Marching Mizzou

Marching Mizzou, M2, or The Big 'M' of the Midwest is the performing marching band for the University of Missouri formed in 1885 with 12 members. It is the largest student organization on campus and performs at all home football games. Marching Mizzou's signature drill "Flip Tigers" (seen below) is a staple of the pre-game show before each football game.

History
Marching Mizzou was founded in 1885, originally as a military-styled band with its membership drawn from the school's old Corps of Cadets. The band made only one appearance that season, at a football game against Kansas, and was so well received by the assembled students and alumni that they were asked back to the next season's football games. The Corps obliged, and the band over doubled in numbers by 1886.

As the bands' renown grew on campus, so did its numbers, no doubt helped by the eventual opening of the band to the entire university following the dissolution of the Corps of Cadets in the 1930s. During this time, the Golden Girls were created, as the band director at the time wished to include a baton-twirling troupe to augment the band's performances. They remained twirlers until 1968, when during a halftime performance they threw their batons up en masse, let them drop to the turf and began to dance. Since then, they have become one of the nation's most successful college dance teams. In the 1970s, the band became the first American university band to play shows in Great Britain, when they performed at halftime and after football (soccer) matches at Stamford Bridge and Wembley Stadium.

Members from Marching Mizzou have also, especially in recent years, spun off to form smaller bands, under the auspices of the Department of Music. These bands (currently Mini Mizzou for men's basketball, 3-Point Play for women's basketball, and Point Mizzou for volleyball) generally support the school's most popular indoor sporting teams, and serve much more of a pep band function. While not specifically part of M2, these smaller groups still perform traditional Mizzou songs, but also add many more contemporary tunes, and make other allowances for the indoor setting (such as using a drum kit instead of a drum/cymbal line, and the addition of a bass guitar).

M2 Today
Marching Mizzou today has over 300 band members, a full color guard, two featured twirlers and four drum majors. These drum majors serve as the top student leaders in M2, assisting in practices and with show design. The Golden Girls, under the direction of Shannon Fry, work closely with the bands' leaders and attend daily practices with Marching Mizzou.

The bands' shows at pregame and halftime offer a marked contrast between different styles of marching—traditional, conservative formations before the game. Pregame, the band is led on the field by the head drum major (who, upon reaching midfield, tips his hat to the crowd at Faurot Field), and performs many of the school's "standards". During the playing of "Old Missouri", the school's alma mater, the crowd traditionally links arms and sways, adding fist pumps and emphasis at the lines "here's a HEALTH! to thee" and "thy high FAME! shall last". For the Missouri Waltz, the band plays the first half of the song as a slow waltz, with the supporters waving their arms to the beat. At the midpoint of the song, Marching Mizzou changes to cut time, playing the remainder of the song at a fast clip. These songs are traditionally repeated post-game and before the start of the fourth quarter, respectively. At the half, the bands' shows feature only several distinct formations, which the band remains in for a long period of time. Most of these formations based length-wise, and facing the west (alumni/boosters) end. During the game, the band sits in the south end of Faurot, and will often play short pieces or drum cadences during breaks in the action. Pre-recorded music is only used on defensive third downs or when the band is near the sidelines before halftime.

Marching Mizzou has a wide repertoire of songs, ranging from older marches to classic and modern rock and hip-hop. In addition to the school's songs, and a few band favorites. Halftime shows will normally organize themselves around a particular theme, ranging from specific musical styles or groups.

Normally at an early-season home game, Missouri holds "M2 Band Day", when high school marching bands from across the state are invited to practice and perform at halftime with M2. The songs for the performance are often kept simple, such as patriotic songs or popular marching-band tunes. The performance ends with the bands playing "Every True Son" and "Fight, Tigers".

Staff

 * Dr. Brad Snow (Director of Athletic Bands)
 * Dr. Chris Baumgartner (Assistant Director of Athletic Bands)
 * Shannon Fry (Director of the Golden Girls)
 * Brandt Crocker (The Voice of Marching Mizzou)
 * Sean Hayes (Drum Major)
 * Alex Higgins (Drum Major)
 * Paul Heddings (Drum Major)
 * Will Lyons (Drum Major)

"Missouri Waltz"
As part of the pre-game show, Marching Mizzou forms a Block "M" and "waltz-steps" down the field while playing the first part of the "Missouri Waltz". During this portion of the song, the crowd will wave their arms back and forth to the beat of the song. At the "cut time" portion of the song, the band changes from "waltz step" to a "high step" as they continue to float the "M" to mid-field. Traditionally, the "cut time" portion was performed to a "chair step" until the preseason rehearsal camp in August 2011 when director Brad Snow chose to switch to the "high step."

"Old Missouri"
As part of the pre-game show, Marching Mizzou forms the outline of the state of Missouri with the letters "MU" in the lower quadrant of the shape. In this formation Marching Mizzou plays the alma mater of the University of Missouri - Old Missouri

"Flip Tigers"
As part of the pre-game show, Marching Mizzou forms straight lines while playing Every True Son. After chanting ''"Hit It! Hooray! Hurrah! Mizzou! Mizzou! Hooray! Hurrah! Mizzou! Mizzou! Hooray! Hurrah -- and a Bully for Ole Mizzou RAH! RAH! RAH! Mizzoooou-RAH! Mizzoooou-RAH! Mizzoooou-RAH! TIGERS!" ''

The band forms the word "MIZZOU" and plays Fight Tiger. After this song, the band chants "T-I-G-E-R-S-TIGERS-GO!" while moving to spell "TIGERS" in just 8 beats. This formation is then floated off of the field to the South Endzone before forming a tunnel for the football players to run through.



Events
In January 2001, Marching Mizzou traveled to Washington D.C. to perform in the inaugural parade for President George W. Bush. In March 2012, Marching Mizzou traveled to Dublin and Limerick, Ireland to perform in the St. Patrick's Day Parade and an International Marching Competition, respectively.

Bowl Game Appearances
Marching Mizzou has supported the Mizzou Tigers at 25 bowl games since the marching band was first founded. The most recent bowl game was the Insight Bowl, which was played on December 28, 2010 in Tempe, Arizona.

2011 Independence Bowl (reduced band)

2010 Insight Bowl

2009 Texas Bowl

2008 Alamo Bowl (2008 Season)

2008 Cotton Bowl (2007 Season) 2006 Sun Bowl

2005 Independence Bowl

2003 Independence Bowl

1998 Insight.com Bowl

1997 Holiday Bowl

1983 Holiday Bowl

1981 Tangerine Bowl

1980 Liberty Bowl

1979 While the Tigers football team played in the 1979 Hall of Fame Bowl, money was not available to send the full band, and Marching Mizzou chose not to attend the game with a reduced band.

1978 Liberty Bowl

1973 Sun Bowl

1972 Fiesta Bowl

1969 Orange Bowl

1968 Gator Bowl

1965 Sugar Bowl

1962 Bluebonnet Bowl

1960 Orange Bowl

1959 Orange Bowl

1949 Gator Bowl

1948 Gator Bowl

1945 Cotton Bowl

1941 Sugar Bowl

1939 Orange Bowl

1924 Christmas Festival