One of the main reasons why I decided to attend UM was because of its marching band. After playing the flute for seven years, I was excited about the opportunity to learn the piccolo. I also knew that I would meet some of the most important people and friends in my college career.
Keep reading to hear more about my personal experiences in the marching band and why I think you should join.
Why I Joined the Grizzly Marching Band
My past experiences in concert band in middle and high school were the main reasons why I decided to continue with music in college, even if it’s not a part of my studies. I’ve met the best people in my life through marching band because of its open and welcoming community. People in band are constantly learning and supporting one another and I wanted to continue to be a part of that community while in college.
What it Means to be in Marching Band
Yes, being in the marching band is tough. It means working hard to learn marching skills and new music and maybe even a new instrument, all while having frequent rehearsals and ten-hour game days. However, being a part of theGrizzly Marching Band (GMB) is something not many people get to experience.
There is something about being a part of a band, a unit that moves on the turf of the Washington-Grizzly Stadium, that makes you feel like you’re a part of something bigger than yourself. And with the weeklong band camp before classes start in August, it starts to feel like your own kind of family.
Band is where you challenge yourself and work together with others around you to have the time of your life under those stadium lights. It’s where you’ll feel the most spirited, the most like a grizzly and you even get to wear a funky uniform while doing it. Even if you’ve never touched an instrument or marched before, the GMB is for everyone.
The Game Day Experience
There’s nothing like the electric game day feeling. Starting with a “griz morning” from your fellow bandmates at 8 am on a Saturday sets you up for the perfect game day, no matter the end score. In the GMB, we start rehearsal in the stadium about five hours before kickoff, in uniform, ready to go.
After that we get pumped up and run out to Griz Walk to welcome the team into the gym for them to get ready. We mostly play drum cadences and dance; it’s high-energy, and the Griz fans love it. Then, after burning all of those calories jumping and dancing around, we get a break for lunch.
Lunch passes and we make our way up to the amphitheater at the base of the M trail to warm up. We’ll play songs like “Holiday” or “Runaway Baby” and then move into our lines for the parade to the stadium, stopping to play the songs we warmed up with for the GSA. Then, it’s tunnel time.
Lined up in the tunnel is where I feel the most excited for the game; all the energy and exhilaration are amped up under the concrete of the stadium. We see the crowd, listen to the loudspeakers, and after a bit we run out and perform our pregame show. Kickoff happens and we run up to the stands where we spend most of the game dancing and playing shorter tunes.
The big show at halftime always sneaks up on me. The game goes by so quickly and there’s so much anticipation for the show that it’s over before you know it. We end the game by playing a song or two after time is called, then head to the music building, take off the uniform, and get ready to go home.
Perks of Joining Marching Band
There are many perks to joining the UM marching band. The main one is a community you can rely on and have fun with, even before the semester starts. With the week-long band camp that begins a bit before classes start, first-year students can move in early and avoid the move-in day rush.
Students also receive a scholarship that increases each year they participate in the GMB. After the season is over, there’s a band banquet with good food and certificates given to students based on how many years they’ve been in the band and other fun titles that the band creates.
Of course, you can’t forget the game day excitement. Participating and being a big part of UM’s school spirit at football games is unmatched. Sometimes Monte will even come up and play with us. If you want to participate more in Griz football games and help pump up the crowd, the GMB is right for you.
I was lucky enough to join the UM Football Team during my freshman year to travel to Frisco, Texas, for the National Championships. We raised funds for the event and got to do more than just perform at the football game. We went to the Dallas Zoo, Buc-ee’s country store, and performed at the pep rally the night before the game. This experience was once-in-a-lifetime, and I wouldn’t have had the chance to go if I weren’t in the band.
How to Join Marching Band
You can find information on how to join the UM marching band here and can email the director of the UM marching band, Dr. Kevin Griggs, to show your interest. After your first application, you can sign up for the Marching Band class during registration, that’s right, you get credit for being in the GMB!
