BAND ECHOES

Alumni Band BBQ

525 Connell Ave

Saturday

October 1, 2016

BBQ starts after the

homecoming parade

Alumni Band family

members are welcome

RSVP using registration

form -Newsletter page 7

Tickets - $10

Kids 12 & under eat free!

In This Issue

New Event!

Alumni Band BBQ

Welcome

Carl Smart, Chair

2016 Alumni Band

Schedule of Events

Registration Form

New Homecoming Event!

New Event! Alumni Band BBQ Welcome to the First Ever Alumni Band BBQ

For years alumni band members have been faced with a difficult decision after the homecoming parade: “Where do I want to eat and/or tailgate?” Well this year’s homecoming will make that decision a no-brainer. For the first time we will have our own tailgate luncheon and it will be only one block from the music building!

My parents, Fred (class of ’63) and Kathy (class of ’62) will be hosting this gather-ing in their backyard at 525 Connell Avenue. For those of you not familiar where that is, it is one block directly west of the music building. The street that you turn East onto and go towards the Music Building is Connell. In fact, once we reach the end of the parade the Band (will) march directly to their backyard and get the party started!

This event will come with plenty of food, drinks and adult beverages. Everything will be provided prior to the start of the game and you won’t have to worry about where to store your instrument. You can bring it with you as their backyard will have plenty of space. Tickets are only $10 and alumni family members are more than welcome. Kids 12 and under eat free!

This event will replace the post-game BBQ that has been catered by UM on campus. Our event will be off campus catered by your illustrious Alumni Band committee. We hope to have as many people as possible, so please encourage everyone to sign up.

Brendan McGlynn UM Alumni Band Committee

University of Montana ALUMNI BAND July 2016

Under The Big Sky! Greetings to all of you that love our UM Grizzlies and this awesome Big Sky State! Yes, the theme for our 2016 Homecoming is “Under The Big Sky”, and we plan to have a great weekend with perfect weather for this 2016 Alumni Band Reunion. We are indeed expecting over 100 of you to march in the parade and join us on the football field for the half-time performance. So, get out the horn, start practic-ing, and get yourself ready to enjoy a great gathering of Alumni Band friends. We do have a few special things planned, including our first ever ALUMNI BAND TAILGATE BBQ after the parade. The always well-organized Rob Tapper, UM Director of Jazz Studies, has offered to help organize this party for us and the McGynn’s graciously offered to host. But behave, we need to get to the game! Do try to be here by 10:30 Friday morning as we enjoy a morning of gathering, coffee & cookies compliments of our awesome UM Alumni Association, pre-registration/welcome table with packets of music, banquet & BBQ tickets, & schedule of the two day’s events. We really want you to be here to fill out the instrumentation and enjoy the great ‘Concert Band Reading’ session conducted by Dr. James Smart, Director of Bands. If you have a favorite piece of concert band literature from your time in UM Band please let us know so we will see if Dr. Smart can have it for us to read. Save some lips for the afternoon Marching Band music rehearsal, with instructions from our UM GRIZ Marching Band Director, Dr. Kevin Griggs. Last year we had many compliments on a great ‘Friday Evening Banquet’, special recognition, presentations, and entertainment before our annual Alumni Jazz Band played for your dancing & listening enjoyment. If you have not been to the Holiday Inn at 9:00pm for the presentation by the GRIZ MARCHING BAND, you will be amazed at the performance they provide for us with energy and exciting sounds. AND YES, we do plan to have two sessions of our Alumni Jazz playing, before and after the GRIZ Band, so plan to make it an evening of fun at the Holiday Inn Downtown. Did you miss it??? We had our first ever Alumni Pep Band play for two exciting basketball games this January! Both the Lady Griz and Men’s Basketball teams won the games we were at, and it was wildly exciting to be there in Dahlberg Arena playing the Star Spangled Banner, all the great new Pep Band tunes with all the energy of college basketball at its best! What fun, and we even learned a few of the new cheers the Griz Pep Band use at the games. We had 35 Alumni Band members play over the two games, even though most only could make it for one or the other game. This coming season we hope you can join the fun! A special note! Thanks to your extra donations along with registration last Homecoming, we have enough money for the first time to reach out to the current GRIZ BAND students and get them into our fold as young Alumni as they gradu-ate. We’re planning an Ice Cream Social in August for the students attending the GRIZ Marching Band Camp before school starts. Thanks again to each of you for your generosity allowing us to take some great steps as an Alumni Band. Who knows, we may grow enough to endow a full scholarship through the UM Foundation in the future! We’re already excited to see you on September 30 - October 1, 2016! You will find the registration form in this newsletter, run off a copy to COMPLETE and send it in while it’s on your mind! Sincerely, Carl Smart 2016 Committee Chairman UM Alumni Band Committee

