Picture Day: On the Sunday at the end of Pre-season, formal pictures of the band are taken in full uniform. A picture of the full band, sections, and individuals are made. On alternate years the picture is taken in Rentschler Field or on the UConn Campus.
1stFootball Game: It’s SHOWTIME! The first football game is almost always Thursday night during the first week of classes! While this presents great challenges to the band to get the entire performance package together (Pregame, Halftime, Postgame and in-stands spirit pieces), it is a night of great excitement. Perhaps the greater challenges are the logistical ones of getting everyone in uniform and getting everyone to the bus and to the field in time! Students who have a late Thursday class may even have to arrange to miss that class, but everyone takes this in stride and the brand new UCMB takes the field with 22 min on the pre-game clock. The pre-game show begins with the Superman Fanfare from the top row in front of the scoreboard, Drum Line feature, and Fight On Connecticut down the field in the big block C.
UCMB Annual Preview Show: On the Saturday before Labor Day the UCMB puts in a full day’s work and then take the field at UConn’s Sherman Complex (field hockey and track field) for a show for parents, alumni, and friends. The audience of around 2000 people watch the UCMB execute an impressive open-rehearsal. At 8:00 PM the “Show” starts with a performance of the Pregame routine. The introduction of Staff and Leaders is interspersed with musical favorites. As a finale, the band performs the parts of this year’s “Exhibition Show” followed by, of course, singing the Alma Mater (Old Connecticut). It is a great tradition to introduce the new version of the UCMB.
September-October November
Summer
UCMB Mini-Camps:Each Summer, three one-day mini-camps are held for the drumline/front ensemble, color guard, and wind section leaders. Percussionists are given an opportunity to work in their area of choice and prepare for an audition for a spot in the drumline. Having a chance to work on the audition materials with the other members of the line gives a player a chance to prepare well, see how their skills line up, and find their niche in the band. Brass and Woodwind players are invited to join their section leaders for training on basic pedagogy and section training procedures.
July
New Member Open House: Incoming band members (and parents!) are encouraged to spend a day seeing exactly how the UCMB operates, find out exactly what being in the band entails, meet their leaders and other members of their incoming class, and know exactly what will be happening from the first day on! The first day of UCMB Pre-season will be like “coming back” to the band and friends rather than that scary leap into “college”.
Membership and Housing Deadline: Usually by the third week of July, members need to return a housing/participation agreement to secure their dorm room (if on-campus) and to secure their place in the band.
August
New Member/drumline/front ensemble /color guard weekend: New Members, percussion and guard move in on Saturday. Drumline and “pit” get right to work on show materials while new members get two days of training in marching and music that makes them ready to work with all the returning members and feel comfortable. New members check-in and move into their own dorm rooms on Saturday morning and at 1:30 parents and students meet for a welcome and intro session. Then, goodbyes are said and the fun begins!
UCMB Pre-season: The rest of the band moves in and the entire band is brought together. Sections are formed, players meet, music begins—before dinner, much music has already been rehearsed. After dinner more rehearsal and a parade across campus to Jorgensen Auditorium.
UCMB Convocation: THE OFFICIAL start of the UCMB year is Convocation. New members parade in while returning members play the fight song. Leaders and Officers are formally dressed to fit the importance of the occasion. Welcoming speeches from leaders, alumni, special guests, and the directors along with “slideshows” and video presentations get the year started right!
New Member “Circle Ceremony:” On Thursday of Pre-season, our new members have had six days of hard work and have bonded with our band. It is time to retire the pink new member tag and trade it for the white tag of the returning members. A simple but touching ceremony is held following the evening rehearsal. New members move out to the parking lot and hear from our historian about the heritage they are now a part of. Returning Members form a circle around the center of the field with one opening, all become quiet and the opening is marked with a light. Neww members in alphabetical order file onto the field and around the circle until all are just behind the circle. Words about significance of membership are said and the new members are invited to take the “Big Step” of coming into the circle of what is now “their band”. As their name is called they step into the circle. They shake the hand of the drum majors and the directors of the band; they are met by their “Big Buddy” with their official UCMB t-shirt and cap and a symbolic glow stick (“light is symbolic of leadership”). The Big Buddy places them in front of the Big Buddy’s spot in the circle. When are in place, more words of significance are spoken and the circle enlarges to allow space for all new members in one circle. The simple ceremony concludes with the singing of the alma mater, Old Connecticut, and a huge cheer welcomes all members of the UCMB.
