Оркестр Аризонского государственного университета: История и традиции

Marching band of Arizona State University
The Sun Devil Marching Band (SDMB), also known as The Pride of the Southwest, is the athletic band of Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. The Sun Devil Marching Band motto is “Expect Great Things.” The acronym EGT is inscribed on a sign that hangs from the director's podium towering over the band's practice field, and is a symbol of the high standards that band members strive to meet. The ASU Band program, which includes the Marching, Pep, and Dixieland bands, is a part of the Sun Devil Athletics department. The band is currently under the direction of Director of Athletic Bands James G. "The Hammer" Hudson, who took over the program in 2006. The Sun Devil Marching Band is a major ambassador for Arizona State University and the state of Arizona. Each year almost 500,000 people are entertained by the band, which plays at home football at Sun Devil Stadium and as a pep band for basketball games at Wells Fargo Arena, homecoming, bowl game parades, other community events in the Valley, across the country, and even abroad.

On September 20, 1915, the Arizona Board of Education accepted and ratified the creation of the Tempe Bulldogs Marching Band under Mrs. Lillian Williams (1915–1917). Under her guidance she furnished on her own the band's instruments, uniforms, and repertoire of standard classical music. The Bulldogs Marching Band though would be discontinued due to World War I. Williams last appearance was during 1947 concert as then Sun Devil Marching Band director Felix E. McKernan honored her. The Bulldogs Marching Band return in 1929 under short tenure of the direction of John Paul Jones. In transition under the direction of Carl G. Hoyer in 1937 the band's first bowl appearance for the Tournament of Roses Parade where the band won second prize. Though that year Hoyer would leave after then Arizona governor, Benjamin Baker Moeur, rejected his Arizona State Song for the state song of Arizona. During Dr. Robert G. Lyon five year tenure was the addition of new parade and marching formations as well as swing music. Under Felix E. McKernan direction saw the various changes taken place for the band and the school. In 1946, the school's, mascot was redesigned by former Disney illustrator, Bert Anthony, from the Bulldog to Sparky, the Sun Devil. McKernan made his marks in the band by composing the school's fight song Maroon & Gold, implementing script drill formations in pregame and halftime shows, holding auditions for instrumentation placing, offering scholarships to boost membership, recruiting high school band members, establishing Band Day, and formatting three weekly rehearsals. All of which laid the basis for band to grow rapidly. The band's growing reputation brought a lot of praise from directors across the nation such as Clarence Sawhill (1947–1952) of the USC Trojan Band proclaimed the band as "The Best Marching Band in the Southwest." Also to the band's credit are performances at Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, the then Los Angeles Raiders and Los Angeles Rams professional football games, Phoenix Suns professional basketball games, SeaWorld, Knott's Berry Farm, Disneyland, Universal Studios, SeaWorld San Diego, on the deck of the Navy carrier USS Ranger (CV 61), and the 1990 Coca Cola Bowl in Tokyo, Japan. Of note during the San Francisco 49er gig fans were impressed by the Sun Devil Marching Band rendition of George Cory's I Left My Heart in San Francisco the franchise insisted on the band making a 1963 recording and continued on using it at 49ers home games. On November 9, 1991, the Sun Devil Marching Band became the first Pac 10 marching band to receive the prestigious Sudler Trophy. This great honor is awarded (now biennially) to a college or university marching band that has demonstrated the highest musical standards and innovative marching routines and ideas. On multiple occasions, the band was invited by the NFL, to be part of the pregame and halftime festivities of Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLIX in Glendale, Arizona.

