Blue Band
| Penn State Blue Band | |
|---|---|
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| School | Pennsylvania State University |
| Location | State College, PA |
| Conference | Big Ten |
| Founded | 1899 |
| Director | Gregory Drane |
| Assistant director | Eric Bush, Corey Pompey, Darrin Thornton |
| Members | 323 |
| Fight song | "Fight On, State" |
| Uniform | |
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| Website | http://www.blueband.psu.edu/ |
The Penn State University Marching Blue Band, known generally as the Blue Band, is the marching band of Pennsylvania State University. Founded in 1899, it is the largest recognized student organization at the University Park campus of Penn State, presently with over 300 active student members. The primary function of the Blue Band is in support of the Penn State Nittany Lions football team, performing for all home football games at Beaver Stadium.
The current Blue Band numbers 323 members, including 274 instrumentalists, 32 Blue Band Silks (Colorguard), 15 Touch of Blue (majorettes), a drum major and a Blue Sapphire (featured baton twirler). Members come from virtually all curricula and colleges represented at the University Park campus of the Pennsylvania State University.
The 2016–2017 Penn State Marching Blue Band includes:
The Blue Band traces its history to 1899 with the formation of a six-member drum and bugle corps initiated by student George H. Deike.
A donation from steel magnate and Penn State College Board of Trustees member Andrew Carnegie made possible the formation of a brass band in the summer of 1901.
By 1913, the organization was known as the College Band, and the first permanent director of bands, Wilfred O. "Tommy" Thompson, was appointed in 1914.
In 1923 a few new blue uniforms were purchased towards replacement of the old brown military style uniforms in use. Blue uniforms were issued on the basis of ability and rank. Photos from 1924 (not shown here) show a nucleus of blue uniformed members in a block "S” formation surrounded by a large number of brown uniformed band members. This select group of instrumentalists became known as the "Blue Band" and represented Penn State as the official traveling band.
During succeeding eras in which Hummel (Hum) Fishburn (1939–1947), James W. Dunlop (1947–1975), Ned C. Deihl (1975–1996), Dr. O. Richard Bundy (1996-2015) served as directors, the name Penn State Blue Band was kept even though all members were uniformed in blue. Today, the director of the Marching Blue Band is Gregory Drane.
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