Pre-Season Concert-by-the-Lake: On Friday of Preseason, the first public performance of the UCMB takes place beside Mirror Lake. Parents, alumni, and friends are invited to bring a blanket or chairs and lounge by the lake as the band reveals new show music and old popular and patriotic favorites.
Football Games: Our home football games are played at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. The day starts with a “take-with” breakfast and a bus ride to “the Rent”. The band heads down into the stadium and on the field for a quick warm-up and run through of the pregame and halftime show for the day. A portion of the band welcomes the team at the Husky Walk and everyone heads back to the bus area for lunch. There is a little down time for eating and relaxing in our preparation area while some small groups bring spirit to the parking lots. Then, the uniforms come on, a concert formation fills the prep area for an impromptu concert for gathered fans, then into the Stadium for Pregame.
Pregame: Our traditional Pregame Show is all about school spirit and patriotism. The band enters the field with a great fanfare from the top of the end zone stands, then down and onto the field while the drumline shows its stuff. Quick fanfares announce the band and the “Block C” appears, moving down the field with Fight On Connecticut. The “C” is presented to both sides as the song ends and during the Let’s Gocheer the players move to tight formations ready to “Pop the Letters” as the audience spells U-C-O-N-N! A beautiful and inspiring version of America the Beautifulmoves into a rousing chorus of Battle Hymn of the Republicbringing the Stars and Stripes through the band to front and center for the National Anthem. The band moves to the end of the field to provide an entrance for the football team and the game is underway
Halftime: For each game, the band performs a ten-minute presentation on field. Our typical show would include one segment from the exhibition show plus one or two selections prepared specifically for the day. With the home audience on both sides, the band always performs to each side with part of the show.
In the Stands: The UCMB never rests! The band tirelessly leads cheers and plays enthusiastic music to support the team throughout the entire game no matter how the game might go! The energy is non-stop and seems to feed itself.
Post Game: Win or lose, the band takes the field for a short show before heading home. Celebrating a win is the best part of the day, but whatever the outcome, a performance by the band puts positive UCONN spirit in the audience. Another run of part of half-time or a sneak peak at next week’s show is great entertainment and gives our members a little more practice on a grass field!
Band Day: 1000 high school band members join the UCMB for a spectacular halftime performance. These band members get to see a special performance by the UCMB before the rehearsal puts 1300 musicians and color-guard members together.
Twirler Day: High School baton twirlers are invited to spend a day with the UCMB. Our prestigious UCMB Alumni Twirlers along with our current Feature Twirler host the participants. It is a special day for the young visitors to meet some greats of the twirling world!
Armed Forces Appreciation Day: The UCMB salutes members of the U. S. Armed Forces during halftime.
Homecoming: UCMB Alumni join the UCMB for a pre-game or half-time performance. With nearly 500 members and alumni on the field, the sound is amazing! Alumni have a great time reuniting with dear friends!
Senior Day: The last game of the season is all about our seniors with their last home game performance. Each senior appears on the giant video board introducing him/herself to the audience. Each senior is presented with a framed picture of themself on the stadium videoboard at the UCMB Banquet.
Other (non-football) Performance Events (Fall)
Mansfield Parade: On a Sunday in September, the UCMB shakes the walls of the new Storrs Downtown as part of the annual Celebrate Mansfield Festival. It’s a short parade, but the UCMB is proud to do its part to celebrate our hometown!
Homecoming Parade: This parade is always on the UCONN campus; it kicks off Homecoming week on Sunday with the football game on the following Saturday.
Family Weekend Showcase: Jorgensen Auditorium hosts the 300 members of the UCMB in a great concert presentation of the season’s music. Soloists, the drumline, front ensemble, color guard, and twirlers get a chance to show their best in Jorgensen’s spotlights.
Exhibition Performances: An important part of the UCMB is each year’s “Exhibition Show.” We create a show designed to please every audience—competitive bands, drum corps, and the football audience. We have developed our unique blend of artistic sophistication vs. sophistication, challenging and effective drill, great visual effect, solid delivery, and familiar yet powerfully exciting music. This 12 min show is perfect for the “band audience” and may well be the reason the UCMB is a 300-member powerhouse of a band.
Local Band Competitions: Whenever possible we bring the big guns to shows sponsored by the bands our members come from. These shows give an “up close and personal” experience from the high school stadium!
Championship Shows: Larger stadiums host the season climax of high school completion. The UCMB provides a powerful, exciting, and entertaining performance while the high school bands gather to see their results.