Year Drum Majors 1947 Pat Pouppirt, Ray Davis, Duke Miller (feature twirler) 1948 Ray Davis, John Large, Pat Pouppirt 1949 Ray Davis, John Large, Allegra Powell, Duke Miller (feature twirler) 1950 Duke Miller, Marian Flynn, Darlene Miller 1951 Duke Miller, Don Harrington, Bill Lester 1952 Bill Lester 1953 Roger Schartzer 1954 Roger Schartzer 1955 Roger Schartzer, Barbara Chausow, Cloin Watts, Duke Miller (feature twirler) 1957 Roger Schartzer 1962 George Gullet 1963 Bob Beardsley, Aretta Toops (feature twirler) 1966 George Cullet 1968 Joe Wilczewski 1970 Roger Crump 1973 Steve Banks 1974 Steve Banks 1975 Steve Banks 1976 Dave Henderson 1977 Dave Henderson 1978 Dave Henderson 1979 Dave Henderson 1980 Rob Verdi, Pam Miller 1981 Rob Verdi, Greg Boyer 1982 Rob Verdi, Greg Boyer 1983 Rob Verdi, Greg Boyer, Sue Danco 1984 Jon Gomez, Bill Humbert, Sue Danco 1985 Jon Gomez, Bill Humbert 1986 Jon Gomez, Mike Goodwin 1987 Jon Gomez, Mike Goodwin, Leo Werner 1988 Mike Goodwin, Leo Werner, Todd Sisk 1989 Leo Werner, Todd Sisk, Brigid O'Neill, Michael Thompson 1990 Todd Sisk, Brigid O'Neill, Michael Thompson 1991 Brigid O'Neill, Scott Rye, Michael Thompson 1992 Scott Rye, Brigid O'Neill, Susanne Butcher (Grattopp) 1993 Scott Rye, Susanne Butcher (Grattopp), Kristi Olsen (Thomas) 1994 Scott Rye, Susanne Butcher (Grattopp), Kristi Olsen (Thomas) 1995 Susanne Butcher (Grattopp), Kristi Olsen (Thomas), Michelle Butcher 1996 Ginger Lockhart, Michelle Butcher, Tawnya Milligan (Ortiz), Kristi Olsen (Thomas) 1997 Ginger Lockhart, Michelle Butcher, Cheryl Muller, Tawnya Milligan (Ortiz) 1998 Ginger Lockhart, Jaime Ali, Cheryl Muller 1999 Cheryl Muller, Tawnya Milligan (Ortiz), June Wagner 2000 June Wagner, Emily Davis 2001 Emily Davis, Nathan Johnston, Ty Largo, Tawnya Milligan (Ortiz) 2002 Tawnya Milligan (Ortiz), Shane Edrington, Nathan Johnston, Ty Largo 2003 Alex Raines, Shane Edrington, Nathan Johnston, Katie Mauel Thomas 2004 Alex Raines, Ivan Pour, Katie Mauel Thomas, TJ Witucky 2005 Ivan Pour, Liz Salazar, Tim Rall, TJ Witucky 2006 Chris Boccuzzo, DeAnna Uranga, Katie Rennell 2007 Chris Coughlin, DeAnna Uranga, Katie Rennell 2008 DeAnna Uranga, James Clemmons, Katie Rennell 2009 James Clemmons, Greg Mills, Jonathan Saturay 2010 James Clemmons, Greg Mills 2011 Patricia Estrada, Greg Rudolph, Robert Mattix, Greg Mills 2012 Joshua Beedle, Robert Mattix, Riley Molloy 2013 Joshua Beedle, Robert Mattix, Riley Molloy 2014 Joshua Beedle, Riley Molloy, Jenny Huettl 2015 Jenny Huettl, Rachel Quirbach, Kaylea K. Payne, Dale Ramirez 2016 Dale Ramirez, Rachel Quirbach, William Everett 2017 Dale Ramirez, William Everett, Austin Cahoon 2018 William Everett, Austin Cahoon 2019 Austin Cahoon, Laura Anderson, Gina Sleeper 2020 Laura Anderson, Gina Sleeper, Shawn Schive 2021 Laura Anderson, Shawn Schive, Giselle Coll 2022 Giselle Coll, Avantika Mitbander, Jackson Snyder 2023 Avantika Mitbander, Jackson Snyder, Bryn Hutton 2024 Jackson Snyder, Bryn Hutton, Cory Yeager

Membership in the Sun Devil Marching Band is open to all university and community college students with previous high school or college marching band experience. In order to receive one credit hour for the class for full time ASU students and non degree community college students seeking the credit, enrollment in the class is required in order to obtain the credit hour. For individuals interested in participating in the Sun Devil Marching Band, but are not considered full time degree seeking students at ASU are required to apply to ASU as non degree students in order to register for the course. Currently an alternate “registration” route is offered for those who will only be registered for the marching band course(s), giving them the opportunity to participate in the Sun Devil Marching Band without incurring full tuition costs. Color Guard, Spirit Squad and Percussion have an additional class to add for one credit hour.

