Shaun Hellige

Sociology 1010
Final Paper
For this paper, I will be looking into the University of Utah Marching Band. We’ll be

looking at the history of the band, apply the theoretical perspective symbolic interactionism, and

look at the three concepts age, stratification, and not so much racial deviance, but academic

deviance.

The University of Utah was founded in 1847. Albert Ray Olpin, who had bachelor’s

degrees in mathematics and physics, and later a PhD in physics, worked on the Manhattan

Project, helped rebuild Japan after WWII, and conducted research that helped lead to the first

television broadcast, became the seventh University of Utah President in October of 1946. Two

years later, he reached out to Ohio State’s Ron Gregory in order to for the university’s first

collegiate marching band. Ron worked with the band for only six weeks, but four years later, the

band’s success was still attributed to him. He was one of the first directors to have a themed

halftime show, and the first in the West to march a band at a tempo of 180 beats per minute.

That’s 3 steps per second. In the 1950s, Forrest

D. Stoll became director. He continued the

band’s short legacy and achieved comparisons

to the UCLA and Michigan State bands. The

picture to the right shows the Marching Utes in

the late 1960s (“Runnin’ with the Utes”). Then

in 1969, the Associated Students of the

University of Utah (ASUU) cut the band’s funding (“Creating and Building the Pride of Utah”).

The band that we know today began receiving funding in 1976 and began once again under the

direction of Gregg Hanson (“University of Utah”). Then came along Sally R. Burbidge in 1986.

She provided the band with 24 new sousaphones, a full drum line, two full sets of band uniforms,
[Type here]

and 24 scholarships. She’s known as the “Fairy Godmother” of the marching band (Dee). Her

family still donates to the band every year.

Starting this next season, Dr. Brian Sproul will be moving into his eighth season as director of

the band.

The band plays at every home football game as well as a few away games every season. They

start rigorous rehearsal two weeks before classes start. Once classes start, they move to two

hours a day, five days a week. They also hold rehearsal before games and play for the tailgaters

and at the famous “Ute Walk.”

One of the band’s most noticeable achievements was playing in the Inaugural Parade of

President Barack Obama (“School of Music”).

The band represents virtually every academic discipline at the U, and even some students from

Salt Lake Community College.

Everyone in the band is very supportive of each other and we are all dedicated. We hold

candlelight vigils to grow as a family, we hold onto traditions that are made every year, we get

better and better ourselves with every step that we take. When someone falls, we help them back

up. We are the Pride of Utah, and we meet and exceed that expectation at every performance and

rehearsal. We do our best, and then we do better. This is the band culture.

To explore the group further, I will use the sociological perspective, symbolic

interactionism. The textbook defines symbolic interactionism as “a micro-level theory that

focuses on the relationships among individuals in a society,” (OpenStax, 18). I believe this

perspective describes the band because we’re really big on brand. What this means is how we

represent the university and the sports teams, but also how we represent ourselves. One aspect of

brand does have to do with our uniforms. This past season, we implemented a new casual
[Type here]

uniform for the tailgates, Ute Walk, travel, and

other events. No matter the uniform that we are

wearing, we are wearing red. We are wearing the

U. We are representing the U and whenever we

put on that uniform, we are expected to be

professional. We are expected to be in

performance mode. We are the Pride of Utah and This picture shows the Block U we create
during our pregame show that is unrivaled in
we keep it that way. Although the uniform the Pac-12 Conference.

represents professionalism, the U, and the marching band, to the members, it also represents

family, friends, memories, and growth. We are family. We create so many memories together

that will stick with us for years. We help each other grow as individuals. In the band, you have to

be able to step out into a stadium full of 45-

thousand people (“Rice-Eccles Stadium”), and

however many more watching on TV, and not

be afraid. As a freshman, first time marcher, or

first time with the band, that can be pretty

nerve-racking. But the people who have already

been there help you out. They make sure that you don’t fail because once you step out on that

field for pregame, there’s no going back. The above picture shows only a fraction of the pre-

game traditions that we do to get ourselves excited, calm those nerves, and bond as a family.

When you step out on that field, you must give it your all to make it worth it.

The members of the band vary in age from 18 to late 20s. Most people do four years with

the band. However, the band attracts so many more people. Younger kids love watching us, our
[Type here]

generation thrives on our brand, and the elderly generation loves to reminisce with us when they

were in band, or even in our band. The Mighty Utah Student Section (MUSS) is one of the

rowdiest student sections in the Pac-12. It’s because of the band. The MUSS loves the band and

we even dedicate part of our halftime show to them. Almost every time I leave Rice-Eccles

Stadium after a game, an elderly couple will say how much they love the band. Some of them

were even in the band back when it was revived in the 70s. So, although we have a small age

range in our members, our performances appeal to every age.

The band is only a part of the

University of Utah Spirit Team, though we

are the biggest part. To the right, you can see

a small travelling pep band and the Cheer

Team. The other parts also consist of the

Color Guard, Dance Team, and Cheer Team.

Each part of the Spirit Team is separate, but

we all come together to form one massive

force that helps build the whole football, basketball, and volleyball experience at the U. Not only

is the band a part of something bigger, we also have sections within the band. For instance, you

have the piccolos, clarinets, and saxophones that are all their own sections, but they also make up

the woodwind section. You then have the trumpets, trombones, tubas, and mellophones that are

sections but also make the brass section. And last but not least, you have the drumline that can

split into bass drums, snare drums, quads, and cymbals. When you like at the micro sections (the

individual instruments), there are communities there, they are all built to support each other, and

they all are one unit. But when you look at the more macro side (the brass, woodwind, and
[Type here]

drumline), you have three communities that build one culture. They all come together to build

the massive wall of sound that we have, and strive to be unrivaled in the Pac-12 Conference.

To join the band, you do not have to be a music major or even a music minor. You can be

whatever you want to be. The band represent almost every academic discipline that the U has to

offer. The beauty of this is that it goes to show that even though we have our differences and are

just very different people at heart, we are able to all come together in unity to accomplish a task,

even though it’s not simple. We work very hard together to achieve the unachievable.

Although the University of Utah Marching band had a rough history, every member is

able to come together and support the University. Even if you’ve graduated and been an alumnus

for 45 years. The band helps people find a place, create memories, and enjoy their college

experience. You get to be in a community that spans generations but will always be comfortable.

It’s diverse, yet put together. The University of Utah Marching Band is the Pride of Utah.
[Type here]

Works Cited

“Runnin' with the Utes.” J Willard Marriott Library Blog, 3 June 1970,

newsletter.lib.utah.edu/runnin-with-the-utes/.

“Creating and Building the Pride of Utah Marching Band, 1940s-1960s.” Utah Communication

History Encyclopedia, 27 Apr. 2017, utahcommhistory.com/2017/04/27/creating-and-

building-the-pride-of-utah-marching-band-1940s-1960s/.

Dee, David. “View Sally Cassity's Obituary on Deseretnews.com and Share Memories.” Sally

Cassity Obituary - Salt Lake City, UT | Deseret News,

www.legacy.com/obituaries/deseretnews/obituary.aspx?n=sally-rich-burbidge-

cassity&pid=95484299.

OpenStax College, Introduction to Sociology 2e. OpenStax College. 24 April 2015.

“Rice–Eccles Stadium.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 22 Apr. 2019,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice–Eccles_Stadium.

“School of Music.” Utah Marching Band - School of Music - The University of Utah,

music.utah.edu/ensembles/bands/marching-band/index.php.

“University of Utah.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 May 2019,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Utah.