude" in this way ever since. The song is also played during the band's Rec Building Concert and other special events. [6]

"Sousy Bowl" - During the week of the Iowa/Iowa State rivalry game the sousaphone sections from both the Hawkeye Marching Band and the Iowa State University Marching Band come together for a game of full-contact football. This annual event is alternates sites depending on which university is hosting the rivalry game that Saturday.

The Boom - "The Boom" has become a trademark of the Hawkeye Marching Band. Occurring immediately prior to the band's pregame routine at games, the band's announcer speaks through the stadium sound system "It's time to get ready for the boom!" Immediately following this announcement, the drum line's bass drum players all play a single count, creating a loud boom that echoes inside the stadium. The Boom signals the beginning of the pregame routine.

Hell Week - "Hell Week" is the HMB's training week. Hell Week is held the week before classes at the University of Iowa begin and are held all day. New members learn the marching style as well as other important techniques while veteran members practice the same techniques. The first show of the year is also taught during this week.

Rec Building Concert - Before every home football game, the HMB performs a brief concert inside the UI Recreation Building along with the Iowa Dance Team, cheerleaders, and the school mascot Herky. The band stands in concentric arcs and plays the common pregame fight songs as well as that week's halftime music. "The Series", the band's marching cadence, is also performed.

Drill Down - Towards the end of Hell Week, all members of the band participate in a competition known as the Drill Down. The band begins in a large block formation and the drum major calls out various commands. If a band member mistakes any sort of mistake during this competition, he/she is eliminated from the competition. It is common for the drum major to intentionally confuse band members in order to gauge their concentration and skill. The eliminations continue until only one member is left and crowned the winner.

Bones and Tones - The Rec Building Concert's opening act. Members of the baritone and trombone sections combine to entertain the concert crowd with different musical selections every game. The small ensemble particular cheers and tunes unique to the two low brass sections.

Saxophone/Baritone Kickball Classic - During Hell Week, the baritone and saxophone, both alto and tenor, sections combine to play a game of kickball on the marching band's practice field. No other sections may participate in the competition, but the drum major and Golden Girl may participate as either players (if one section has considerably more players than the other section) or as officials.

Band Banquet - After the marching season has ended, the Hawkeye Marching Band holds a formal dinner for all members of the band. During this banquet, students who have been selected by their peers as exceptional members of the band are awarded the "Rank of Honor" by the director. Members also compile a slide show to be played commemorating the past year and the different events and happenings during the season.