University of California Marching Band

CollegeMarchingBandInfoBox
bandname=The University of California Marching Band
"The Pacesetter of College Marching Bands, the Pride of California"
logo=The Cal band during the Armed Forces Bowl
school=University of California
location=Berkeley, CA
conference=Pacific Ten Conference
founded=1891
director=Robert Calonico
members=240
uniform=Dark Blue Military Jacket and Trousers with Gold Accents, and White Epaulettes; Military Cap with White Plume; White Crossed Vest with Silver Breastplate; Gold Cape; Black Shoes with White Spats

The University of California Marching Band, usually shortened to Cal Band, is the marching band for the University of California, Berkeley. While the Cal Band is student-run, it is administered under the auspices of the university, and represents Cal at sporting events and social gatherings. The name of the band is "The University of California Band" by the constitution, but is typically called "The University of California Marching Band" or "The Cal Band".

Unlike other collegiate marching bands, the Cal Band is not under the university's Department of Music but rather the Department of Student Musical Activities, with other student-led organizations such as the University of California Jazz Ensemble and University of California Choral Ensembles. Also, the Band is entirely student-run, save for the only University-paid employee, its Director. Five students, each heading a specific point of leadership within the band, are elected by their peers and serve for terms of one calendar year. The five student leaders and the Director form the Executive Committee. The Senior Manager is elected by the previous Executive Committee. All the other student Executive Committee positions are elected by a majority vote of the Band membership.

Presently the Band has approximately 240 members (no color guard or auxiliary) and is directed by Robert M. Calonico, himself an alumnus of the University and the Band, serving as its Student Director in 1976.

History

The Cal Band has its roots in the University Cadet Band established in 1891. In 1923, the Band was sponsored by the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC) and its student leadership structure was formalized two years later. In the early years (prior to 1971), various faculty from the Music department were appointed director of the band through an arrangedment with the ASUC.

After the 1950 Rose Bowl against Ohio State University, the Cal Band decided to adopt its present high-stepping style after they discovered their performance looked lackluster in comparison to Ohio State's marching band. The Straw Hat Band, a subset of the Cal Band, was also established that same year. After Professor Cushing (director from 1934 to 1950) resigned, the Music Department was asked to provide the ASUC with a new Director for the Band. Coincidentally, James Berdahl (Student Director in 1938) was returning to Berkeley to work on his doctoral studies in music. The Music Department Chairman, Albert Elkus, convinced the Berdahl to serve as acting Director of the Cal Band until the department could find a permanent replacement for Professor Cushing. Berdahl became permanent Director of the Cal Band at the end of the following season until 1971. The assistant director Robert O. Briggs was appointed acting director, and was made director in 1973.

In the 1970s, the Band's leadership structure was reorganized, a new band constitution written, and sponsorship moved from ASUC to the university. Women were also admitted into the Band for the first time, by the influence of Title IX. Recently, the Band's membership has consisted of an even split of men and women.

In 1993, the Cal Band History Committee published a comprehensive history of the Cal Band. While this volume is now out of print, the text of the History Book can be found online at [http://www.calband.berkeley.edu/calband/cbaa/historybook1993/ CalBand History Book]

Performances

The Cal Band has been seen and heard at a variety of performance venues. In the recent past, the Cal Band has appeared at the San Francisco Symphony's "Black and White Ball," performed for such names as George Shultz (former U.S. Secretary of State), Peter Haas and family (UC Berkeley benefactors and the owners of Levi Strauss & Co.), and George Lucas. In addition, the Cal Band has been seen on the "Ed Sullivan Show," the nationally syndicated game show "Wheel of Fortune," Santa Rosa TV 50's morning program, KTVU Channel 2's "Mornings on Two," KRON Channel 4's newscasts, "Bay Area Backroads," and sportscaster Vernon Glen's "Mr. Involvement." The Cal Band sound has graced the airwaves of dozens of Bay Area radio stations, such as WILD 94.9 and KMEL 106.1, Live 105, and K101, and rounds out its exposure on the pages of numerous Bay Area newspapers.

Wintertime activities include playing at various on campus sporting events and trips to play at various ski resorts in the Lake Tahoe region. [ [http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20070115/NEWS/101150032 Band brings music to the slopes: UC Berkeley musicians entertain at ski resorts] ]

Before 2002, in the spring, the Band performed a traditional "Spring Show" in UC Berkeley's Zellerbach Auditorium, combining the marching and playing talents of the band with other, hidden talents usually reserved for off the football field. Spring Show was discontinued in 2002 after financial burdens to the band resulting from funding cuts to the University of California system.

In a different sort of performance, the Cal Band was asked to help with the Nobel Lecture by George Smoot in 2006 by recreating the "big bang". [ [http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2006/12/11_bigbang.shtml Cal Band reenacts the Big Bang, with direction by Nobelist George Smoot] ] [ [http://utube.smashits.com/video/OdsWhHWdc1g/Nobelist-George-Smoot-Directs-Big-Bang-with-Cal-Band-12-06.html Nobelist-George-Smoot-Directs-Big-Bang-with-Cal-Band-12-06] ]

Football Performances

During weeks of home football games the Cal Band gives several performances. On Fridays before a game, the Cal Band plays at the noon rallies on Sproul Plaza. On game days the Cal Band gives a concert on Sproul Plaza an hour and a half before kickoff. During home football games the band gives a pre-game show, a half time show [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=19&entry_id=21716 Cal band shows its love of video games] from the Tech Chronicles Blog of the San Francisco Chronicle] , and typically a musical performance after the game as the crowd leaves.

Instrumentation

The Cal Band uses a fairly standard military band instrumentation with glockenspiels, piccolos, clarinets, alto saxophones, tenor saxophones, trumpets, mellophones, trombones, baritones, sousaphones, snare drums, tenor drums, bass drums, and cymbals.

References

External links

* [http://calband.berkeley.edu University of California Marching Band]
* [http://www.calband.berkeley.edu/calband/cbaa/ Cal Band Alumni Association]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWkSTf__bgc Video clip of Pregame Show]