- Oregon State University Marching Band
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Oregon State University Marching Band (OSUMB)
The Spirit and Sound of OSU
OSUMB performing the "Great Beaver Spell-Out" in 2006.School Oregon State University Location Corvallis, OR Conference Pacific-12 Conference Founded 1890 Director Dr. Brad Townsend Assistant director Robyn Chapman Members 250+ Fight song Hail to Old OSU Uniform Orange and black jackets with white stripes and the "Beavers" logo in the center of a white shield on the front, white gauntlets, black pants, and black shakos with mirrors and black feather plumes. Website http://osumb.oregonstate.edu/ With over 250 members, the Oregon State University Marching Band, or OSUMB, is the marching band of Oregon State University, known as the "Spirit and Sound of OSU." It was founded in 1890 making it the oldest band in the Pac-12. The OSUMB is the main group within the Oregon State University Athletic Bands, also joined by Basketball Band and a smaller scholarship group. All Athletic band members are required to participate in marching band. The current Director of Athletic Bands is Dr. Brad Townsend. The Marching Band plays at nearly all home football games (the Alumni Band covers any games occurring prior to the start of the school term), and the Basketball Band and scholarship group play most home basketball games, the Pac-12 Tournament, and volleyball games. The Athletic Bands program is based partially on the same program at Kansas State University.
Contents
Oregon State University Marching Band History
The Oregon State Marching Band was founded in 1890.
Band Staff and Leadership
Directors
- Robyn Chapman(Assistant Director)
Staff
- Dr. Chris Chapman, Director of Bands
- Dr. Bob Brudvig, Drumline instructor
- Kristin Heckers, Color Guard instructor
- David Manela
- Todd Shechter, webmaster and long-time staff manager
- Kathy Smith
Drum Majors
Cassie Tidrick & Aaron Koob
Section and Squad Leaders
Each section has one, two, or three section leaders, based on section size. Additional student leadership is provided by squad leaders. Section leaders provide student leadership in all aspects of the organization, while squad leaders provide additional leadership during marching rehearsals.
Membership
Membership is open to any Oregon State University or Linn-Benton Community College student. Students are welcome from all fields of study.
Band Camp
Band Camp is typically a week and a half before the beginning of fall term. Percussion and Color Guard start earlier in the summer, and student leaders start a day or two before the rest of the band. The rehearsal format of Band Camp is generally "daily triples," with rehearsal from morning until evening, with breaks for lunch and dinner. Band Camp culminates with a free performance for friends and family on Friday of the last week of camp, giving the Band a dress rehearsal for their first home football game, and giving the community a chance to see the Band without having to purchase tickets.
Rehearsal
During the school year, rehearsals are three nights each week, with dress rehearsal on the morning of performances.
Game Day
The Oregon State University Marching Band performs at all Oregon State University home and Bowl games. During home games, the band first has an on-field dress rehearsal before performing a mini-concert leading up to the "Beaver Walk," the arrival of the team. Prior to the start of the game, the band breaks into smaller elements and marches around the tailgating areas near the stadium to play the school's Fight Song along with other arrangements before meeting inside Reser Stadium for an on-field pre-game performance.
During the football games, the band plays music from their seats in the stands, and during halftime performs an on-field show.
At the conclusion of each home game, the band performs the Fight Song, Hail to OSU, and the Alma Mater, Carry Me Back to OSU.
Repertoire
The Fight Song
"Hail to Old OSU" is the fight song for Oregon State University. It was written by Harold L. Wilkins in 1914. The last verse specifically references the 1933 football team, collectively known as the "Men of Iron," which is why gender-neutral changes to the Fight Song remain unofficial.
Here we come with a toast and song for the college up on the hill.
We love her shady slopes and trees its mem'ries cheer and thrill
But fondest thoughts when the years have run,
Will be of teams and vict'ries won,
Each man a loyal son
Hail! to old OSU.
OSU our hats are off to you
Beavers, Beavers, fighters through and through,
We'll cheer for every man,
We'll root for every stand,
That's made for old OSU.
Watch our team go tearing down the field,
Men of iron their strength will never yield,
Hail, hail, hail, hail,
Hail to old OSU.
