We’re currently in the midst of high school and college football season. For many, this is a time to sit back, relax and watch the game with friends. For marching band members, football season is a time for intensive practice and weekly performances. They spend countless hours working on a show that is only about six minutes. Marching bands do so much more than just halftime show, of course. They can also perform in parades and competitions.
This is the image of marching band in its current state, but how did it get here? To understand the history of marching band, you need to go back to early military bands.
Early military bands were usually composed of wind and percussion instruments, such as a fife and a snare drum. They served two main purposes: entertainment and directing combat. Whenever the musicians were not providing entertainment for soldiers and boosting their morale, they would direct combat by giving orders on and off the field or setting the speed for marching.
Over time, military bands performed more ceremonial roles instead of directing battles. The United States Army Ceremonial Band, for example, performed (and still performs) at funerals, retirement parades, Presidential Inauguration ceremonies and more.
Military bands were popularized in the 19th century by John Philip Sousa, who is also known as the “March King.” He directed the Marine Band for a time and wrote many compositions that are still performed today, such as “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” The Marine Band made their first recordings under his leadership. They sold so well that President Benjamin Harrison gave the Marine Band official sanction to go on tour. Sousa soon began his own civilian concert band, further increasing band’s popularity in the public eye.
The first time a marching band performed at a football halftime show was in 1907. Since then, many changes have been made to marching bands. One of the most noticeable examples is the addition of auxiliary units, which include flag and rifle twirlers. They add a more visual element to halftime shows.
Bands have come a long way from marching alongside soldiers in a battlefield. While military bands still exist, they exist mostly as a form of entertainment, much like modern marching bands. Even though marching bands no longer shout orders at soldiers during warfare, many of the same terminology and clothing remains. Many marching band uniforms resemble military uniforms due to their shared heritage. You will also hear drum majors or directors call out commands such as “attention” and “forward march,” giving another example of marching band’s militant history.
Next time you watch a football game and see the band performing, try to see if you can find any other hints of a military background. It could be fun to view halftime show through a different perspective. It might also answer some of the questions you have about how marching bands function or why they do things the way they do.
Musical Musings 
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