Purdue Band Day packs musicians from end zone to end zone

September 6, 2012  


WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Thirty-one high school marching bands from across Indiana will help Purdue's "All-American" Marching Band flood Ross-Ade Stadium with color and musical pageantry for the Boilermakers' football game Saturday (Sept. 15) against visiting Eastern Michigan.

Purdue's annual Band Day this year is set to be the biggest it's been in more than a decade.

"Looking out on the field and seeing 2,000 performers will be pretty impressive," said Matt Conaway, Band Day coordinator and Purdue Bands' newest faculty member.

The Purdue band will perform pop music, such as "Raise Your Glass" by Pink and "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga, to start the halftime show. The massed bands will perform a rendition of the classic TV theme song from "Gunsmoke" under the baton of guest director Keith Rudolph. Rudolph, who recently retired from Penn High School.

The show also features the auxiliary units of all the schools in the theme from "Peter Gunn." It closes with "America On Parade," combining arrangements of "America" and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."

Conaway brought his former high school band to Purdue Band Day and has memories of going with his band as a high school student to a Band Day at Eastern Michigan University. "It was my first college football game, and I remember it as being a fun experience," he said.

"For most of them, this is their first time to be in a strong intercollegiate athletic environment, and nothing compares to that," Conaway says. "The opportunity to stand next to the Purdue Band and to perform with it - not as a warm up act - that's really special."

Along with the stadium performances, the Purdue Band also will perform at "Thrill on the Hill," a concert and pep rally at 10 a.m. on gameday at Slayter Center. Fans are invited to follow the band back to the Hovde Hall fountain following the game for its final performance of game day and the traditional drum major breakdown.

2012 Purdue Band Day participating high schools includes:

* Attica: Attica HS Red Ramblers, Joel Good, Director

* Berne:  South Adams HS Marching Starfires, Curt Amstutz, Director

* Bremen: Emerald Alliance Bremen Marching Band, Matthew Sutton, Director

* Cloverdale: Cloverdale HS Band, William Cole, Director

* Crawfordsville: North Montgomery HS Marching Chargers, Jonathon Flodder, Director

* Covington: Covington HS Trojan Marching Band & Guard, Andrew Simpkins, Director

* Culver: Culver Community HS Marching Cavaliers, Jason Crittendon, Director

* Delphi: Delphi Community HS Band, Jay Dennison, Director

* Denver: North Miami HS Marching Band, Sylvia Maxson, Director

* Frankfort:  Clinton Prairie HS "Pride of the Prairie," James Bertucci, Director

* Flora:  Carroll HS Cougar Band, Andy Cherolis, Director

* Fulton: Caston HS Comet Band, James R. Byrn Jr., Director

* Hobart:  Hobart HS Marching Band, Brian Grenier, Director

* Indianapolis: Cathedral HS "Pride of the Irish" Band, Kathy McCullough, Director

* Lafayette:  Faith Christian School Marching Band, Joe Wright, Director; McCutcheon HS Pride of McCutcheon, Dan Peo, Director                                     

* Lebanon: Lebanon HS Tiger Pride Band, Alan Conrad, Director

* Marion:  Marion HS Marching Giants, Wayne Garrett, Director

* Marshall: Turkey Run HS Band, Annette Munoz, Director

* Montgomery: Barr-Reeve Viking Band, Stephanie O'Brian, Director

* Montezuma:  Riverton Park HS Marching Panther Band, Mike Hardesty, Director

* Oxford:  Benton Central HS Marching Band, Michael Richardson, Director

* Peru: Peru HS Marching Tiger Band, Diane Haley, Director

* Rochester: Rochester HS Zebra Band, Barry Frisinger, Director

* South Bend: Washington HS Marching Panthers, Wade Armentrout, Director

* Tipton: Tipton HS Blue Devils, R.D. Fletcher, Director

* Valparaiso: Wheeler HS Marching Bearcats, John VanPatten, Director; Morgan & Washington Township Marching Band, Justin Thompson, Director

* West Lafayette: West Lafayette HS "The Sound of West Side," Don Pettit, Director; Wm. Henry Harrison HS Militia Band, Steve Cotten, Director

* West Lebanon: Seeger HS Patriot Marching Pride, Patrick Teykl, Director

Contact: Kathy Matter, 765-496-6785, kcmatter@purdue.edu

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