Cal Band
| The University of California Marching Band | |
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| School | University of California |
| Location | Berkeley, California |
| Conference | Pac-12 Conference |
| Founded | 1891 |
| Director | Robert Calonico |
| Members | 240 (2010) |
| Fight song | "Fight for California", "Big C" |
| Uniform | Dark Blue Military Jacket and Trousers with Gold Accents; Military Cap with White Plume; White Crossed Vest with Silver Breastplate; Gold Cape; Black Shoes with White Spats |
| Website | http://calband.berkeley.edu |
The University of California Marching Band, usually shortened to Cal Band, is the marching band for the University of California, Berkeley. While the Cal Band is student-run, it is administered under the auspices of the university and represents Cal at sporting events and social gatherings. The name of the band is "The University of California Band" by the constitution, but is typically called "The University of California Marching Band" or "The Cal Band". When the band marches out of Memorial Stadium's North Tunnel for football pre-games, it is referred to as "The Pacesetter of College Marching Bands, the Pride of California".
Unlike most other collegiate marching bands, the Cal Band is not under the University's Department of Music but rather the Department of Student Musical Activities, with other student-led organizations such as the University of California Jazz Ensembles and University of California Choral Ensembles. The Band is entirely student-run, save for one University-paid employee, its Director. Five students, each heading a specific point of leadership within the band, are elected by their peers and serve for terms of one calendar year. The five student leaders and the Director form the Executive Committee. The Senior Manager is elected by the previous Executive Committee. All the other student Executive Committee positions are elected by a majority vote of the Band membership.
Presently, the Band has 240 members in the Fall of 2012 (no color guard or auxiliary) and is under the direction of Robert Calonico, himself an alumnus of the University and the Band, serving as its Student Director in 1976.
The Cal Band has its roots in the University Cadet Band established in 1891. In 1923, the Band was sponsored by the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC) and its student leadership structure was formalized two years later. In the early years (prior to 1971), various faculty from the Music department were appointed director of the band through an arrangement with the ASUC.
After the 1950 Rose Bowl against Ohio State University, the Cal Band decided to adopt its present high-stepping style after they discovered their performance looked lackluster in comparison to Ohio State's marching band. The Straw Hat Band, a subset of the Cal Band, was also established that same year. After Professor Cushing (director from 1934 to 1950) resigned, the Music Department was asked to provide the ASUC with a new Director for the Band. Coincidentally, James Berdahl (Student Director in 1938) was returning to Berkeley to work on his doctoral studies in music. The Music Department Chairman, Albert Elkus, convinced Berdahl to serve as acting Director of the Cal Band until the department could find a permanent replacement for Professor Cushing. Berdahl became permanent Director of the Cal Band at the end of the 1951 season, and remained in that position until 1971. During Berdahl's tenure, the band began using the traditional chair step marching style. It is one of only three bands in the Pac-12 (the others being the Spirit of Troy and the University of Washington Husky Marching Band), and one of the few outside the Big Ten Conference, to use this physically demanding style.
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