Maryland Bands Centennial Celebrations
Thank you everyone for joining the University of Maryland Bands and our Centennial Celebration last year!
Stay tuned for another 100 years of events and reunions, starting with Homecoming 2009 in October.
Latest Centennial Announcements
Centennial Homecoming Pre-Game Fanfare
Watch this clip of our 500+ person Centennial Alumni Band rehearse the pre-game fanfare for Homecoming 2008.
Centennial Homecoming Truck
Watch this clip of our 500+ person Centennial Alumni Band truck to Byrd Stadium for Homecoming 2008.
ΚΚΨ & ΤΒΣ Alumni Picnic
Update 10/17: Due to forecasted nastiness, the Alumni Picnic will be moved indoors to 5003 Erie St, College Park, MD 20740. It will still be at 12, and parking is free along the street as long as you dont block anyone's driveway. There will still be delicious food and good times to be had!
All alumni Gamma Xi Brothers and Beta Eta Sisters still in the area after Homecoming are invited to our annual alumni picnic. Bring the family and enjoy an afternoon of food and games.
The picnic will be held in the recently renovated Washington Quad on south campus — it's covered in turf, and has pavilions and grills!
If you can make it, please RSVP to Amber Abbott as soon as possible with your number of attendees so we can get a ballpark headcount.
Centennial DVD Orders Due
Purchase the 2008 Centennial Homecoming Commemorative DVD now! For only $15.00, you can keep a video of the largest alumni band in Maryland history. The DVD contains:
- Coverage of the Henderson reunion
- Interviews with everyone at the Henderson reunion and Homecoming
- Rehearsals
- Footage from our alumni truck to Byrd Stadium
- Alumni band pre-game and halftime performances
Homecoming 2008
We have a full day of activities including Pre-game and Half-time performances at the game.
See our full Homecoming page for registration and details.
Centennial History Books Are Shipping!
Posted September 9th, 2009, 12:07 pm by Noah Lazar
Just as a quick note, the history books are finally en route. Your copy/copies should arrive in the mail very soon — if not already.
If you do not receive your full order by early next week (week of September 14th), please contact the publisher with your order number to get shipping confirmation.
History Book Shipping in August
Posted July 16th, 2009, 7:25 pm by Marianne Kassabian
The Band Centennial History Book will be shipping out in August. There were some tweaks that had to be made, causing us to miss the two-week summer break from the presses. During that break the presses were cleaned and we will be one of the first to roll as soon as the plant starts up again next week.
We are very proud of the book. It is beautiful, full of photographs, and the song book will be something everyone should have. After all, the last one was printed in 1941!
If anyone missed ordering the book, or song-book, the only book store to carry them will be the Maryland Book Exchange on Route 1, just across the street from our Chapel Field.
Thank you,
L. Richmond Sparks
Homecoming
Homecoming registration is now closed. For questions (or pleading!), please contact us at president@umbao.org. Thank you to everyone who will make this the largest Maryland alumni band ever!
This is a monumental year for the Maryland Bands, and the Homecoming kick-off will set the standard for the year's Centennial festivities. Nearly 500 alumni will be marching in this year's Homecoming game. Take a look at the list of who's marching in the alumni band.
We have a full day of activities including Pre-game and Half-time performances at the game. This year, Homecoming isn't for the football team, or the students, or even the University — it's for us, the band members that brought the Maryland Bands to the 100-year mark.
Annual Pops Concert
It's hard to believe the Maryland Band Centennial year is drawing to a close, but you have one more chance to celebrate by performing in the Pops Concert Alumni Band on May 2, 2009 at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. The concert begins at 8:00 pm with the Wind Ensemble; the Alumni Band performs at approximately 9:10 pm.
Guest Conductors
As of now, our guest conductors will be:
- Fred Heath - American Overture
- Acton Ostling - Jalousie
- Henry Romersa - Maryland State March
- L. Richmond Sparks - Dance of the Jesters
- Michael Votta - The Gum Suckers March
- John E. Wakefield - Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral
Schedule
The schedule is as follows. All times are approximate:
Rehearsal II for Pops Concert Alumni Band
You are invited to participate in the Pops Concert Alumni Band on May 2, 2009 at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. The concert begins at 8:00 pm with the Wind Ensemble, and the Alumni Band will performs at 9:10 pm.
The second of the two mandatory rehearsals is on May 2nd from 4:00-5:30 pm in the John Wakefield Band Room at CSPAC.
For more information and to register, see our Pops Concert event page.