Rutgers University Marching Scarlet Knights

Marching Scarlet Knights
School	Rutgers University
Location	Piscataway, New Jersey
Conference	Big Ten
Founded	1915
Director	Timothy Smith
Members	255
Fight song	"The Bells Must Ring” and “Colonel Rutgers[1]"
Website	http://www.scarletknights.com/band/

The Marching Scarlet Knights (also known as The Pride of New Jersey^[2]) is the marching band of Rutgers University. The band was founded in 1915 as a small military band, and since then has grown into a 255-member athletic band for the university. The Marching Scarlet Knights performs at all home Rutgers Scarlet Knights football games. The band also travels to select regular season and post season football games.

History

The Marching Scarlet Knights band began in 1915 as an 11-member military band, playing for the Rutgers College Cadet Corps as part of the R.O.T.C. program.^[3] The band played at a football game for the first time in 1921, and began marching on the field in 1928 ^[4][5] By 1924, the band had separated from the R.O.T.C. program and began playing at home basketball games. However, instructors and funding for the marching band still originated in the military.^[6]

The band struggled to retain members throughout World War II. As a part of the military, band members and directors were often called into active duty.^[6] Around 1948, the band shifted from traditional military uniforms and style to a more casual “Ivy League” style, in which members wore straw hats, crimson sport coats, black ties, black slacks, and white shoes.^[6]

Under the direction of Casomir Bork during the 1960s, the band began having a band camp prior to the marching season. During the same time period, the band also began transitioning from the Ivy League style back to a more traditional style, modeled from the Michigan Marching Band.^[6] In 1966, Scott Whitener became the first full-time director of the Marching Scarlet Knights.

In 1968, the band officially changed from a military band to an athletic band.^[4] While football games were the main focus, the marching band also served as a pep band for home basketball games. Soon after the band’s transition, Rutgers University began offering course credit for marching band.^[6] At the time, the Marching Scarlet Knights band was known as the “Rutgers Marching One Hundred.”

When Rutgers University began admitting women to the school in 1972, women were also allowed to join the Marching Scarlet Knights.^[4] Disputes among students arose while integrating women into the marching band, and internal problems led to the disbanding of the local chapter of the band fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi.^[6]

In the 1980s, William Berz changed the style of the band once again.^[6] He gradually transitioned the band from marching with high knees to a more modern glide step, in which band members keep straight legs, with their feet staying close to the ground.

The 1990s marked a time of constant change for the band. Six different directors led the band throughout the decade. Marching band enrollment decreased significantly during this time period.^[6] Then, in 2001, Rutgers University hired Timothy Smith as the band’s director. As a combined result of a lasting band director and the Rutgers football team’s newfound success, band enrollment began to increase again. As of 2015, Timothy Smith remains the director of the Marching Scarlet Knights.

Past directors

• Leigh Kimball
• Charles W. Cook (1927-1939)
• Warrant Officer Vernon W. Miller (1939-1941)
• Wilbert Hitchner
• A.M. Bernyk
• Martin Sherman (1948-1955)
• Richard Gerstenberger (1955-1965)
• Casomir Bork (1962-1966)
• Scott Whitener (1966-1978)
• Ray Lucia (1979)
• William L. Berz (1980-1988)
• John T. Madden (1988-1989)
• Jonathan Korzun (1989-1990)
• John Hendricks III (1990-1993)
• Timothy Gunter (1993-1995)
• Joe Brashier (1995-1998)
• Bill Kellerman (1999-2001)
• Timothy Smith (2001–present) ^[6]

Instrumentation

The Marching Scarlet Knights is made up of the following:

• Piccolos
• Clarinets
• Alto Saxophones
• Tenor Saxophones
• Mellophones
• Trumpets
• Trombones
• Baritones
• Sousaphones
• Drum Line
• Color Guard^[7]

Traditions

Band camp

One week before the fall semester of classes begins, the Marching Scarlet Knights band travels off campus for a 6-day-long band camp.^[8] During this camp, the band works from 6 in the morning until 10 at night to learn fight songs, stands tunes, and the first marching show of the season. During band camp, auditions determine part placement for band members.^[7]

Game day rehearsal

On home football game day, the band rehearses four hours before kickoff.^[8]

Scarlet Walk

Two hours before kickoff at Rutgers home football games, the Marching Scarlet Knights band plays at “The First Game” statue while the football team walks by.^[1][9]

Knight Call

The Knight Call was a pregame tradition that started in 2001. The band played a fanfare to call the Scarlet Knight to the field. The Scarlet Knight then thrust a sword into the field, and the band played "Colonel Rutgers" as the team ran onto the field.^[6] Now, Knight Call is a tune that the band plays in the bleachers.

Postgame

After every home football game, the Marching Scarlet Knights performs "Loyal Sons" on the field in concert arcs. The band also sings the Rutgers University alma mater “On the Banks of the Old Raritan” after the game.^[1]

Notable performances

The Marching Scarlet Knights performed at Super Bowl XLVIII^[10] on February 2, 2014 during the pregame festivities. They put on a New York/ New Jersey themed show with the Syracuse University Marching Band. The song selections included Born in the U.S.A. and Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen, Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi, New York, New York by Frank Sinatra, and Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z.

References