"Maroon & Gold", ASU's fight song, is a familiar tune for Sun Devils all over the country, but is not the only "fight song" at ASU. In 1940, during World War II, Fred Waring composed a piece for the Arizona State College called "Fight, Arizona State (March On, Arizona)" which had become lost in history until 2015 when director James G. Hudson discovered it in the archives. He arranged it to be a part of the pregame show during the band program's 100th anniversary. Also in the 1940s, band director Albert Davis wrote "Go, Go Sun Devils" (more commonly known to the band as "The Al Davis Fight Song"); to this day, though Davis retired in the 1950s, the Sun Devil Marching Band continues to play the Al Davis Fight Song in their pregame performance as the Sun Devils come out of the tunnel onto the field, and occasionally make up humorous lyrics. Another fight song that was written for the school but used sparingly was the song penned by former ASU President, G. Homer Durham. It was called "Sing a Song for ASU" and was last used at homecomings in the very early 1970s.

The band not only performs during pregame and halftime of the football games, but also in the stands. The music in the stands is a combination of short and long tunes to help keep the energy in the stadium and keep the crowd excited. Songs used for stand tunes include popular past and contemporary songs from many genres of music. One such example is the excerpt from "The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)" that the band plays when ASU's defense takes the field.

Towards the end of every marching season the band performs Pregame and all Halftime shows headlining the "Pass in Review" concert which was previously held in Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium. Digital and compact disc recordings of the Sun Devil Marching Band performance at Pass in Review are available through Sun Devil Marching Band Merchandise Website. Pass in Review also takes time to recognize upperclass band members who will not be returning the following year by allowing them to lead in a rendition of Maroon & Gold. The bowl payout for 2006 was $300,000 in addition the Pac 10 conference paid $389,000 (total $689,000) to offset expenses for the university. However, the university spent $824,000 total on the trip, losing $135,000 on the trip. In contrast the 1999 & 2000 Aloha Bowl paid $750,000 with no conference contribution, but with a higher ticket guarantee and only lost $70,000 on each trip. The bowl after decided to drop the Pac 10 Conference deal and made a current deal with Conference USA.

In 2007, in its 60th season titled as the Sun Devil Marching Band the band received a very generous donation from donor Dr. Verde Dickey, funding the purchase of a new set of uniforms for the Sun Devil Marching Band. These new uniforms consist of white jackets fading into gold with a sunburst at the clip. In the middle of the sunburst is a mirror which represents the illumination of not only the sun, but also the bright personality a Sun Devil reflects. One arm of the jacket is maroon, while the other is gold. White gauntlets fastened with suns, and white gloves using Velcro finish the sleeves. A cape with the ASU lettering is added to the ensemble as a throwback to capes worn by the band in years past. The pants are purely black, rising to about chest level with the aid of suspenders. Black Viper marching shoes are used paired with equally black socks.

The marching band uses many different instruments of varying range and sound in its ranks. Providing a central point to tempo and beat by conducting on the sideline are the four Drum Majors. The hornline is divided into two major groups: woodwinds and brass. In addition to the hornline, the band also uses a percussion section that is divided into a marching battery of drums and a stationary sideline pit. With presence of a pit as part of the percussion section, it makes the Sun Devil Devil Marching Band one of the few college marching bands to field a pit. The other Pac 12 marching band currently fielding a pit is the Oregon Marching Band. The bottom bass drum in the battery section was known as "thumper". This bass was used for count offs for the band during march around the stadium, parades, and entering the field for halftime shows.

Hornline is sponsored by Jupiter Band Instruments. Historically, the hornline in the band use gold lacquer instruments.