Join UMAA If you have not yet joined the UM ALUMNI ASSOCIATION you are encouraged to do so soon. The UM Alumni Asso-ciation does a great job of keeping all of us UM graduates informed of campus happenings, organizing special events, and being strong advocates for supporting all of our University Studies and Programs! For more information on benefits and pricing go to:

Betty & Carl Smart

UM Alumni Association

Musings from Inside the Beltway Greetings from our Nation’s Capital! Having lived far from Montana for nearly 28 years, I always look forward to catching up on UM Band Alumni news, whether by newsletters, alumni magazines or personal communications. I have lots of great memories of those days: games at Dornblaser, the freaky swaying of the bridge when marching with great precision on Higgins, later experiences in Washington-Grizzly Stadium, and performances in the University Thea-ter. But what I remember most are the people. The staff, faculty and fellow students – both graduate and undergrads alike, who helped to create an environment that was rich, relevant, and fun. It quickly became evident that the hard work was a “price of admission,” and that the life’s lessons learned meant as much to me as did the technical skills. As I walk my current path, I openly acknowledge that I don’t really have an original thought in my body – I’m just parroting what I’ve gathered from people like Tom Cook, Lance Boyd, Don Simmons, Roger McDonald and John Ellis over the years. Today I have the great pleasure of working with the 252 Officers, Soldiers and Civilians of The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own.” As my military career approaches its end, I often think about my fortuitous career path, and the succession of opportunities that led me to this point: my first years of teaching in Superior (that ultimately led me to grad school at UM), teaching in Great Falls with amazing colleagues, a leap of faith into military music, and a variety of military assignments with great people who were also incredible musicians.

I have had the good fortune to work in a variety of great concert venues: the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Wolf Trap, DAR Constitution Hall, and the Meyerson and Meyerhoff Symphony Halls; and be a part of productions like the Kennedy Center Honors, the National Memorial Day and A Capitol Fourth broadcasts, joint concerts with the New York Philharmonic, a concert with Norwegian military musicians in Oslo, commemorating the 70th Anniversary of Norway’s liberation, and an Emmy-nominated PBS Broadcast and recording from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. But the more poignant experiences were performances in the smaller towns across this great Nation. I was a daily witness to the patriotism our country still feels, and the support of our military that it unabashedly displays. There is nothing quite like observing a wheelchair-bound veteran struggling to stand for the playing of his/her service song, and the smile on their faces when displaying their pride in having served their Nation. I am humbled to be a visible representative of the many who are deployed around the world in defense of our people, and to lead Soldiers who serve as examples of the excellence found across our Army. Little did I know that my music career would lead to a life of service to our Nation.

I live for the magical musical moments, but it is the human moments - the reminders of our fallibility and need to keep our sense of humor that keeps me humble and grateful. I remember traveling with our Herald Trumpets about 20 years ago during my first assignment with “Pershing’s Own” – we were supporting the 100th anniversary festivities in celebra-tion of Utah’s statehood. As we stood in the hotel lobby, waiting to be called forward to pick up keys at the front desk, I heard my name called. Once I arrived, the desk clerk asked where my roommate was. This surprised me, as officers and Sergeants Major have the good fortune of getting single rooms. The clerk was very insistent, replying that he couldn’t check me in until my roommate came forward. When I stated again that I had no roommate, he loudly asserted that it was right on his paperwork – HERALD TRUMPET! Needless to say, the rest of our musicians and I had a good laugh, even though it took more explanation before the clerk fully understood.

As my February change of command and retirement ceremony approach, I find that unlike the great venues, the interesting travels, and the inspirational musical moments, true fulfillment comes from the people you shared those experiences with. It has always been difficult for me to leave one organization for another, but building new connections and friendships always soothed the sense of loss. In this last transition, there is no new unit and no new ensembles. Interest-ingly, I’m not bothered and will depart with a lifetime of memories and no regrets. As our daughters are settled in the area, Laurie and I plan to remain in the area. In the midst of planning for this transition, I look forward to taking a break, and coming to conduct the Montana All-State Band in October. Do stop by and say hello if you’re nearby.

