UCLA Band

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UCLA Marching Band
"The Solid Gold Sound"
School UCLA
Location Los Angeles, CA
Conference Pacific Ten Conference
Founded 1921
Director Gordon Henderson (Band Director)
Members 250
Uniform Navy blue wool trousers and True Blue coat with gold and white trim, knee length gold capes on the left shoulder, white shoes, white gloves, Shako hats with white 12" feather plumes

The 250 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 Department of Music, part of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music[1]. Band appearances at athletic events are funded by the UCLA Athletic department, as well as student registration fees, and the Solid Gold Sound foundation.

Contents

[edit] Instrumentation

The Solid Gold Sound
The Solid Gold Sound

Instrumentation of the Solid Gold Sound is similar to other major college marching bands.

For Fall 2006, the Band marched

For many years, the UCLA band had a featured female baton twirler, known as the "Golden Girl".[1] In 2006, Instead of a twirler, the featured performer was a Band Juggler[2]

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.

Note that the UCLA Marching Band currently does not march Baritones or Baritone Saxophones. Although, marching baritone horns, and before that, bell front euphoniums had been a component in the past.

[edit] Style

The UCLA Marching Band marches in a Drum corps 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.

[edit] 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 Sousa visited Los Angeles in 1928, and were directed by Sousa in the performance of Stars and Stripes Forever.[3] 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.[4]

Under directors C. B. Hunt and Patton McNaughton, the band increased in size to 128 members by 1947.

[edit] Clarence Sawhill and Kelly James 1952-1982

In 1952, Clarence Sawhill[2] became director of Bands. F. Kelly James[3] became the director of the marching band, a position he would hold until his death 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 1950's 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. [5] 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.) [6]

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.[4]

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, and white turtleneck sweaters for one game. They were never used after that.[4]

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.[4]

[edit] Dr. Thomas Lee and Gordon Henderson

The band underwent a shift in style in 1982 when Gordon Henderson [4]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 the 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 2003. Other elements from the 1985 uniforms were retained.[4]

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.[7]

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.

The band became part of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music[5] 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.

[edit] Traditions

For the football pregame show, the UCLA Marching Band traditionally opens with the Bruin Fanfare, which is based around the 20th Century Fox Fanfare and traditional UCLA fight songs. The fanfare is followed by Strike Up The Band for UCLA! 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 by Academy Award winning composer Bill Conti to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the UCLA Alumni Association.

Strike Up The Band for UCLA! was a gift from George and Ira Gershwin to UCLA. It was adopted from their showtune "Strike Up the Band." The song was presented to UCLA at an All-University Sing held in Royce Hall during the Fall of 1936[8].

Director Gordon Henderson brought the Trombone Cheer from the University of Kentucky band. This is played between player introductions and tipoff at basketball games, and also during games. Following athletic contests, the band plays Hail to the Hills of Westwood. This is followed by Rover for Bruin victories.

[edit] Away game appearances

The entire UCLA 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, and Arizona State.

In 2006, the entire UCLA Marching band traveled to South Bend, Indiana for a game at the University of Notre Dame.

[edit] Bowl game appearances

The UCLA Marching Band has made appearances at major post season college football bowl games throughout the country.

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.

[edit] 1984 Olympics

125 members of the Band performed in the 736-member All American Marching Band at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 1984 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 Pentathalon and Tennis.

[edit] Other Events

UCLA Tuba player, in Pauley Pavilion.jpg
UCLA Tuba player, in Pauley Pavilion.jpg

The UCLA Marching Band has entertained crowds at NFL professional football games on many occasions.

The UCLA 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 and Irvine High School.

[edit] Varsity Band

The UCLA Varsity Band plays in Pauley Pavilion 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.

[edit] 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.

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.

[edit] 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 Movie" in Westwood Village. The movie was directed by David Silverman, who was a Sousaphone player with the UCLA Bruin Marching Band in the late 1970's and early 1980's.

