The 2009 Maryland football schedule was announced today, featuring seven home games and a return to Tobacco Road to crush play Duke. This year's Homecoming and alumni band will take place on Saturday, October 17th. So mark you calendars as we kick off the second centennial of the Maryland Bands!

• 09/05/09 at California
• 09/12/09 vs. James Madison
• 09/19/09 vs. Middle Tennessee State
• 09/26/09 vs. Rutgers
• 10/03/09 vs. Clemson
• 10/10/09 at Wake Forest
• 10/17/09 vs. Virginia — Homecoming
• 10/24/09 at Duke
• 10/31/09 Bye
• 11/07/09 at North Carolina State
• 11/14/09 vs. Virginia Tech
• 11/21/09 at Florida State
• 11/28/09 vs. Boston College

Extended one last time by the publisher — order by February 23rd!

I have great news for everyone! Taylor Publishing has allowed us to extend the order deadline for our Musical Ambassadors of Maryland: A Centennial Celebration.

Many of you have called to see if it is too late, and the answer is “It will be soon!” The new and final deadline is February 23rd. You must understand that there will not be a second printing, nor will there be any extra copies printed. This is an absolute pre-publication sale, so if you want a set NOW IS THE TIME! We will not delay the delivery of the book. You can expect it in mid-April. There are many who have not yet taken the opportunity to purchase this fabulous pictorial history book about YOU!

The marching band is taking 50 of their top players from Christmas through New Year's Eve for the bowl game, so they need alumni players to fill in for the upcoming basketball pep bands:

• Saturday, December 27th at 2:00 PM, Men vs Bryant
• Monday, December 29th at 2:00 PM, Women vs N.C. Asheville
• Tuesday, December 30th at 2:00 PM, Women vs Mississippi State or Marshall
• Tuesday, December 30th at 8:00 PM, Men vs Elon

Update 12/27: Athletics will be showing the bowl game on the screens at Comcast Center between the women's and men's games.

All games have a call time 45 minutes prior to the above scheduled tip-off! Please wear blue jeans and a red shirt — preferably an Under Armour red shirt if you still have one, or the red Terps Alumni Band t-shirt from Homecoming a few years back. Come in through the tunnel side of Comcast Center. Drum set and sousaphones will be available; leave a message at the band office if you need to borrow other instruments (see below).

Happy Holidays everyone! The Homecoming DVD will be available for purchase soon (in a few weeks). For only $28.00, you will be able to 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
• Footage from our alumni truck to Byrd Stadium
• Alumni band pre-game and halftime performances

We'll let you know as soon as it's available for purchase and shipping or pickup. In the meantime, don't forget to buy a copy of the limited-edition Centennial History Book.

One other thing from the Desk of Richmond Sparks:

Friday, December 12th is our Kaleidoscope concert, and all of you band alumni have been invited to perform on stage. There will be no marching, except for entering the hall. We will duplicate our homecoming music, (pregame and halftime music) plus a little Holiday ditty - Sleigh Ride.

We will host a music rehearsal on Thursday night, not mandatory, but with your standards and desire to be around one-another it will be fun. Former drum majors are being asked to conduct these pieces. Everyone needs to register with the umbao.org website so I can plan and choreograph where everyone will fit on stage here at the performing arts center. So if you haven't been to a concert here in our new facility, you might as well start by being on stage.

Homecoming may be over, but the Centennial Celebration is not!

You have one more chance to be part of the Centennial Alumni Marching Band. Join the rank and file at the Kaleidoscope Concert on December 12, 2008 in the Dekelboum Concert Hall in CSPAC.

The Kaleidoscope Concert will start at 8:00 PM. Several groups will be performing, and the Marching Band/Alumni Marching Band will be on last.

One word, “WOW!”

I am hoping to get this word out quickly to everyone who shared and brought back the essence of the Maryland Bands – ‘You!’ Words cannot describe the JUBILEE as a whole; however, grins of excitement are still buzzing through emails and phone calls.

There is not enough time for me to answer all the wonderful emails that I have received, so I want to express my appreciation via this format. Yes, we worked hard in planning this homecoming for two years. The UMBAO Board of Directors, the Brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi, the Sisters of Tau Beta Sigma, and the Men and Women of the current Mighty Sound of Maryland are all to be thanked; but, it was your presence that made the event come alive! We have made a big splash in the news. I received a full-page report of our Centennial from a newspaper in Holland!!! Go figure.