YouAlberta
The University of Alberta’s marching band, founded in 2016 by Tom Dust, is the first of its kind to exist on campus since the disbanding of the Golden Bears Marching Band in the 1960s.
“At the first rehearsal in 2016, there were 12 members,” Tom reports, “by the second rehearsal we were double that,” and by the time of their first parade the band consisted of approximately 40 members.
Last season (Spring of 2022) the band garnered interest from over 60 people, and ultimately secured around 50 fully committed members. They performed in three parades, receiving the first-place ribbon for bands in the Leduc Black Gold Rodeo Parade on June 4, 2022.
The band runs for roughly a month in the Spring, typically starting in the first weeks of May and wrapping up by the first weekend in June. Tom was kind enough to answer every question I had about marching bands, and here is what he had to say:
1. What about your personal background/interests inspired you to start the band in 2016?
I played in a marching band when I was young and had a lot of fun. I did all my graduate work at the Indiana University School of Music and saw how the American marching bands generated so much excitement at the athletic events and how some of the best musicians in the School of Music were enthusiastic marching band members. I attempted to start a University of Alberta Marching Band over 20 years ago - I was working with the Office of the President and the Fund Development team and we were making great strides with the goal of starting “big” with a matching set of instruments, fancy uniforms, hiring a full-time band director, and enrolling a minimum of 110 students before we “hit the street.” The President left, the head of fund development left, and the fund development officer in charge of the initiative left... and it all collapsed. In 2015/2016 I decided to try again.. but to start small and try to grow.
2. Which is the most-played instrument in the band? Is there a specific instrument most crucial to a marching band?
The instrumentation has changed from year to year. The various instruments perform the roles of melody, countermelody, ornamentation, harmonic foundation, and rhythm - in this regard, they are of equal importance to the band.
3. I’m trying to imagine which instrument would be the hardest to play while marching - surely something that requires breathwork? Or else something heavy?
Each instrument has challenges. Breathing is a challenge for all the woodwinds and brass, physical size/weight is a challenge for the larger instruments, reading the music from a 5 inch by 7 inch march card while it bounces with every step is a challenge for everyone (I recommend that everyone try to memorize the music). Those who play percussion instruments have the additional challenge of playing constantly - as they provide a marching cadence while the wind/brass section rests between individual marches.
4. Are there any specific talents the band is actively recruiting?
I hope to grow the band from the approximately 50 members we had this past year to at least 75 for 2023. Players of all instruments typically found in a marching band are welcome, as are non-musicians who would like to be a part of the band as a banner or flag carrier. We have U of A students, U of A alumni, U of A staff, high school musicians and junior high school musicians – these students categorize themselves as “future University of Alberta students” – and community members who refer to themselves as “friends of the University.”
