The University of Texas Longhorn Band
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| Longhorn Band | |
|---|---|
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| School | The University of Texas at Austin |
| Location | Austin, Texas |
| Conference | Big 12 |
| Founded | 1900 |
| Director | Dr. Robert Carnochan |
| Members | 350 |
| Uniform | "The Fringe" - burnt orange and white western-style jackets with Aztec-striped pants, white cowboy hats |
The University of Texas Longhorn Band, also known as the Showband of the Southwest or LHB, is the marching band of The University of Texas at Austin. The Longhorn Band was founded in 1900 by a distinguished professor of chemistry, Dr. Eugene P. Schoch. The band is under the direction of Dr. Robert Carnochan, associate director Dr. Scott S. Hanna, and assistant director Damon Talley. In 1986, the Longhorn Band was awarded the prestigious Louis Sudler Intercollegiate Marching Band Trophy.
The band performs for many occasions, including the sporting events of various Texas Longhorn Athletics teams. In attendance at all home and away football games, the band performs signature songs such as "The Eyes of Texas", "Texas Fight", "Wabash Cannonball", "March Grandioso", "Deep in the Heart of Texas", and the "William Tell Overture". (Longhorn Band performances of each song.)
The band usually includes about 350 students, all of whom must register for a year-round course offered by UT's School of Music. One weekend during each football season is designated Alumni Band Weekend, when former members of the band return to the field as part of the halftime performance. The combined Longhorn and Alumni bands typically total about 1,000 members. The alumni band association counts about 2,600 members among its ranks, scattered across seven countries.
The band features Big Bertha, once the world's largest bass drum. The drum is managed by the Bertha Crew, sometimes called "drum wranglers". The crew moves the drum around the field during performances, and twirls it when the team scores. Big Bertha is nicknamed the "Sweetheart of the Longhorn Band".
The Longhorn Band performed for inaugurations of Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and the two inaugurations of George W. Bush.
[edit] References
Vivé Griffith (October 7, 2002). Showband of the Southwest. Feature Story. The University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved on February 24, 2006.
[edit] External links
