Solid Gold Sound Club Newsletter the Official UCLA Support Organization for the UCLA Bruin Marching Band
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Solid Gold Sound Club Newsletter The official UCLA support organization for the UCLA Bruin Marching Band Fall 2019 Band Alumni Reunion – October 20, 2018 A record number of band alumni attended the 15th Biennial Band Alumni Reunion, with 303 performing at halftime of the Arizona vs. UCLA football game at the Rose Bowl on October 22, 2018. Alumni Drum Major Mike O’Gara and Feature Twirler Deb Simek led the Bruin Marching Band playing “Bruin Warriors” across the field to begin the show. The UCLA Bruin Marching Band and the Band Alumni performed a medley of songs from The Phantom of the Opera, which the Band previously performed in 2008. At the end of the rehearsal that day, Marching across the field at halftime more than 800 Under and trombone player Dick Robbins, who were members Armour items, includ- of the Band in the 1950s. ing shoes, jackets, shirts, shorts, and other Dwayne Milburn, who arranged the current version apparel were given of “Hail to the Hills of Westwood” and drew the first alumni present. A artist renderings of our current band uniform, made commemorative glass his first appearance at a Band Alumni Reunion after tumbler and sweatshirt recently retiring as a band and chorus conductor in the were also given to all US Army. Dwayne, a clarinet and trombone player who Alumni Drum Major Michael participants. was a member of in the Band from 1983 to 1986, was O’Gara featured in last summer’s Newsletter. Four alumni received the awards for traveling the farthest distance to participate Also in attendance were several members of the drum- in the Reunion: Peter Dames from Honolulu, Hawaii; line celebrating the 30th anniversary of their 1988 and Stephen Anesi, Mark Cunningham, and Michael National Championship at the Marching Percussion Cooperman from the Boston, Massachusetts, area. Festival in Chicago, including Peter Dames, Ian Fullmer, Ernie Rodriguez, Paul Locke, Brian Kushnir, Alice Liu, The award for the representative of the earliest UCLA and Vangie Tangog Theobald. class was given to tuba player Peter Barrett, clarinet player Bernie Harris, snare drummer Karolyn Berkman, Award winners Dick Robbins, Karolyn Berkman, Bernie Harris, Peter Barrett, Alumni Feature Stephen Anesi, Mark Cunningham, 303 Band Alumni on the Rose Bowl field! Twirler Deb Simek Michael Cooperman The UCLA Bruin Marching Band on the new Muse album “Simulation Theory” That “Solid Gold Sound” you hear on Grammy “I always felt like ‘Pressure’ would sound great with a award-winning band Muse’s latest album comes from big marching band,” Bellamy said. “I loved the 2010 none other than the UCLA Bruin UCLA halftime show where they did Marching Band. In the Super Deluxe an entire set of Muse songs, so when edition of Simulation Theory, the we were looking for a band for this English rock band’s eighth stu- version, right away we reached out dio album that was released on to Gordon to see if the band was November 9, 2018, the Bruins are interested. We had a great day with featured on a bonus track of the all the musicians in the studio and song “Pressure.” The song was hearing it all come to life.” recorded at UCLA in the studio in Bruin band members worked on the the Evelyn and Mo Ostin Music music for about a week before the Center at the Herb Alpert School of session, but they had no idea who Music that June. the recording was for until they Gordon Henderson, director of the arrived at the studio. Bruin Marching Band, arranged the “When I found out it was Muse, brass and woodwind music, and I was in complete shock and was Kelly Flickinger, former assistant The Super Deluxe edition of the Simulation super ecstatic about the whole director, arranged the percussion Theory album experience,” trombonist Matthew music. “When I saw Muse perform Espinoza said. “The music was really fun, and I am for- at the Staples Center, I couldn’t have imagined that I ever grateful.” would someday have the opportunity to arrange a song Laila Sathe, a trumpet player, said “I think it’s awesome that a band as popular as Muse wanted to record an alternate version of one of their tracks with a marching band, and we were so lucky to have been asked to do it. The first time the whole band played the song together, we knew it was going to be a hit.” The UCLA Band’s version of “Pressure” has been streamed over 4,000,000 times on Spotify alone, and it has been heard on several broadcasts for the National Football League, Major League Baseball playoffs, and college football games. Other student comments included: Matt Bellamy in the studio at UCLA for this iconic