[edit] Other media

[edit] 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 Allen Show airing on December 27, 1961, entitled "Campus U.S.A."
  • The Band appeared in a Bob Hope special in October 1980
  • A member of the band appeared as part of the introduction to each ABC-TV college football telecast during the 1988 college football season.
  • Members of the band marched onto the Hollywood Squares television show season finale playing 76 Trombones to wish John Davidson good luck in a summer tour of The Music Man.
  • The Band played the theme from Jeopardy! on the 2001 College Championship broadcast of the show.
  • The Band also has appeared on ESPN Game Day.
  • 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 Abdul video during the Super Bowl XLII Pregame Show on Fox.

The band has appeared in a commercials for

[edit] Discography

The Band has recorded several music long-playing records and compact discs.

  • The UCLA Band Presents To The Blue And To The Gold, A Tradition In Song - LP (1977)[9]
  • 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)

[edit] Dan Fogelberg The Innocent Age

A recording of the Band is on the double platinum album The Innocent Age 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.

[edit] Destiny's Child video Bugaboo

The band also appeared in the Destiny's Child 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.

[edit] 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 Henderson who is a graduate of the University of Kentucky. The assistant director of the marching band is Dr. Jennifer Judkins, a graduate of UCLA. 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.

[edit] Tunes

In addition to the school songs mentioned above, the UCLA Band plays a number of other arrangements.

Carry On My Wayward Son, Fire (Jimi Hendrix song), , Word Up! (song) a song suggested to the Band in 1986 by then basketball coach Walt Hazzard, How Far We've Come, Jungle Love, a medley of Beach Boy Hits, We're Not Gonna Take It, Movin' On Up, Basketcase, Can't Stop, Final Countdown, Stronger, Candy Shop

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'.

[edit] Famous Alumni

Ron Logan - 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

[edit] Service organizations

[edit] Kappa Kappa Psi (ΚΚΨ) - Ψ Chapter

The UCLA Band is served by the Psi chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi. Pursuant with purposes of Kappa Kappa Psi [10], the Psi chapter works to serve the UCLA Bands and the students involved with the band program.[11]


[edit] Tau Beta Sigma (ΤΒΣ) - ΕΚ Chapter

Another organization which serves the UCLA band is the Epsilon Kappa chapter of Tau Beta Sigma. The UCLA chapter of ΤΒΣ was founded on June 2, 1973.[12]


[edit] References

  1. ^ Many other marching bands also have a "Golden Girl": notably, the Purdue University marching band and the Iowa Hawkeye marching band.
  2. ^ Hayden, Nancy Oliver - STHS, UCLA graduate directing life toward career in filmmaking Tahoe Daily Tribute, March 26, 2008. Chris Smith: While at UCLA, Smith used his juggling talent to become "The UCLA Juggler," which allowed him to perform internationally in Hong Kong and Beijing as well as at the men's football and basketball games.
  3. ^ This Month (November) 78 years ago UCLA Today Magazine, November 7, 2006
  4. ^ a b c d e Mark Davis, Misha Gravenor - Clothes Make The Band. UCLA Magazine, January 2008
  5. ^ (picture) Sports Illustrated cover November 26, 1956
  6. ^ UCLA 2006 Football media guide (PDF)
  7. ^ The Sudler Trophy. John Philip Sousa Foundation (2002). Retrieved on 2007-08-27.
  8. ^ UCLA History Project - Songs: Strike Up The Band for UCLA
  9. ^ Note: This album includes Bruin band music mixed with radio play-by-play by Fred Hessler of the semi final game of the 1975 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. The retirement announcement spoken by John Wooden to the press corps following the game is also included.
  10. ^ Purposes. Kappa Kappa Psi. Retrieved on 2007-08-01.
  11. ^ Kappa Kappa Psi (ΚΚΨ) - Ψ Chapter
  12. ^ Tau Beta Sigma (ΤΒΣ) - ΕΚ Chapter

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Northwestern		 Sudler Trophy Recipient
1993		 Succeeded by
James Madison
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