Percussion is sponsored by Mapex Drums and Majestic Percussion, Vic Firth Drumsticks, Remo, and Avedis Zildjian Company. In the past, outside of marching season, the drum line has branched out to other spectrums of the percussion world. They formed the ASU PASIC Drumline in 1995 with Percussive Arts Society International Convention being held locally and hosted by Dr. J. B. Smith, Professor of Music and the Coordinator of Percussion Studies in the School of Music at Arizona State University, at Phoenix Civic Plaza in Phoenix, Arizona. With the recent sensation of indoor percussion has had few lines part take in it. Initially with the 1998 ASU Spring Line and with the addition of the pit during the 2006 marching season the staff formed the 2007 ASU Winter Drumline. Competing locally in the Winter Guard Arizona circuit as well as nationally in Winter Guard International Percussion Regionals in Phoenix and Las Vegas in order to qualify in Winter Guard International Percussion World Championship in Dayton, Ohio. The winter line was on hold due to constraints since its inaugural line in 2007, but was re established in 2013.

Outside of the music producing sections of the band are the Sun Devil Spirit Squad/Dance Team, Featured Twirlers, and the Colorguard, all in charge of providing visually stimulating color and movement to the band in addition to the band's show forms and design.

Implemented in the 1975 season, known for the most visible aspects of the Sun Devil Marching Band, other than the Sousaphone Section. Presenting the visual story of the band's halftime performance through the use of flags, rifles, sabers, props, and dance. Colorguard members get a "corps style" choreography and benefit from the instruction by some of the field's leaders. The colorguard program also features a World Class Winterguard in the off season and holds auditions in the fall for the next active winter season. The ASU Winterguard competes locally in the Winter Guard Arizona circuit as well as WGI regional events culminating at the Winter Guard International Championship held in Dayton, Ohio. In April, 2012, the ASU Winter Guard (competing under the name FeniX Independent) won the bronze medal in the Independent Open Class of the WGI World Championships. For the 2017 season, they competed in the Independent World Class and placed 14th in World Class Finals with a score of 83.050.

The Feature Twirler position offers one of the most prestigious twirling opportunities in the country. Through competitive auditions for one year appointments, nationally recognized twirlers are used prominently during all Sun Devil Marching Band shows. Handling of the baton instrument to create visual images, pictures, and patterns, executed with dexterity, smoothness, fluidity, and speed, both close in and around the body and by releasing the baton into the air.

As a visible representative and ambassador of the university's athletics, the Spirit Squad/Dance Team devotes 15–20 hours every week to rehearsals, football games (home and away), Men's and Women's Basketball games, special appearances, clinics, competitions, and various special events. The creation of the Spirit Squad came in Spring 2008 with the university's decision to disband the cheerleading squad and merge the cheer and dance team, under the direction of the Athletic Band Director. Male members of the Spirit Squad are known as Sparky's Crew, assisting Sparky the Sun Devil and Spirit Squad in cheers with megaphones, banners, and signs. The 2012 2013 ASU Dance Team, under the direction of April Hoffman, competed in the UDA College Nationals, in Orlando, Florida, placing second in Division IA Jazz, and 5th in Division IA Hip Hop. In addition, our dance team also represented USA in 2013 and 2017, competing and placing gold in the 2013 ICU World Cheerleading Championship in Team Cheer Jazz.

Members of the Sun Devil Marching Band are allowed to participate in the ASU Pep Band, which plays at all home Men's and Women's Basketball games at Wells Fargo Arena and travels annually to Seattle for the Women's Pac 12 tournament and Las Vegas for the Men's Pac 12 tournament. However, starting with the 2018–2019 season, both tournaments will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the newly established T Mobile Arena. They also follow the teams to any NCAA and NIT tournaments they qualify for.

In addition the Dixie Devils and Sparky's Sliders are the newest members of the ASU Athletic Band family. Both groups, under the direction of world renown and ASU School of Music Professor Sam Pilafian. Dixie Devils is a traditional six piece Dixieland Combo that specializes in Early Jazz, Ragtime, and Swing Music, focusing primarily on the music of Louis Armstrong, Bix Biederbecke, King Oliver, and Freddie Keppard. The Dixie Devils can be seen outside around Sun Devil Stadium at all Sun Devil home football games, select basketball and baseball games and are available for all functions, Commercial or Private. Sparky's Sliders is an all Trombone Dixie Band that can be seen inside Wells Fargo Arena for Devil's Lair tailgating entertaining fans before games.