Request Grizzly Marching Band Information
Related: Grizzly Marching Band Hits High Note
Why I Joined Pep Band
The difference between Grizzly Marching Band and Pep Band is that pep band starts in November and consists of playing indoors at basketball games, while marching band starts in August and is for football games and other community events. The UM Pep Band allows you to play indoors during the chilly winter season, the uniform is much more casual and you get paid for each game you attend!
Pep band is a smaller band that plays for the UM men's and women's basketball teams. It has fewer instruments and includes a drum kit and a bass guitar for a more jazzy feel. Pep band is open to anyone and is a great chance to earn some money while playing tunes that might not be in the marching band song lineup.
I joined the UM Pep Band because it offered the opportunity to learn a new instrument. My first year being in the pep band, I picked up the alto saxophone with my friend from marching band, and we learned it together. Pep band is a great chance to learn a new instrument if you have previous music experience.
What it Means to be in Pep Band
Pep games usually happen 1-3 times a week and last about 2 hours per game. Attendance is optional for each game, which creates a mixed group of instruments for a unique sound. Pep band doesn’t have uniforms besides simple UM attire or anything maroon-colored. Sometimes the band gets UM gear or community merch such as t-shirts or hats, or even socks from Hank Green’s sock company.
With incentives like getting a free Wendy’s frosty if the team scores enough, pep games are full of fun UM events and prizes. There’s also a greater collaboration between the Grizzly Pep Band and Zoo Crew during basketball season. They’ll host competitions and other events during the games to keep the crowd entertained.
The second season of Pep Band that I did, both the Griz basketball team and the Lady Griz basketball team went to nationals in Boise, Idaho. I was able to travel with the team and visit a place I’d never been to before. I had lots of fun, and you can be sure that the most exciting part was going to the Trader Joe's in Boise.
How Band Made Me More School Spirited
Being in Grizzly Marching Band means representing UM and getting students and the crowd excited for the game. This has made me more school-spirited and excited to participate in school events because I know I’ll get to do these things with people I’m close to. There is no better experience than yelling “Go Griz!” with a fellow section mate.
The marching band and pep band also collaborate closely with the UM Dance Team and the UM Cheer Team. Together we work with the Spirit Squad and support each other to hype up our fellow Grizzlies. Oftentimes we’ll play a tune and the dance team and cheer team will start doing a routine to our songs. They even occasionally perform halftime with us!
Band as a Community
Band is a great place for people of all backgrounds and experiences to come together and learn to play music together. Since I picked up the flute in 6th grade, I was told that the band room is welcoming. That sentiment has rung true through my experience with seven different band directors in 9 years.
The band room has always been a safe space for me, and I know that this sentiment is true for others as well. No matter what, as a band, we support each other, and this can be hard to find sometimes in our turbulent society. What’s important is that we’re all there for each other, and if something goes wrong, we talk about it and work it through, together.
Not Just an Extracurricular
Studies show that playing an instrument, memorizing music, marching, and counting during a marching band halftime show is very important for your brain. Playing music and being in a community like this helps with many aspects of life and career readiness, like leadership, collaboration, communication, and even organization or punctuality.
Band is a diverse way to work on skills that can help your future. Since I’ve become a section leader, I’ve learned more about conflict resolution and keeping a good attitude and helping others than I have in any other area of my life. The stakes are higher in college band than in high school, and because of that, I’ve learned to adapt to other situations under more pressure.
Why Supporting the Arts is Important
As the arts continue to struggle against other programs, it’s essential that we feel supported as a community. We bring so much energy and spirit to the game day experience and use appreciation as fuel for our performance. The arts are where talented and welcoming students support each other and hope to continue that legacy.
Madison Knapp is a student at the University of Montana who majors in Creative Writing and minors in French. She is an out-of-state student from Bellingham, Washington, and has thoroughly enjoyed her time at UM. She is also a DHC student and a proud member of the Grizzly Marching Band.