Tim Holtan COL, US Army

10th Leader and Commander The U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own"

Colonel Timothy J. Holtan

UM Band Alumni Marilyn Cole Marilyn Cole began her study

of the oboe at age eleven in

Billings Montana. Her first

taste of a professional or-

chestra came when she

performed with the Billings

Symphony Orchestra at the

age of 18. While in Montana,

she performed regularly with

the Missoula Symphony

Orchestra, Glacier Sympho-

ny Orchestra and various

chamber ensembles. Ms.

Cole also had the privilege of

studying with Eric Ohlsson,

Paige Morgan and John

Mack during her summers at

Brevard Music Center.

After receiving a bachelor’s degree in oboe performance from the University of

Montana where she studied with Roger McDonald, Marilyn went on to make use

of her second degree in music education by teaching primary music at the Frank-

furt International School in Frankfurt, Germany as well as middle school and high

school band in Seattle, Washington. Marilyn continued her education under Rich-

ard Killmer at the Eastman School of Music where she earned a master’s degree

in oboe performance and literature. While in school she also performed with the

Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, the Tri-Cities Opera Company, the Binghamton

Philharmonic and Erie Philharmonic.

Since moving to New York, Marilyn has performed with numerous groups includ-

ing One World Symphony, Greenwich Symphony Orchestra, Empire Chamber

Orchestra, Garden State Philharmonic, Richmond County Orchestra, Willow

Ensemble, Metro Chamber Orchestra, New York Kammermusicker, Chelsea

Symphony and the Ambitious Orchestra. From time to time Marilyn can be heard

performing with Wicked and Les Miserables on Broadway. Most recently Marilyn

is involved with the coaching and creative process of the series, Mozart in the

Jungle. She works closely with the actors, directors and writers and her recordings

can also be heard on selected episodes.

Follow Marilyn on her website and wish her well at marilyncole.com .

Scott McKenzie

UM Alumni Band Committee

Marilyn Cole Marilyn is on the

faculty of the Rudolf

Steiner School in

Manhattan, the first

Waldorf school in

North America. There

she teaches group

oboe lessons, private

oboe lessons, recorder

classes and woodwind

classes.

Marilyn is also current-

ly a musical consultant

and oboe coach on the

Amazon Prime show,

Mozart in the Jungle.

Her recordings can be

heard during the

episodes as well.

UM Alum Marilyn Cole

UM Concert Band News The UM Concert Bands had another banner year full of guest artists, collaborative concerts and top shelf repertoire. We opened the year with a themed concert titled “Toccata and Feud” featuring a President’s Own Marine Band transcription of J.S. Bach’s monumental Toccata and Fugue in dm and a new complete arrangement of Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. Sandwiched between those two pillars we welcomed Missoula based soprano, Caitlin Cisler to the stage for James Mobberley’s Words of Love. In November we hosted another successful High School All-Star Festival with participants from fifty-seven high schools from four states. Over three days the high school students were treated to performances by the UM Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, guest flutist, Donna Shin, and University of British Columbia conductor, Dr. Robert Taylor. This event has become a model for university outreach and the primary means for UM faculty to connect with high school students. Throughout the year the University of Montana Symphonic Wind Ensemble was fortunate enough to collaborate with various ensembles including the UM Choirs, Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Hellgate High School Wind Ensemble. The UM Symphonic Wind Ensemble also performed with former President’s Own United States Marine Band tubist, Mr. Paul Mergen. Next year is going to have several premiere performances including a work for chamber winds and electronics by New Haven composer, Simon Hutchinson; a trumpet concerto by University of Washington composer, Huck Hodge; and an overture by Juilliard School masters student and UM alum, Tom Morrison. We want to thank you again for the wonderfully generous donations from members of the UM Alumni Band last year. With your support we are starting to be able to purchase some much needed instruments and subsidize enrichment projects for the students in the UM Bands. We are saving to purchase a contra bass clarinet. The UM Symphonic Wind Ensemble hopes to perform for the 2018 Western/ Northwestern College Band Directors National Association Conference on the beautiful Bay Area campus of Sonoma State University. Donations received this year will be earmarked for that performance provided that UM is selected by the committee as one of the performing groups. Dr. Jim Smart Director of Bands, Director of UM Symphony Ensemble; Trumpet

