Michigan Marching Band

The Michigan Marching Band (MMB) is the University of Michigan's marching band.

History
In 1896 the MMB was founded as a student organization and became a firm part of the Michigan tradition in 1898. Shortly after William D. Revelli became director he aligned the MMB with the School of Music which helped grow the band by requiring all male wind instrument majors to join the MMB. When women were allowed to join the band in 1972 the band saw another growth in membership. The MMB was the first band to win the Sudler Trophy in 1982, receiving the trophy at halftime of the January 1, 1983, Rose Bowl Game. Today the MMB remains as an important part of the Michigan Football tradition.

Instrumentation


The Michigan Marching Band performance block instrumentation:
 * 1 Drum Major
 * 3 Twirlers
 * 24 Flags
 * 18 Piccolos
 * 24 Clarinets
 * 18 Alto Saxophones
 * 12 Tenor Saxophones
 * 48 Trumpets
 * 24 Horns
 * 33 Trombones
 * 3 Bass Trombones
 * 12 Euphoniums
 * 24 Tubas
 * 30 Percussionists

Performance Block
The Performance Block is the subset of the MMB that performs pre-game and halftime. An additional subset is called "half-time only" which adds to the performance block for half-time. The half-time block usually consists of an additional 6 piccolos, 6 alto saxophones, 12 horns, 3 bass drums, 4 snare drums, 4 tenor drums, 6 cymbals, and 6 to 12 sousaphones (depending on the drill requirements).

The rank leaders along with the MMB staff decide which members in block are to be challenged for their position in block. This method lessens tension in the band as a member does not need to challenge an individual member of the performance block for their position. There are no minimum or maximum requirements for challenges, and some members may not be challenged for an entire season.

Challenges are held after rehearsal on Fridays, for the game after the game which is on the next day. Challenges consist of a halftime marching audition while playing a musical excerpt from the weekly show, followed by performing a portion of the pre-game show. Results are posted the following Monday.

Students who do not make the performance block, called reserves, spend the week rehearsing fundamentals on an adjacent practice field while the performance block learns the show to prepare for the next week's challenge. The reserves are no less a part of the MMB, as they still wear the uniform and play in the stands during football games.

Band Week
Every summer during the two weeks before the first home game the MMB holds its "Band Week." New members, rank leaders, and flags arrive first to rehearse marching styles and traditional music. New members work on marching fundamentals. The returning members join a few days later and the music audition is held to determine the players' chairs. After the returning members have been through a couple days of marching rehearsal, "First Look" is held. During first look the entire band performs glide step and a pre-game portion which are observed and scored by the staff. These performances are given in groups of 8. Until recently, the votes of the entire band determined which members will make up the first performance block. However, concerns over the accuracy of this method gave rise to a new process in which the staff judge and determine the initial performance block. The remainder of Band Week is devoted to rehearsing the first performance of the MMB for pre-game and halftime. The reserves spend the remainder of Band Week practicing for the next challenge.

Director
Dr. John D. Pasquale is the incoming director of the Michigan Marching Band. He replaces Dr. Scott Boerma, who announced his resignation as director following the 2013 Capital One Bowl to take the position of Director of Bands at his alma mater, Western Michigan University. Dr. Pasquale was most recently the assistant director of bands and associate director of marching and athletic bands at the University of Michigan. Dr. Pasquale received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from the University of Oklahoma in 2008.

Past Directors of the Michigan Marching Band:

Scott Boerma           (2007-2013); Jamie L. Nix           (2001-2006); James R. Tapia         (1999-2001); Kevin L. Sedatole      (1996-1999); Jeff Grogan	       (1995-1996); Gary J. Lewis	       (1990-1995); Jerry Luckhardt	       (1989-1990); Eric A. Becher	       (1980-1989); Glenn Richter	       (1979-1980); George R. Cavender     (1971-1979); William D. Revelli	(1935-1971); Nicholas Falcone	(1927-1934); Captain Wilfred Wilson	(1915-1926); Eugene "Ike" Fisher	(1906-1914)

Instructors and graduate assistants
Working directly under the directors are graduate student instructors. Graduate students in the music school or former MMB members that are grad students are hired to help direct the MMB and also to oversee student staff positions. The MMB also has a color guard instructor (Joan Noble-Pruitt) and a percussion instructor (Chuck Ricotta) that each oversee their respective sections to ensure the visual and rhythmic elements of the band are perfect.

Drum major
The Michigan Marching Band has one drum major, commonly referred to as the "Man Up Front," for the entire 350+ member ensemble. Like in most Big Ten bands, the MMB drum major is not a conducting position. The drum major provides whistle commands to provide song tempos and parade instructions. While it is not required of the position, most drum majors perform twirling routines during the halftime show. The drum major is also responsible for teaching proper marching techniques during Band Week. The drum major is best known for the back bend performed during pregame.

