University of Minnesota Marching Band | tl

History the Pride of Minnesota


The University of Minnesota Marching Band was founded in 1892 as the University Cadet Band, with 29 members. In 1910, the first formations and halftime "show" were presented during the Gopher football season. Included in the formations was the first "Block M". The current Block M is now a symbol of the University.

The band has gone through many changes over the years. The first significant change was merging with the local Army band to form the First Regiment of Minnesota Band in 1918. A Second Regiment of Minnesota Band also existed briefly in 1918, until the Regiment was decommissioned later that year. Following the War effort, all students in either band were invited back to a separate University Band, which had dropped the word "Cadet" from its title.

Another change from the band's early beginning was the slow but continual introduction of women into the band program. Women first entered the Concert band in 1934. During the WWII years (1943-1946), women could be found "filling in" in the marching band, much like in other activities, such as manufacturing and also in baseball. In 1950, a new "Girls' Band" was formed at the University, which later was called the "Women's Division" of the marching band and remained for a number of years. Women were finally added as full members to the University of Minnesota Football Marching Band in 1972.

The band has had 18 directors from 1892 through 2006, starting with Neville Staughton, the director of the Winona community band and a Lieutenant in the Cadet Corps. In 1932, Gerald R. Prescott was granted a professorship in the Music Department, becoming the first Director of Bands at the University, and becoming the first full-time director of the football band.

The band has also had 58 drum majors, including 5-year drum majors George Aagaard (1931-35), Jim Wetherbee (1949-53), Richard Johnson (1961-1965), Jim Mitchell (1966-1970), and Kirk Juergens (1987-1991). These band members took great pride in leading one of the finest marching bands in the nation.

As always, the Marching Band performs at all University of Minnesota Golden Gopher football home games, currently at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis. The band also has its own paved practice field. In addition, the band holds an annual Indoor Concert at Northrop Memorial Auditorium, and performs in the U. of M. Homecoming Day Parade down University Avenue, at an occasional Golden Gopher away game, and at one Minnesota Vikings home football game at the Metrodome per year. All marching band members are required to register for Music 3480—the official marching band class in the School of Music. Since 2005 the band has been under the direction of Professor Tim Diem. .