University of Montana Symphonic Wind Ensemble - 2015

2016 UM Alumni Band and Flag Corp 28

th Annual Reunion SCHEDULE

A Warm Welcome, receive Music Folios, Info Packets, Band Clothing - 10:30 am Friday in Rm #105

Friday, September 30th

Information Table Opens, Music Folios, etc. 10:30 am UM Music Building Rm #105 3rd Annual ALUMNI Concert Band Rehearsal 11:00 am UM Music Building RM #1 Alumni Band Reception - cookies, coffee, & visit 12:15 pm UM Music Building Rm #105 (Compliments of UM ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, Bill Johnston, Dir.)

JAZZY BOX LUNCH 12:45 pm w/ UM Jazz I 1:10-1:50 pm UM Music Building Rm #1 (Eat and listen to Jazz Rehearsal/Concert for us!)

UM Alumni Band & Flag Corp Rehearsals 2:00-3:40 pm UM Music Bldg Rm #1 Alumni Band & Flags on field with Dr Griggs 3:45-4:15 pm Practice Field f/ our NEW entrance Alumni Band & Flags with UM GRIZ Band 4:15-4:45 pm Practice Field No Host Happy Hour & Gathering 5:30 pm Holiday Inn “Main Ballroom” UM ALUMNI BAND “ANNUAL BANQUET” 6:00-7:40 pm HOLIDAY INN BALLROOM (John Combs, MC - entertainment & awards)

UM Alumni Jazz Band 1st set - Dance Music 7:45-9:00 pm HOLIDAY INN BALLROOM UM Marching GRIZ Band performance 9:00-9:30 pm Holiday Inn “Atrium” & “Stairs” UM Alumni Jazz Band 2nd set 9:45-11:00 pm HOLIDAY INN BALLROOM

Saturday, October 1st

Information/Late Reg/Welcome Table Opens 8:30 am UM Music Building Rm #105 (Coffee Compliments of Liquid Planet and Donuts of Ed & Robyn Smart/New York Life!)

Gather for Parade & Visit time 8:30-9:15 am UM Music Building Photo Session 9:15-9:30 am Outside Music Building Load Buses & Travel to Parade Start 9:45-10:15 am Outside Music Building March in Parade! (Parade begins 10:00 am) 10:30-11:40 Downtown Missoula *NEW Event! ALUMNI BAND “Tailgate BBQ” 11:45-1:30 Go from Parade to McGlynns house Address: 525 Connell Ave

UM GRIZ Band Pre-game Show (2:00 GAME) 1:45 pm Be in your seats in Stadium & SUPPORT OUR GRIZ BAND!

Griz Football Game Start Time 2:30pm

. 2016 REGISTRATION FORM - UM ALUMNI BAND & FLAGS 28

th REUNION

Please complete & return with Payment by Friday, September 16, 2016 Address: Carl Smart - 5635 Kristin Lane, Missoula, MT 59803

2016 Homecoming Dates: Friday & Saturday, September 30th & October 1st Our 3rd Annual Friday Morning Rehearsal of CONCERT BAND MUSIC,

