Aggie Marching Band finishes season
Saturday’s game not only marked a proud win from the football team but the final field show of the season for the marching band, as well.
With its clashing symbols, shining silver sousaphones and rumbling base drums, the marching band is easily the most easily recognized musical group on campus. There may not be 76 trombones, but the band certainly has several of them.
The marching band ended the year with a strong and polished performance to tunes such as “Hawaii Five-O”, “Avengers” and “Get Smart.” Featured in the show were a trumpet duet by Chad Cummings and Eric Horne, a sousaphone, Tuba, solo by Kyle Vogele, dancing percussionists, and a police officer, played by director of bands, Thomas P. Rohrer.
The show’s plot included a search for an imposter in the band. KaeDee Jewkes, a fourth-year marcher, said she liked Saturday’s show.
“It was fun. It put a little twist in it,” she said. “We’d never done a story like that before.”
At the conclusion of the show, the three-or-more year marching band veterans were specially recognized and their names were read.
Reactions for the performance were varied. Brittany Jones, junior at USU, said she especially enjoyed the drum line. Brock Wiberg, freshman in aerospace engineering, said he also enjoyed the band.
“It entertains us,” he said. “I thought it was pretty funny.”
“The students put in a supreme effort into the marching band,” Robert Houghton, former band president and band announcer at Aggie football games, said.
The time commitment is approximately 7-16 hours per week, with an additional week of intense drilling before school starts. Houghton said.
Despite hard work, the band can be a very rewarding experience. Freshman marcher Tori Hunter, studying trombone performance, said she will miss the marching.
“I really miss field shows. It was very fun,” she said. “I loved it.”
Trumpet section leader Chad Cummings described marching band as “an athletic way of playing music. It’s lots of fun to have such a large ensemble.” There are some 94 members of the band, he said. Crowd participation also helps to make marching band such a great experience, he said.
“It makes it more fun when the crowd responds,” he said.
The marching band has a unique role in the university, Houghton said.
“The college experience isn’t complete without a marching band,” he said. “The Aggie Marching Band is consistently the largest student organization. It promotes the academics and spirit in the university in a way no one else can.”
“The marching band (members) are ambassadors for USU, a very visible part of the university,” said sousaphone section leader Kyle Vogele.
He said he continues to play despite some challenges.
“It was hard to improve simultaneously in marching band and in my studio (playing),” he said. “I tend to over-blow in marching band.”
At the games the band is limited to short intervals of time regulated by athletic events supervisors. At Saturday’s game, the band had more playing time.
“I’m happy we got to play a little here and cheer the team on,” said drum major Tyler Whittaker, studying music education.
The band will be having a final performance, “Sounds of the Stadium” in the Kent Concert Hall on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m. The band will play several of the highlight songs from the season.
Director Thomas Rohrer said he likes playing field favorites in a concert setting.
“It’s my favorite time, because we come down and play it in a comfortable venue as well as we can play it,” he said. “I’m always pleased with the marching band.”
The performance was concluded with the familiar enthusiastic words of Robert Houghton heard across the football stadium, “And now, to our students, it’s Utah State’s original rousing spirit song. Everyone put your hands together for the Scotsman.”
–r.perkins@aggiemail.usu.edu