Wildcat Marching Band

The Wildcat Marching Band (WMB) is the marching band of the University of Kentucky, located in Lexington, Kentucky. The WMB performs at all UK home football games and selected away games. The WMB's repertoire ranges from contemporary jazz to classical favorites. Any UK student, regardless of major, is eligible for membership. The Wildcat Marching Band is directed by Scott-Lee Atchison.

About the Director
Scott-Lee Atchison is the newly appointed Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Kentucky. Prior to his appointment at the University of Kentucky Mr. Atchison served as the Associate Director of Bands at Texas A&M University - Commerce where he conducted the symphonic band and concert band and taught classes in music technology, music literature, marching band techniques in addition to being the director of athletic bands. During his time at Texas A&M University – Commerce, Mr. Atchison oversaw significant growth of the marching band, more than doubling it in size and earning an invitation to perform at Texas UIL State Championships. In 2012, Mr. Atchison was privileged to guest conduct the Texas A&M University - Commerce Wind Ensemble in performances at the CBDNA Regional Convention and Carnegie Hall. Mr. Atchison received a Masters Degree from the University of Tennessee and his Bachelors Degree in Music Education from the University of North Texas. He recently completed his doctoral residency at the University of Washington and will soon complete the requirements for a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting. At the University of Washington he studied instrumental conducting with Tim Salzman and trumpet with Allen Vizzutti and David Gordon. While at Washington, Mr. Atchison guest conducted the Wind Ensemble during their 2007 Japan Tour. At Tennessee, Mr. Atchison was a conducting student of Dr. Gary Sousa, Dr. David Stutzenberger, and James Fellenbaum, and has had additional conducting study with John Whitwell, Eugene Corporon, Jerry Junkin, Jack Stamp, H. Robert Reynolds, Allan McMurray, Craig Kirchhoff, Richard Floyd, Frank Battisti, Ray Cramer, and Robert Halseth. At North Texas he studied trumpet with Keith Johnson and Leonard Candelaria. In 2007, Mr. Atchison joined the instructional staff for The Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps where he served as Brass Caption Head and in 2009 The Troopers were welcomed back into the DCI Finals after a 23-year absence. Mr. Atchison is currently the Brass Caption Head for The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps from Rosemont, Illinois and serves as an active designer and clinician with marching bands and drum corps throughout the country. Finally, Mr. Atchison is a Yamaha Performing Artist and is a contributing author for the book series A Composer's Insight: Thoughts, Analysis and Commentary on Contemporary Masterpieces for Wind Band (Volume IV) where he collaborated with Pulitzer Prize winning composer David Del Tredici on a chapter featuring his contribution to the wind band and American music.

Rehearsals
Band rehearsals are scheduled on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Stoll Field, Shively Field, and inside of Nutter Field house. Rehearsals on home game days begin five hours before kickoff and last one to two hours. Game day rehearsals are held at Shively Field or, in case of bad weather, inside the Nutter Field House. No extra rehearsals are scheduled.

Registration
Marching Band, MUC 190, earns one credit per fall semester, which may be used as an elective in any degree program. The Wildcat Marching Band also includes a few students each year from Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) and Transylvania University whom do not field a marching band.

Early Week
"Early Week", as UK's band camp is called, is held a week and a half before classes begin and includes extensive training in marching and playing. New members and the student leadership begin a day before the rest of the returning members. The camp runs 9:00am to 9:00pm, with breaks for meals. Time is divided between learning drill on Stoll Field and having indoor music rehearsals. By the end of Early Week, all members have learned their music and drill for Pre-game and the first Halftime performance. In the evenings, there are activities sponsored by Kappa Kappa Psi Theta Epsilon and Tau Beta Sigma Eta Zeta, recent activities have included kickball, an awesome volleyball tourney at Jacobson Park, Band Olympics, and the Annual Pie in the Face competition. The band provides three meals each day, and students living in residence halls are allowed to move in early.

Travel
The band provides a pep band for every away game and travels with the full band to one away game. The Wildcat Marching Band has recently traveled to Georgia, Indiana, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Tennessee, LSU, Tulane, Auburn, Alabama, and Florida and has participated in bowl games, a BOA Regional Championship, a Presidential Inauguration, a World Series and professional football games. Individuals have been selected as members of the Olympic Band, the Liberty All-Collegiate Band, the Disney World All-Star Band, the Collegiate Presidential Inaugural Band, and the Rose Bowl United Way Collegiate Band. Expenses such as lodging, transportation, and meals are provided by the University of Kentucky. There is no cost to the band members.

History
The first recorded marching band at UK was an unofficial "Cadet Band" led by Herman Trost, who had been a bandleader in Sherman's Army in the Civil War and a close friend of John Philip Sousa and was part of a group of immigrants from Germany and Prussia call the Forty-Eighters. Informally affiliated with military training, the band existed by 1893, and possibly as early as 1889.

In 1903, Captain George Byroade, Commandant of the Military Science department, appointed Professor Rucker as band director, creating the first official marching band at UK.

In the fall of 1920, Sgt. John J. Kennedy was hired as band director, and under his direction the band became known as "The Best Band in Dixie".

In the late 1920s, Elmer "Bromo" Sulzer founded the all-female "Co-Ed band", for many years the only such band in the US.

Mr. W. Harry Clarke introduced many new things to the band. Just before Mr. Clarke took over, the Band had suffered from low membership and some bumpy times. Within a few years, the "Marching Hundred" turned into a 200-plus member Marching Band. The UK Band was honored during this time to perform at the 1969 Presidential Inauguration of Richard M. Nixon.

The WMB has participated in bowl games, a World Series, and performed for the Cincinnati Bengals on several occasions. The band travels two or three times a year to away games and was most recently invited to perform in exhibition at the Bands of America Regional Championship in Louisville. In 2008, the WMB participated in the opening ceremony of the Ryder Cup in Louisville. Several years ago the WMB was declared one of the "Top Bands in the South" by Southern Living.

Mr. Clarke also added an Associate Director of Bands in the late 1970s. Carl C. Collins was the director of the WMB from 2008-2011. The current director of the WMB, Scott-Lee Atchison, arrived in Lexington in 2012.