Spring Break
Blugold Marching Band gets their groove on
Division III's largest band performs at Zorn Arena
Ashley Hofer
Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: Campus News
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People of all ages gathered to watch the one-and-a-half hour show Tuesday night, and often stood and clapped with the tunes the band played. The performance was divided into five segments:
• Entrance, featuring songs such as 'On, Wisconsin,' and 'Star Spangled Banner'
• Game Day at Carson Park, which contained typical pep tunes the band plays during football games
• Get Your Groove On: Music You Can Dance To, featuring songs from this year's halftime shows
• Greatest Songs of the Rock Era, a collection of last season's tunes, and
• In Honor of America, a patriotic section honoring the different military branches.
"It showcases all aspects of the band," said Randal Dickerson, the director of the BMB. "Everything we do on the field, in the stands and the support for Blugold athletics."
To prepare for the event, senior drum major Mike Renneke said a special platform was built in Zorn Arena to accommodate all of the band members. Plenty of time was also spent practicing, he added.
"We devoted all of last week to rehearsal for the stage show, in addition to the countless hours we put in all season," Renneke said.
About 225 of the bands 272 members were present for the concert, Dickerson said. The figure includes the staff members and the color guard, which also performed during many of the band's halftime songs.
Dickerson said the BMB is the largest band of the NCAA Division III schools. It is also the fifth largest in comparison to the bands of schools in the Big Ten, he said.
But while the band may be one of the largest, Renneke said it often goes unrecognized on campus.
"Half of campus doesn't know what a great thing they have," he said.
The band also plays an important role on campus, Dickerson said. It plays in front of about eight thousand high school students a season, making the BMB what he called "musical ambassadors."
"It (BMB) provides support for the whole university," he said. "We're a recruiter."
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