For select scholarships, students submit the best stories that they’ve crafted as part of the application process. From dozens of strong applications for this round of scholarships, three winners emerged – Olivia Capriotti, Lucy Postera and Shannon Moore. This is Moore’s winning submission for the Karen List Award for Excellence in Student Reporting, a piece about the iconic UMass Marching Band on its 150th anniversary.
On Friday, Oct. 27, the University of Massachusetts Marching Band (UMMB) gathered on the Recreation Center Fields for their typical rehearsal at their typical time, like they do every weekday. But this wasn’t just a typical rehearsal — it was “Band-O-Ween.” Members were decked out in various costumes: ghosts, chefs, firefighters, the characters from “The Lorax,” pigs, Barbies and Kens and even Walter White from “Breaking Bad.”
While “Band-O-Ween” may not be a typical rehearsal, the intensity and dedication of the Marching Band is. The band is celebrating their 150th anniversary this year. Founded in 1873, UMMB is only 10 years younger than the actual University itself. Consisting of over 380 members, numerous sections, subsections and smaller ensembles, UMMB is one of the largest organizations on campus. They’re also one of the most intense; their schedule consists of rehearsing every weekday from 4:40 p.m. to 6:10 p.m., with almost every Saturday booked for a football game performance. There’s no question the Marching Band requires extreme dedication. But what keeps that dedication alive? Is it the love of music, the rush of performing?
The answer I found lies in the all-accepting community, the family that is the marching band.
“Band is for everyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re crashing the symbols, playing the flute or tossing a flag. No matter what you do, you’re part of the same group, the same family if you will,” said Dr. Timothy Todd Anderson, director of UMMB. Dr. Anderson, or TTA to the band members, has served as director of the band since 2011.
Read the rest of Moore's winning story here
2024 Scholarship Winners: Shannon Moore
Moore's feature on the UMass Marching Band earned the 2024 Karen List Award for Excellence in Student Reporting scholarship prize.