using arrangements we “played thru the decades”, directed by Dr. James Smart

NAME__________________________________EMAIL______________________________________ Phone Numbers: Home_________________Work______________Cell_________________________ Address____________________________________________________________________________ What years were you in the UM Bands? (e.g. 1965-70) ____________________________________ How many years have you participated in the UM Alumni Band?_____________________________ ______I am a first time Alumni Band Participant / $12.00 Reg. Fee Waived _____ I wish to be an ACTIVE MEMBER and will be there for the 2016 Reunion! Please complete the participation information requested below *** Or ____ I wish to remain ACTIVE, but I am unable to attend this 2016 reunion. Enclosed is my $12.00 registration/donation for Alumni mail & reunion costs! PLEASE return this Form & Check by SEPTEMBER 16th for confirming meal numbers & instrumentation! YES, your spouse/friend is invited to participate in all events & play in the band! Percussion and large brass instruments provided ONLY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE REQUESTED IN ADVANCE!! - YES, we’re planning on 10 Sousaphones & 0ver 100 Alumni Band & Flag Corp marching this year. ***PLACE A CHECK MARK in front of each event in which you plan to participate: ____ “3rd Annual” Friday Morning 11:00am - 12:15 Concert Band Rehearsal with Dr. James Smart ____ “3rd Annual” Jazz Box Lunch as Jazz I has live Rehearsal/Performance for us before our rehearsal ____ Alumni Band Music and Marching Rehearsal 2:00 - 4:35pm! “NEW FIELD ENTRANCE TO LEARN!” ____ 5:30 HAPPY HOUR; 6:15 ANNUAL BANQUET & ENTERTAINMENT! (HOLIDAY INN DOWNTOWN) ____ Plan to Play set 1 - 7:45 - 9:00 Alumni Jazz Band!! I Will Play _____________Jazz Instrument(s) ____ Plan to Play set 2 - 9:45 - 11:00 Alumni Jazz Band!!! “ _____________ “ “ ____ Saturday Morning Parade - Meet at 8:30am in Music Bldg.; Coffee, Pictures, Line-up & bus downtown ____ **NEW - 1st ever ALUMNI BAND “ Tailgate BBQ” at 11:45 - BEFORE the game at McGlynns house ____ Saturday 2:30 GRIZ GAME, be in the stadium by 1:45 & support the 2:00 UM GRIZ band pregame show! CONCERT BAND INSTRUMENT__________________ MARCHING INSTRUMENT______________________ - PLEASE HAVE THE FOLLOWING BAND INSTRUMENT AVAILABLE FOR ME: ______Sousaphone _______Baritone Horn _______Percussion __________Preferred percussion MAKE YOUR CHECK TO “UM ALUMNI BAND” and enclose it with this form: ITEM/EVENT PER PERSON NUMBER PERSONS = Cost JAZZ BOX LUNCH $10.00 ea X __________________ = __________ BANQUET $26.00 ea X __________________ = __________ NEW TAILGATE BBQ $10.00 ea X __________________ = __________ Kids 12 & under eat free! ALUMNI REGISTRATION $12.00 ea X __________________ = __________ EXTRA Alumni Band Donation to help with costs for awards, future plans, etc. = __________ YOUR GRAND TOTAL of AMOUNT ENCLOSED $__________ ALSO, please consider making a donation in support of the current UM Bands!! To contribute to one of the finest University Band Programs in the USA, please write a SEPARATE CHECK made payable to “UNIVERSITY of MONTANA BANDS” and mail in with this form! We’ll present these donations from our members to UM Band Dir. at the banquet! *** YES, I am enclosing an additional donation check to the UM Bands in the amount of $_________________ See you in September!

Carl Smart, 2016 Organizing Chairman Home - (406) 251-6831 Cell - (406) 240-7220

UM Marching Band News

Greetings Alumni! Things have been getting better and better with the UM Alumni Band and the UM Grizzly Marching Band and Pep Band. Carl Smart has done an amazing job of adding new and exciting elements to our schedule of events. Not only has the Homecoming game become more enjoyable and attractive to partici-pants, the addition of the Alumni Pep Band was a big hit with the players, UM students and the crowd at basketball games. The Alumni Pep Band played at 2 games this past season in January and both were very successful! This was especially helpful to the Pep Band because many of our students were home for the semester break and the band tends to be quite small, during this time. The addition of the Alumni Pep Band was so successful that the Marketing Director of UM Athletics asked if we could schedule the band again in February for the Griz vs. Cats basketball game. What a great start for this new addition! New this fall, the stadium is getting an upgrade to the video and audio sys-tem. The new video board should be amazing and it could actually help with the halftime shows. Also I ask that they put the high camera on the pressbox , center field to show our halftime show on the screen. This helps to see the formations better. We are looking forward to the 2016 season and hope that many of you will join us at Homecoming on October 1st. Also, we are working on a collaboration to host the Mercer Island High School band on October 15th and plan to share a halftime show with them. Of course there is also the infamous Griz vs. Cats game in November and I assume we will be hosting the MSU band that day. From the press I’ve been hearing about the team we should also be treated to some great football on either side of the halftime show! Once again, I hope that you will come and perform with the UM Grizzly Marching Band as our guests in the 2016 UM Alumni Band. Your support is incredible and I look forward to the plans for Alumni Band members to interact with the UM students more as part of the Homecoming event. Carl and the Alumni Band board have been working on several ideas that I think will make a big difference. Now, on to another great fall with the Grizzly Marching Band! GO GRIZ!! Dr. Kevin Griggs Associate Director of Bands, Director of Athletic Bands

Perform with the UM Marching Band The University of

Montana Alumni Band

is invited to perform as

guests with the UM

Grizzly Marching Band

in the 2016 UM home-

coming halftime show.