group and prepare it for recording on one of their albums,” said Henderson, who has directed the band since 1982. “It was a pressure-packed yet highly rewarding experience that I will always remember as a highlight of my career at UCLA.” Muse has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide. Formed in 1994 in Teignmouth, England, the band com- prises of Matt Bellamy (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Chris Wolstenholme (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Dominic Howard (drums). In addition to winning two Grammy Awards, the group has also been recognized with two Brit Awards, five MTV Europe Music Awards, and eight NME (New Music Expression) Awards. Tenor drummers Erin Freise and Daniel La France The first read through of the “Pressure” arrangement “From meeting Matt Bellamy to tracking an awesome Chris Wolstenholme bass line on Sousaphone, I’m grate- ful to have been able to share this experience with my fellow bandmates.” Patrick Gardner, Sousaphone. Sousaphone player Patrick Gardner with lead singer/guitarist Matt Bellamy, left, and drummer Dominic Howard, right. “Recording for a Grammy Award-winning rock band helped define my experience in the UCLA Band, and I “I saw Matt Bellamy as I entered the studio and my jaw am proud to have left a lasting impact with the music we dropped.” Jacob Hambalek, Cymbals. created.” Kevin King, Trumpet. “Rocking out in the recording studio and seeing “Playing in front of thousands of people at our home Dominic Howard and Matt Bellamy following along in stadium the Rose Bowl is always great, but recording the control room was a moment I’ll never forget.” Adam a song for one of the biggest rock bands of all time is Cobb, Trombone. something I’ll never forget. As a graduating senior, it was absolutely incredible to end my career in march- ing band by recording for Muse.” Christina Martin, Mellophone. “Getting the opportunity to use professional recording equipment in UCLA’s world-class facility while getting to see members of Muse rocking out to the marching band’s music as we were recording was a once in a life- time experience.” Steven King, Trombone. The Trombone section “What we did in that studio is timeless and something I will never forget.” Kayleigh Hart, Flute. “Getting to record with Muse was one of the coolest things I’ve had the opportunity to do as a member of the UCLA Marching Band. It was an incredible experience to play in a recording studio and to get a small glimpse of the work that goes into creating an album.” Joey Auer, Sousaphone. The Trumpet section LAURA MONTOYA – First Female Drum Major at UCLA in 2002 and 2003 The first time I experienced a UCLA football game at the position. I felt disappointed, but not discouraged. In the Rose Bowl, I was gearing up to start my freshman the Spring of 2002, there would be new auditions, and year in 2000. A friend invited me to take in a match-up this time… I got it. between UCLA and #3-ranked Michigan. The Bruins The first time I tried on the white uniform, nothing fit. were down in the fourth. The UCLA band had made its As the first woman to wear it, much would need to be way to the field to close out the game when the Bruins specially tailored. In many ways, the next two years started to turn the game around. I could feel the excite- would be filled with more moments of “tailoring.” ment, the intensity of the stadium from the crowd and Tailoring and evolving my leadership skills and tailoring the band, and when the Bruins pulled off the win, the critics’ expectations of what a woman was capable of. Rose Bowl shook. For instance, I only ever met one other female college drum major. Band directors from across town to across the country told me they didn’t feel their schools were quite ready. That’s when it dawned on me how impact- ful this position could be. As artfully as I could, I took these moments to impress upon them the importance of female representation in leadership positions. And I knew I would have to prove it. Those two years were a whirlwind of rehearsals, meet- ings, games, and countless performances. But from the moment I took the podium, I never doubted the support Drum Major Laura Montoya conducting at the of the UCLA community, including the 250-piece band, Rose Bowl color guard, and of course my family. Having the oppor- tunity to be drum major, to represent the band and the I had been drum major of my high school’s marching university, is one of the greatest honors of my life. I met band at Long Beach Poly, and now attending UCLA incredible people such as John Wooden, played in stadi- as a science major, I wondered if I could balance these ums and arenas across the country, cheered on extraor- two worlds.