The Wildcat Marching Band is pleased to announce that UNH Band Day is back after a decade-long hiatus! Band directors, make plans now to bring your marching band!
Register now!
Your students will have the opportunity to rehearse and perform with the University of New Hampshire Wildcat Marching Band, as well as many of their peers from around New England. They will feel the energy of a college game-day crowd and cheer the Wildcats on to victory against conference rival William and Mary! Your band will attend and participate in our morning rehearsal, learning music and drill to be performed at halftime. During the game, bands will take turns playing stands tunes to pump up the crowd. Bring all or part of your band to experience the fun and excitement!
We understand that this is an SAT testing date, and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. However, because we will perform as a massed ensemble, it is not necessary to bring your full band. If you prefer not to play in the stands during the game, that is fine, too. Just let us know!
November 3, 2012
UNH vs. William and Mary
| Tentative Schedule | |
|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. | Registration begins in Cowell Stadium |
| 8:30 a.m. | Rehearsal with the Wildcat Marching Band in Cowell Stadium |
| 9:45 a.m. | Rehearsal ends, bands return to buses for lunch and to change into uniform |
| 11:30 a.m. | Re-enter Cowell Stadium and take seats in the visitors stands Optional: Watch the WMB warm-up in front of Thompson Hall at 11:10 a.m. and parade to the stadium in front of them at 11:30 a.m. (distance from buses makes this difficult) |
| 11:40 a.m. | Watch UNH Band pre-game show |
| 12:00 p.m. | Kickoff! Bands will alternate stands tunes during the game (guidelines will be distributed as the date approaches) |
| Halftime | Massed band performance! |
| Post-game | Move to home stands to watch a full performance of the 2012 WMB field show Dismissal! Optional: March or walk behind the WMB back to the Paul Creative Arts Center to observe their post-game rituals (distance from buses makes this difficult) |
Cost
Cost for this event is $30 per band. There will be no admission charge for band members, directors, and teaching staff. We are unable to admit parents and chaperones for free, but we have secured a discounted ticket price for them. They will be available on the registration form for $11 each.
Music
We will provide sheet music for the UNH fight song and "Good Time" by Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen.
Colorguard
Carriage will be taught the morning of the game. Routines will be simple and repetitive, to aid in quick memorization. No equipment other than flags will be used. If we are able to provide a video in advance, we will do so here.
Front Ensemble
While the WMB does not have a front ensemble, you are more than welcome to bring yours along. If equipment must be transported from the bus area by vehicle (which is likely, due to the terrain in between), it will need to be dropped off during the morning rehearsal and stored near the visitors stands during the game. You may pick up the equipment following the game as the crowd disperses. Because we have an open stadium with many standees, it will most likely not be possible to move equipment in and out of the area by vehicle during the game.
Food
It is recommended that your students bring bag lunches to eat in between rehearsal and the game on the buses. However, there are many concession stands on site that they may take advantage of if you allow them to eat in uniform.
Weather
The Wildcat Marching Band performs at football games rain or shine. As such, Band Day will be held rain or shine as well. The stadium has a Field Turf surface, which prevents it from being too slippery. However, if the weather looks too bad to march, we will still plan to perform a stand-still show. We have secured the field house as a backup location for the morning rehearsal if the weather is too bad to go outside. If it is raining lightly, we usually have woodwinds put their instruments away but still go out. Hopefully it won't be an issue, but we'll make the call that morning. Luckily, the field house is attached to the football stadium, so we'll be able to direct you to the correct location upon arrival if you don't otherwise see the message.
Wildcat for a Day
Because we were able to bring back Band Day, we will not be having our Wildcat for a Day program this year. However, if you have any students who are considering attending UNH who would like to attend a game as a guest of the band, please let us know. These students would be paired with a current member of the band for the day, and they would have the opportunity to observe our morning rehearsal, join the band for brunch, play with the band in the stands, and watch the pregame and halftime shows from the sideline.
Directions and Parking
Final bus parking arrangements will be finalized in the fall and updated here, but in the meantime...
Directions to UNH
Campus Map with locations circled - We will be in Cowell Stadium
GPS address: 145 Main St. Durham, NH 03824
Parking for parents/individuals: Cowell Stadium is on Main St./Rt. 108 in Durham and is visible from the street. Parking for individual vehicles will be available in Lot A, across the street from the fields or on Boulder Field on the same side of the street as the stadium.. There is a $10 fee to park here. You may also park at the Paul Creative Arts Center (or in B Lot nearby) to avoid a parking fee. Allow yourself more time to get to the stadium in the morning if you park here, but leave your car until the end of the game. The WMB will march back to the Paul Creative Arts Center after the game. If you plan to watch the postgame traditions, plan to park here and follow the band back. This is also where the band returns from brunch to change into uniform before the game. Use the Campus Map with locations circled (above) to find your way to the field (follow the red arrows from the PCAC on the map).
You may park in faculty/staff or commuter lots or at meters without paying on game day, as those are enforced only during the week. You may not park in resident lots, and other parking regulations (handicapped spots, loading zones, etc.) are enforced 24/7.
To get to the PCAC from Lot A: Take a left onto Main St./Route 108. At the intersection in front of the Whittemore Center (hockey arena), take a right onto College Rd. Follow this road around the bend, then take a left onto McDaniel Drive and another left onto Academic Way. The PCAC will be on your right.
Registration
Forms will be available on the next page. The initial registration form is due by September 28th if you plan to participate. A secondary form listing anticipated instrumentation numbers (for drill) and final count of how many parent/chaperone tickets you will be purchasing will be available soon and due on October 12th. The band fee and payment for tickets will be due at this time as well. You'll be able to pay by check or online using a credit card.
Questions
If you have any further questions, please feel free to send us an e-mail at