The UM Marching

Band appreciates your

support!

UM Alumni Band joins forces with the UM Pep Band to rock the house!

University of Montana Jazz Program News What an amazing year the UM Jazz Program had! We had performances all over the Northwest with numerous different guest artists & clinicians on campus with more wonderful artists scheduled for the future. JAZZ OFFERINGS AND TEACHING ASSISTANTS The jazz program has four big bands and seven small groups (combos). One of the aspects of our program that we are expanding is the composition and arranging element. We held our 4th Annual Jazz Arranging concert in April with six (6) pieces arranged by our students! We have two Teaching Assistants helping out with some of the jazz offerings including Will Roesch (tuba/bass trombone) and Lukas Selfridge (trombone) as well as welcoming back Sam McKenzie (percussion) to help with the Jazz and Percussion areas. JAZZ EVENTS This past year was very exciting as we the Jazz Ensemble performed at the MMEA conference. We had a tribute to Woody Herman (Oct.) as well as Count Basie (Nov.) and the Jazz Ensemble backed up Eden Atwood for our 4th annual Holiday swing rounding out the Fall semester. We initiated a UM Jazz Artist Series kicking off with a solo piano concert by legendary pianist Benny Green in October and the incredible The Jeff Hamilton Trio interacting with our students and giving a stellar performance for the public. The Jazz Series will continue in the fall with the great saxophone/clarinet artist Victor Goines in September! We also had the pleasure of hosting bassist/founder Michael League (Snarky Puppy)! This past December we hosted the 4th Annual Holiday Swing performance at the Missoula Winery with special guests Craig Hall (guitar) and Eden Atwood (vocals). The evening was a great success with the help of Master Auctioneer Mayor Engen. The Jazz Ensemble was a guest performing group at the Mead (Spokane) Jazz Festival in March and once again we had four of the UM Small Groups perform at Jazzoula in April. All of the groups received very positive feedback as we are grateful for this wonderful experience. The community will welcome back Allen Vizzutti in February and the university will honor Lance Boyd through the UM CVPA Odyssey event in March. UM Jazz Ensemble has been invited to perform at the Sunburst Art Series in February as well as the Kootenai Performing Series (Libby) to name just a few events in the works. RECORDING The Jazz Ensemble I and one of the small groups spent a day in May recording our 2nd CD in the last three years. This recording will feature the music composed and arranged by UM student musicians along with a few big band favorites from the performances this year. More information on how to get a copy of this CD to come soon. UM/BUDDY DeFRANCO JAZZ FESTIVAL This year saw the 2016 edition of our festival as an incredible success with over 50 groups participating along with some of the finest educators and jazz musicians in the business. We closed out the festivities with an exciting Jam Session at Plonk on Friday evening with the artists sharing the performing stage with our students and faculty. We hope you will be a part of the continuing tradition this year on March 16th & 17th, 2017. Our Featured guest artists will be once again some of the best performers, educators and people in the business including Ashley Summer (bass), Chris Smith (dr), Dana Landry (piano) and Brad Leali (sax)! If you haven’t been to the festival in a while, this will surely be a great year to attend! Have a great rest of the summer. It will be fantastic to see you all at Homecoming! Looking forward, Rob Tapper Director of Jazz; Trombone

University of Montana Jazz Program

The Golden Guard You may have heard them called “Flags” or “Flag Corp” or even “Color Guard” but as I interviewed several unique members of our UM Alumni Marching Band I was informed that the flag team is named The Golden Guard. End of story. This group of gals seem to have a special camaraderie and love to get together!

During their special “seminars” each year, they love to reminisce special memo-ries from their time at the University. Many of these girls remember the first foot-ball game in the brand new Washington-Grizzly stadium, the shows that featured the musicians who played at the '84 Olympics, the Statue of Liberty Centennial ceremonies, and, of course, making the best friends you'll ever make. The Golden Guard was only active from 1983 – 2004, but their time on the field was noticed. Tom Cook noted, “The intent was to add visual impact to the band's appearances on the field and on the street, and for many years it did just that! We had some very talented, intelligent young women as members over the years, and they did a lot to raise the spirits and enhance the image!”

