Marching Band Grows, Makes Strong Return
Jacob Nusbaum
The Manchester University Marching Band is back and better than ever. To celebrate their Spartan pride as they enter their fourth year, they’re going all out on their two shows this year.
For the first time since it was created, the Manchester University Marching Band has hired a full staff, including instructors, drill-writers, and a visual coordinator, all of which was done before by a single person, Director Scott Humphries. In previous years, every single job from picking out the music to writing out where everyone should be, Humphries did it all. He gushed about how this increase in staff will allow for what he calls a more “tailored and refined experience, allowing for better sound and volume.” He added: “It’s going to be good.”
However, staff isn’t the only thing that increased for the marching band. This year, the Manchester University Marching Band boasts a respectable 32 members in its ensemble, up from 22 last year, including a brand-new color guard with its own designated instructor. Despite having 19 new members this year, they are making heavy progress on improvement with practices four days a week to working on marching and music, tailoring every single practice to make sure everything is perfect. No matter the major or background the band members come from, they’re all coming together to jam out and get the crowd moving in their seats at each and every home football game.
This year the marching band is performing two shows, one for the first two home football games, and one for the last two games. But don’t worry, just because they have to pick music for two shows, doesn’t mean quality has dropped. Humphries chose all rock and roll and pop music that students are sure to recognize. Queen, Tina Turner, Cheap Trick and The Beach Boys are just a few of the famous bands that they are performing songs from this year. The one thing they all have in common? They’re all high-energy crowd pleasers.
Football games aren’t the only event where the Marching Band is performing this year. Humphries laid out his fall plans to visit local high schools, looking to show off their skills, gain experience, and help represent the school’s Spartan pride. Although this isn’t the first time they’ve performed at high schools, it’s a new chapter in the Manchester Marching Band’s history since the pandemic is finally winding down and they can finally show their talent to all the high school marching bands hoping to perform in a show of their own.
Humphries is full of energy for what’s to come. “I’m super excited about this year; we’re all working together as a team,” he said. “The vibe of the group is really great, and I’m looking forward to see what we can do by the end of the season.”