What D3 Programs have the best Marching Bands? Average size of those bands?
CWRU 60-70 musicians.
https://case.edu/artsci/music/ensembles/spartan-marching-band
UW-Eau Claire has an ensemble of 475+ members...
One of the largest in the country, at all levels...
If you're asking to determine if you or someone should go there, here's a link:
https://www.blugoldmarchingband.com/general-info
The band also posts performances on You Tube...
If you aren't asking for someone who's looking for a school to go to, then any other information I would provide would just be me boasting about my alma mater's band... ;)
Whitewater has a good one.
The WIAC has some good bands (although I'm really really biased about one of them). Eau Claire has become a force on the field and I wonder how they can fit all those performers on the field (maybe only go to a 1 step interval, idk). La Crosse has a fairly decent band, as does Platteville, and Oshkosh has just recently relaunched their Marching Band. I know Stout does a pep band which only lasts one half (maybe that's changed as the last game I went to up there was Whitewater @ Stout in 2005 with a smattering of Warhawk musicians), and I'm not entirely sure what Point and River Falls do.
I also know Whitewater hosts a DCI show in July (the site of the first DCI Finals in 1972), and we've hosted the State Marching Championships in October (which I marched three years as a HS Student, and five more in the Warhawk Marching Band).
McMurry has had a band as far back as I can verify (late 1920's). The alums would call the heydey of the band from 1946 thru 1972, when it was directed by "Prof" (Raymond) Bynum, who is credited with creating (one of if not) the first high school marching band(s) in Texas at Abilene High School about 1926. Under Prof Bynum, the band toured internationally. It had 12 herald trumpets used for the trumpet solo in Stars and Stripes Forever. Prof had a calliope. Affectionately Prof Bynum was known for sesquipedalian tendencies.
When I played in the early 1970's we marched 65 for a school of 1400 students. They march about 35 now.
I also have to give a shout out to the HSU Cowboy Band. They have been everywhere, including the Macy's T-day parade.
LOL - I can remember when I was an undergrad at Trinity(TX) throwing about a 24-member scatter band on the field one year, a la the Rice MOB, only nowhere near as talented, funny, or any other metric you want to choose. It was a totally student-led organization, but we made it to all the home games (if not "marching" all of them) and some of the men's basketball games. The next year the school got it under their control and it lasted all of one game.
For the last few seasons they intermittently have a stand band which has about 20 members on a good day. A school of 2,500+ should be able to do better (especially in Texas) but student support for athletics at my alma mater is a fairly recent thing.
The Wooster Scots Marching Band is impressive coming over the hill during home football games.
Similar to Wooster, Carnegie Mellon Kiltie Band
https://athletics.cmu.edu/athletics/kiltieband/index
In the ODAC:
Bridgewater started one in 2019 I think, and Shenandoah just started theirs in 2022. Ferrum has one, not sure for how long. Roanoke is starting one alongside their football program reboot.
I know Huntingdon has one in the USASAC. Birmingham-Southern used to have one, but I think it's gone.
Eau Claire was already mentioned, perhaps the best I've seen. I'd also add UW-La Crosse to the mix.
CNU has a nice band, they really provide top notch atmosphere.
This is a great idea for a thread.
Marching bands add a lot to the game day experience.
I'm surprised Fannosaurous Rex hasn't responded on this thread yet. (While WLC's band numbers aren't large enough for a marching band yet, they do have a drum-line, which I heard during the Warriors' last FB home game vs. Concordia-Chicago.)
Quote from: WLCALUM83 on June 01, 2023, 01:24:21 PM
I'm surprised Fannosaurous Rex hasn't responded on this thread yet. (While WLC's band numbers aren't large enough for a marching band yet, they do have a drum-line, which I heard during the Warriors' last FB home game vs. Concordia-Chicago.)
And where's AUPepBand?
Thanks for the thoughts.
We are adding Football at Roanoke College, and hope to be full schedule in 2025.
Along with that is a Marching Band and Competitive Cheer Squad. We hope to do all of it well.
We know it is all about hiring the right people!
Quote from: moir on June 16, 2023, 01:59:01 PM
Thanks for the thoughts.
We are adding Football at Roanoke College, and hope to be full schedule in 2025.
Along with that is a Marching Band and Competitive Cheer Squad. We hope to do all of it well.
We know it is all about hiring the right people!
And money.
Roanoke played host to the Warhawk Marching Band briefly in 2007 prior to the Stagg Bowl, and we were thankful to have that extra time off the bus before the game. That's definitely a long bus ride, although the Famous Anthony's at the end of the line was worth it. Hopefully that restaurant is still going strong! Best of luck to you at Roanoke in getting the program off the ground!
Quote from: ADL70 on June 01, 2023, 02:41:49 PM
Quote from: WLCALUM83 on June 01, 2023, 01:24:21 PM
I'm surprised Fannosaurous Rex hasn't responded on this thread yet. (While WLC's band numbers aren't large enough for a marching band yet, they do have a drum-line, which I heard during the Warriors' last FB home game vs. Concordia-Chicago.)
And where's AUPepBand?
AUPepBand is busier than ever! Thanks for the shout-out. Hadn't been on here much as the Empire8 thread is dead.
Happy to report that a 15-member Pep Band played from the stands in the first half of Alfred University's Homecoming game against Pep's alma mater, Morrisville State....then at halftime, pulled off a first-ever halftime show on the field, featuring "The Seventies in Seven."
After a lackluster 2022 as Covid cut into any band transition and negated recruiting, Pep has a good nucleus of first-year players and a senior music major who's been a joy to work with. We're not officially a "marching band" but we plan to do a couple more halftime shows this season.
On Saxon Warriors!
As a parent of a member of the North Central College Marching Band, I love that band! We have been blessed to have a chance to travel to the last couple of Stagg Bowls and see the band perform in some pretty great environments.
The Band's show last year was great, and looking forward to their performances this upcoming season. So if you've got the opportunity to travel to Naperville this season to see the football, stay for the halftime show!
Gotta love the Marching Captains!
The Marching Captains are a high-energy, corps-style marching band that perform at all Christopher Newport home football games, events throughout Hampton Roads, Virginia and around the world. Notable performances include the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade, the New Years Day Parade in London, a performance of the national anthem at a Washington Nationals baseball game and the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland.
At over 200 members, the Marching Captains are one of the largest NCAA Division III marching bands in the country.
Alfred University Pep Band, coming off its annual Band Camp last Saturday, will be making some noise in the stands at Yunevich Stadium tomorrow, with nine first-year instrumentalists and six or seven veterans.
Pep is particularly pleased with the enthusiasm among the freshmen in the band. Perhaps we can pull off another half-time show this season...with some more work!
Quote from: AUPepBand on September 13, 2024, 06:55:40 AMAlfred University Pep Band, coming off its annual Band Camp last Saturday, will be making some noise in the stands at Yunevich Stadium tomorrow, with nine first-year instrumentalists and six or seven veterans.
Pep is particularly pleased with the enthusiasm among the freshmen in the band. Perhaps we can pull off another half-time show this season...with some more work!
Will the Pep Band march in the "A" formation?
No marching thus far for the Alfred University Pep Band. However, the young musicians have mastered a medley of four tunes...Don't Fear the Reaper, Low Rider, Drive My Car and Oya Como Va...that all feature...the cowbell.
While it's a "Concert Band" piece, its debut on Saturday in the Saxons' 45-15 win over the guru's alma mater, played with music stands in the stands, was well received. The only complaint to date is that the AU Pep Band could use... MORE COWBELL!!
On Saxon Warriors!