The Golden Guard have only been marching again since 2008. Our friend Michelle Willits approached Scott McKenzie and Kevin Griggs with the idea of adding flags to the alumni band for Homecoming. “I asked if there were any flags left over from ‘back in the day.’” Those old flags were borrowed from Hellgate High School and were used for the first couple of years. In 2011, the UM Alumni March-ing Band purchased new flags for the group.

Since then others have reconnected with their marching roots. Julie Walker, a 1986 marching band alumni shared, “I saw the Alumni Marching Band in the Homecoming parade (in 2007) and they were flagless. They were clearly having a great time, and they sounded fabulous, but they needed some flags! I thought I should step up and get some flags to join, but the following year there were 3 flags. So somebody else had the same great idea. Those 3 pioneer flags gave me the courage to join the group. Marching band in my college years was one of the most enjoyable groups I was a part of. I knew Alumni Band would be the same, and it did not disappoint. In prior years when I attended Homecoming I didn't feel the same connection. Alumni Band gave me a "home" at Homecoming.” A total of eleven girls have returned over the last 8 years.

“Everyone loves the Alumni Band. People just light up as we come into view. And nothing can compare to turning that corner off Higgins onto University Avenue on a sun-drenched fall day, with the golden branches arching above you, friends from several generations lining the streets, Main Hall ahead, and that great music bringing us all home. It is pure joy.”

Mary Moe

Julie Walker—“Golden Guard” sweater from college days!

Mary Moe leading the UM Alumni Marching Band

Color Guard continued from page 10

In 2008 we added another very talented person to our Alumni Band family, Mary Moe our Lead Twirler. “Twirling with the Alumni Band at the Homecoming Parade is the event I look forward to most each year.” I asked Mary Moe what drew her to join the UM Alumni Marching Band as our twirler; “Sometime in my 50’s, my kids gave me a baton as a joke because my first job as a kid was teaching kids to twirl. I continued the joke by twirling at unusual occasions, like regents’ meetings and my daughters’ weddings. It makes people laugh, and I’m all about the laugh-ter. So when Scott (McKenzie) invited me to twirl, I was all in. At first I didn’t know where to be or what to do, but like everything else in life, ‘When in doubt, brazen it out.’”

Consequently why have flags been absent from our UM Grizzly Marching Band? “The problem is the lack of experience throughout the state of Montana in color-guard.” stated Kevin Griggs. It is believed that many of the students who choose to twirl were there to fulfill a class obligation. Many had no experience and they just went through the motions. It was decided in 2005 to instead put efforts into building the sound of the band to match the energy of the stadium. Dr. Griggs continued, “Personally, I love the visual impact that flags can add to the show. However, I have to agree that having flags that are not together is more of a distraction than a benefit.” Hopefully interest in the Golden Guard will return someday by experienced and/or excited members who will add that visual ‘punch’ back to the band.

So join us Alumni members! Did you twirl with the band during your glory years? Do you know someone who did? Or do you have a secret passion for twirling that you are wanting to release? Come join The UM Alumni Marching Band and The Golden Guard this year for Homecoming!

Kimberly Minckler

UM Alumni Band Committee

UM Alumni Marching Band Color

Guard

University of Montana

First Alumni Marching

Band Color Guard:

Darla Fitzpatrick

Penney Hook

Michelle Willits

Photo credit John Kutzman

2016 Alumni Band Committee

Members:

John Combs

Erin Ensley

Kevin Griggs

Brendon McGlynn

Peter McKenzie

Scott McKenzie

Kimberly Minckler

Carl Smart

James Smart

Robert Tapper

New Event Reminder! Alumni Band BBQ– Saturday, Oct. 1

st

Meet After The Parade! Location: 525 Connell Ave All Alumni Band & family members are welcome! Tickets = $10 Kids 12 & under eat free!

Thanks to the dedicated and hard working ALUMNI BAND organizing committee members for their creative ideas and will-

ingness to put them into action! And a very SPECIAL THANKS to Scott & Patti McKenzie who have spent hundreds of hours

the past few years nurturing the Alumni Band and developing an extraordinary looking newsletter! Patti, we can’t thank you

enough for your willing dedication!!

UM BAND ECHOES Carl Smart 2016 Organizing Chairman Home - (406) 251-6831 Cell - (406) 240-7220