Auditions for this position are held yearly in a two-phase process. The first phase is held in front of the MMB staff which narrows the field of candidates. The second phase is held on the last day of classes for the winter term and the final vote is decided by the current members of the MMB.

The first female Drum Major, Karen England, was elected in April 2001. In 2006 the MMB saw the first Drum Major firing. Ben Iwrey was elected to be the Drum Major by members of the MMB in April 2006. Over the course of the summer there were a few alleged incidents that compelled the director, Jamie L. Nix, to remove Ben from his elected position and promote Iden Baghdadchi. Mr. Iwrey objected to the allegations and Professor Nix's handling of the situation, and chose to file a grievance with the School of Music.

Section leaders
Section leaders are the head of their section and are responsible for the music performance. They hold weekly music rehearsals for their section. Section leaders are determined by the staff and generally announced at the 'Spring Meeting,' traditionally held on the last day of Winter semester.

Rank Leaders
During Band Week, the potential Rank Leaders are responsible for teaching the new members in their section the correct marching techniques.

During the season, Rank Leaders are in charge of the marching position and style of 12 members on the field. They are given full drill charts to ensure that their rank members are in formation. To save paper regular members are given coordinate sheets to give their position on the field by numbers rather than graphically.

Rank Leaders are determined in phases. Generally each year during the final stages of the winter semester, band members are invited to nominate people in their own section to be considered for a Rank Leader Candidate spot. Rank Leader Candidates are then selected by the staff and announced during the Spring Meeting or sometimes later. Rank Leader Candidates then participate in a retreat for incoming members, color guard and percussion directly before Band Week begins. Rank Leaders teach the incoming members marching techniques, then have two days of review with all other returning members and the incoming members. Band members are then given the chance to fill out Rank Leader evaluations. The staff then narrows down the potential candidates to the actual Rank Leaders for the year, taking the evaluations into account.

Saturday morning rehearsal
The MMB practices on Elbel Field before each home game. Generally this practice begins at 7:30 a.m. for a noon kickoff. The MMB begins the rehearsal with music warm-ups and a review of the halftime music. The band then rehearses the transition elements of the pre-game performance. Following the pregame rehearsal, the band reviews the drill for the halftime performance. Music is either sung or played at "half volume" during this portion of the rehearsal to save the band member's chops for the game later that day.

Step Show
The Michigan Drumline performs on the steps of Revelli Hall about an hour and a half before kickoff. It runs through warm ups, some pieces arranged for the MMB Drumline, the parade cadence series and closes with "Temptation" and "Hawaiian War Chant."

March to the Stadium
Following the step show the MMB lines up on the steps of Revelli Hall for inspection by the drum major before stepping off to the stadium. Once this is complete the band then begins parading to the stadium by moving out onto Hoover Street. The band parades down Hoover Street, turning left onto Greene Street and then into the Michigan Stadium parking lot. The band stops amidst tailgaters and performs a specialized version of "The Victors." The band used a tree planted in the parking lot as the stopping point until it was removed in recent years. This specialized version is shortened for timing reasons. The band then progresses to the mouth of the tunnel of Michigan Stadium where "Let's Go Blue" and the trio of "The Victors" is played in the direction of the tunnel.

Pregame
The reserve members leave the parade formation and run down the tunnel to the field to watch pregame. The remaining band members arrange themselves in the tunnel to Michigan Stadium for the start of the pregame performance. These are called Entry Lines. The drum major then proceeds to the lower mouth of the tunnel signaling to the stadium announcer that the band is ready. The Michigan Stadium and MMB announcer, Carl Grapentine, announces the entrance of the band in his signature baritone: "Ladies and Gentlemen, presenting the Michigan Marching band! Band, take the field!"

Entries
The band then enters the field to the Entry Cadence at 220+bpm. The band "pours out" of the tunnel in entry lines and then these lines fold out into the Fanfare M.

M Fanfare
From the Fanfare M formation the MMB plays the M Fanfare. The M Fanfare was composed by longtime Michigan Marching Band arranger and composer Jerry Bilik, and consists of portions of "The Victors," "Varsity," and "The Yellow and Blue."

Back bend
At the climax of the M Fanfare the drum major performs a signature move. The drum major moves from the middle of the band to the north end 20-yard line. He or she then takes off the hat, turns to face the south end zone, and bends backwards to touch his or her head to the ground. This is done every game. Originally, drum majors kept their hat on and touched its plume to the ground. The first drum major to do this was Mark Brown in the late 1960s. Brown was extremely flexible and could touch the plume to the ground between his heels.

In 1993, Matthew Pickus became the first drum major to remove the hat and touch his head to the ground. This feat was first performed during the pre-game of the 1993 Notre Dame-Michigan game. Matthew used the hatless-back bend for the rest of his career, every game and every performance. Since approximately 2003, the hatless-backbend has become the standard for Michigan Drum Majors.