O S U Fight B E A V E R S
Watch our team go tearing down the field,
Men of iron their strength will never yield,
Hail, hail, hail, hail,
Hail to old OSU.Alma Mater
The OSU Alma Mater, "Carry Me Back", was written by W. Homer Maris.
Within a vale of western mountains,
There's a college we hold dear.
Her shady slopes and fountains
Oft to me appear.
I love to wander on the pathway
Down to the Trysting Tree,
For there again I see in fancy,
Old friends dear to me.
(Chorus)
Carry me back to OSU,
Back to her vine-clad halls;
Thus fondly ever in my mem'ry
Alma Mater calls.Other Music
The band also plays various popular music to rally the crowd during the games. These include (but are not exclusive to:
- Various OSU-specific snippets, including the "First Down Song"
- Beer Barrel Polka
- Cheer for the Beavers (An OSU school song, played after kicking a Field Goal)
- Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
- Everybody's Everything
- Fat-Bottomed Girls
- Forget You
- Frankenstein (played between defensive plays)
- Johnny Q
- Iron Man (played between defensive plays)
- Land of 1000 Dances
- Low Rider (played during official reviews)
- Mighty Beavers (An OSU school song)
- Night on Bald Mountain (played after a defensive stop on 3rd down)
- O Fortuna (quoted after a defensive stop on 2nd down)
- Rock and Roll (The Hey Song)
Trips
The Oregon State Marching Band typically attends one away game each year, in addition to the Civil War if it is held at the University of Oregon. The entire band travels to any high-profile Bowl Games, while lower-tiered Bowl Games usually are accompanied by a smaller element from within the band.
Bowl Game Appearances
2001 Fiesta Bowl (full band)
2002 Insight Bowl (smaller element)
2003 Las Vegas Bowl (smaller element)
2004 Insight Bowl (smaller element)
2007 Emerald Bowl (smaller element)
2009 Las Vegas Bowl (smaller element)
Uniforms
Current Uniforms
Orange and black jackets with white stripes and the "Beavers" logo in the center of a white shield on the front, white gauntlets, white gloves, black pants, and black shako with mirrors and black feathered plumes. The drum majors have an alternate version, substituting the jacket colors of orange and black with black and white, larger white plumes, and optional black gauntlets.
Past Uniforms
The previous set of uniforms consistent of orange and black jackets with silver sequins, as well as black gloves and gauntlets, black pants and shoes, black shako, and black and silver tasseled plumes.
Band Composition
Instrumentation
The instrumentation does not include percussion typically located in the "Front Ensemble" or "Pit" (Bells and other instruments on wheels) due to the band's emphasis on performing for the crowd, as opposed to the drum corps style utilized by most high schools and by a handful of university marching bands.
- Piccolo
- Clarinet
- Alto Saxophone
- Tenor Saxophone
- Mellophone
- Trumpet
- Trombone
- Baritone
- Sousaphone
- Drum Line
Colorguard
Featured Twirler
The current Feature Twirler is junior Kailey Taylor. This is her third year as Feature Twirler. She generally uses three batons for her performances. Under permitting conditions (such as at the Homecoming bonfire), she has also performed with batons lit on fire.
Timeline
- 1890 - Brass band organized in November; students had to procure their own instruments.
- 1901 - Self-sustaining Department of Music established.
- 1917 - "Carry Me Back," is written by W. Homer Maris.
- 1919 - "Carry Me Back," is adopted by OSU as the Alma Mater.
Service organizations
Kappa Kappa Psi (ΚΚΨ) - Theta Chapter
Notable Alumni
- Founding members of The Crazy 8s, a popular college band in the 1980s known for its hit "Johnny Q."
External links
Marching bands of the Pacific-12 Conference Pride of Arizona (Arizona) • Arizona State University Sun Devil Marching Band (Arizona State) • University of California Marching Band (California) • Golden Buffalo Marching Band (Colorado) • Oregon Marching Band (Oregon) • Oregon State University Marching Band (Oregon State) • Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band (Stanford) • UCLA Bruin Marching Band (UCLA) • Spirit of Troy (USC) • Pride of Utah (Utah) • University of Washington Husky Marching Band (Washington) • Washington State University Cougar Marching Band (Washington State)
Categories:- College marching bands in the United States
- Oregon State University
- Musical groups established in 1890
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