Collegiate Marching Band Exhibitions: Two college exhibitions are great fun to see the variety of performance styles of college bands in the Northeast. Huge crowds find there way to see the spectacle and root on their favorite university bands. There are few nicer ways to spend a Sunday afternoon in the Fall!
Allentown Collegiate Marching Band Exhibition: one of the oldest and best attended college band festivals, appearance by the incredible bands from Townsend State, Morgan State, Delaware, West Chester, and UMass and, of course, the UCMB every other year, show off the finest band programs in the North East.
New England College Band Exhibition:A newcomer to the Collegiate Band Festival, this festival features New England’s best including Boston Univ., Boston College, Univ. of New Hampshire, Univ. of New Haven, Holy Cross, Albany State, and every other year UConn.
December-January
UCMB Council Elections: at the end of Fall semester members elect all officers of the Band Council. The Band Council is provides the “Organizational Leadership” to run the UCMB. An impressive number of operations are formed through the “council” It is essential to the operation of the UCMB and great experience for young people to truly own apart of the UCMB. This group meets weekly in the fall semester and bi-weekly.
Bowl Game: Though completely subject to the success of our football team late December or January may find the UCMB on the road with our football team to a bowl game. Members are asked to keep their schedules free so that every member can make the trip to wherever the game might be. There was a time when we had 4 bowl games in 5 years culminating with a trip to the BCS Fiesta Bowl with Univ. of Oklahoma in Arizona. Our last bowl took the band to St. Pete for Christmas on the beach with their 300 best friends. It was the first “Christmas Bowl” but the trip for many was the absolute highlight of their college experience.
UCMB Banquet: The first Saturday in the Spring Semester is the time for the annual UCMB Banquet. Students pay $20 (just less that half the actual cost) for a wonderful evening of live entertainment, hors d'oeuvres, a great dinner, important guests, recognition and celebration, and dancing with the best DJ in the state! The members come dressed to impress and cap the year with festivity and shared memories.
Leadership Class: Spring semester, Friday from 12:20-1:00 finds a good portion of the UCMB in a class that helps develop personal leadership, provides opportunities to envision and develop leadership roles that will help the band, and give a personal view of the philosophy that shapes our band and what an individual can do to create their niche in the structure. Lessons mixed with humor and lots of discussion makes a great experience and helps take the next UCMB further.
Conversion Class: There is just never enough low brass players! In order to make the UCMB the powerful university band it has become and compare with the nations best, we have to find low brass players somewhere and the ample and wonderfully talented woodwind sections of the band are the best source! Good players work with our directors and learn their choice of mellophone, baritone, trombone, or tuba. It is remarkable how quickly many students make the change finding their way into the pep band and marching band and giving us the power we need!
Drum Major/Caption Selection: The Drum Majors and Band Captains are top of the “Instructional Leadership” of the UCMB. They are selected through a series of interviews with the Directors and an audition in front of their piers. Great responsibility rests on these young people to see to many aspects of creating and running our band
February
Section Leader Selection: Section leaders may be the most important leaders in the band. Like the Sargent in the army, they are close to the action, taking direct responsibility of the sections of the band, Their personal leadership becomes the most crucial factor in the smooth operation, the morale of the band, and ultimately the success of the UCMB. They are selected through interviews with the directors, a playing audition, and, of course, the everyday service they have shown as members of the band.
March
Section Leader Training: Selected leaders are brought together several times to augment what the leadership class has begun. Specific strategies for building and running their sections are covered and prepare the leaders for their important roles.
April/May
Senior Reception: Good things unfortunately do come to an end. The end of Spring Semester means graduation and our brilliant seniors moving onto the next stage of life. One last meeting of their great friends for 4 or 5 years—pizza and cake—videos and recordings, hugs and pictures, and maybe a tear before a busy graduation week.
Brass Bath Bash: Our annual brass instrument cleaning day. We always have to get ready for the next year, and a huge need is served with a work party on the first exam day. Members who have no exams are invited to come to the director’s house for a work/play day where over 120 brass instruments are bathed, cleaned out, lubricated, and made ready for the next season. Light repairs are done on the spot and instruments with more complicated repairs are set aside to be taken to the shop. Woodwind, brass, percussion, and even some guard members show up to take part, learn how to service the instruments and have fun doing it. The grill runs constantly with as many hot dogs, hamburgers, and veggie burgers, hard working college students can eat. This day saves countless thousands of dollars and means that the instrument maintenance procedure takes about 6 not 3 months!