"The Victors"
During the pregame performance, the MMB plays a specialized version of "The Victors." This version is shortened and has an added drum transition for the band to change formations from sweep lines to the hollow block M. The band marches in "sweep lines" from the middle of the field to the north end zone, transitions into the hollow block M and marches to the south end zone. As the band transitions from sweep lines to the hollow block M, the public address announcer says, "All the Maize and Blue faithful join in a rousing chorus of the Victors!" These words have been spoken for at least the past 30 years. Prior to that, the PA announcer would say, "Let's all sing for today's big Michigan victory!". For the Ohio State game, he would add another "big".

The goal post toss
During "The Victors" the drum major struts down to the north end zone goal posts and tosses his or her mace over the cross bar. Superstition says that if the mace is dropped, the football team will lose the game.

The high step
For the past 15 seasons, during "The Victors" break-up strain the MMB performs its high step. This is done for 16 counts at half tempo. The "post leg" is to remain perpendicular to the ground while the free leg is to make a right angle with the shin being perpendicular to the ground and an extreme downward toe point.

Visitor's fight song
Immediately following "The Victors" the MMB plays the visitor's fight song to the south end zone. The south end zone is where a large proportion of the visiting fans sit. This is a strong tradition among all Big Ten marching bands (and thus copied by many Midwestern high school marching bands).

Varsity
Following the visitor's fight song the band transitions into the school's 1911-1931 fight song entitled "Varsity". The band forms "sweep lines" and marches it back to the middle of the field to form another "solid block M."

Blues Brothers
Originated in 1985, one game a year, generally a game without a visiting band, the MMB performs the Otis Redding hit "I Can't Turn You Loose," made famous in the movie The Blues Brothers, at midfield. The band forms concentric circles on the field and during a vamp in the music collapses the circles into what is commonly referred to as "the cake." The entire band fits into a 10 yd circle, centered on the 50-yard line. Once this is complete the band members scramble back to their "solid block M" positions. "I Can't Turn You Loose" was first performed during the 1980 season, during the "Saturday Afternoon Live" field show, a spoof of "Saturday Night Live." It quickly became popular. "The Cake" formation was added in 1985. The song is now also regularly played during the pause in between the third and fourth quarters of football games.

"Let's Go Blue" and team entrance
Time permitting the band will play "Let's Go Blue" to the west, south, east and north sides of Michigan Stadium. "Let's Go Blue" was written in the mid '70s by Joseph Carl, a tuba player who was also in the Hockey Pep Band; and Albert Ahronheim, a drum major. The band then splits the M to allow room for the "Go Blue" banner to be raised for the team's entrance. The team runs onto the field as the band plays the trio of "The Victors" twice.

"The Star Spangled Banner"
Since September 22, 2001, the team has been on the field for the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner." The band then collapses the split M back to the "solid block M." Following the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" the marching band marches to the north end zone while playing the trio to The Victors and, once finished, marches the Entry Cadence off the field.

Postgame
After every home game the band returns to the field and performs "The Victors" as written, or in its entirety. They also play selections of the halftime performance. The performance closes with "Temptation," "The Hawaiian War Chant," "The Yellow and Blue," "The Victors" (trio), and the Entry Cadence. When the football team wins, the band members wear their hats backward during the postgame performance. After the performance, the band forms into parade lines, and marches back through the tunnel, reversing the route back to Revelli Hall. When the drum cadence begins, the bands chants, “Go Michigan, beat [whichever team is next on the schedule (e.g. “The Fighting Irish”], followed by “It’s great to be a Michigan Wolverine!”

"Temptation" & "The Hawaiian War Chant"
"Temptation" and "The Hawaiian War Chant" are percussion features that have been played by the MMB for over 40 years. The cymbal line is highly featured with their acrobatic routine. "Temptation" is also played after the defense stops the opposition on third down and forces them to punt. Usually every Homecoming game, during the halftime show, both songs are played. Temptation is played first. Followed by "The Hawaiian War Chant," which is introduced by PA announcer Carl Grapentine saying, "Because you can't have one without the other, 'The Hawaiian War Chant.'" Until 1980, Temptation and the Hawaiian War Chant were generally not played together in a season until the Homecoming game, when the Alumni Band (“the Blast from the Past”) would join in. Before Homecoming, in those years prior to 1980, the band would play Temptation, then the PA announcer would usually say that fans would have to wait for the other. Both percussion features have long been fan favorites. During the post-game band show, when it comes time for Temptation, the Drum Major will walk into the band, as the front lines of the formation part, to bring the percussion section forward. This always causes band fans to cheer in anticipation.

Bowl trips
A favorite tradition in the band is traveling somewhere warm during the bowl season (usually in late December or the beginning or January), where it accompanies the football team. The band holds another audition ("Final Look") to decide which of the current members will make the bowl trip.