Northwestern University Wildcat Marching Band
Encyclopedia
The Northwestern University Wildcat Marching Band (NUMB) is the marching band
of Northwestern University
. NUMB provides pre-game, halftime, and postgame field performances at all home football games while school is in session as well as performing in various pep bands and at "Wildcat Alley" before the game. Other NUMB performances include "Kids fare: March with the Band" in late September, the Homecoming parade, and any post-season football games, and one Big Ten
away game per season.
Under the leadership of their first full-time director, Glenn Cliffe Bainum, they garnered fame for Bainum's innovative half-time drills. In the early 1940s, with Bainum serving in the military, Harold Finch took over as band director until 1945, when the band was disbanded due to lack of personnel. Bainum restarted the marching band program in 1947 and continued as director until falling ill in 1950.
John P. Paynter became acting director of bands in 1950-1951 while working on his master's degree and then in 1953, became the official director. During the next forty-three years of his leadership, NUMB developed most of the tradition
s and culture it still has today. Among the accomplishments during his tenure were NUMB's incorporation of women in the 1970s, and the band's innovative use of drill charts to develop marching shows.
In 1970, James Sudduth became the first person (other than Paynter) to hold the title of marching band director. In the years that followed, several others held the position, including Cliff Colnot, William Hochkeppel, Donald Casey and Don Owens. In 1983, the position of the director of the marching band was shifted to the Athletic Department, and Dale Lonis became the first director of athletic bands. Under Lonis' leadership, the glide step
was added to the halftime show style. Also during these years NUMB began forming the "Sculpted N" in its pregame performance following the university's adoption of a new logo.
Stephen G. Peterson took over leadership of the band in 1987. During his tenure, the band was awarded the 1992 Sudler Trophy in recognition of a tradition of excellence. When the football team won the Big Ten Championship in 1995 and went to the Rose Bowl
, Paynter, Peterson and NUMB went too. NUMB's halftime show at the Rose Bowl consisted of opera favorites, including the Overture to William Tell
. Paynter died on February 4, 1996, just more than a month after conducting the band at the Rose Bowl. His Northwestern life was magically bookended by the school's only two Rose Bowl appearances (he was an NU marching band member in 1949).
In 1996, Mallory Thompson was hired to fill the Director of Bands position left vacant by Paynter's passing. That season the team went to the Capital One Bowl
(then called the Florida Citrus Bowl), and NUMB featured the Northwestern Percussion Ensemble in its performance of Malagueña. Peterson departed following the 1996 season, and was replaced by Rodney Dorsey, who served through 1999. Daniel J. Farris became director of athletic bands and director of NUMB in 2000. Recent performances included field shows at the 2000 Alamo Bowl
, the 2005 Sun Bowl
, the 2008 Alamo Bowl
, the 2010 Outback Bowl
, and the 2011 Ticket City Bowl.
Instrumentation includes about 150 wind instruments, 26 percussion, one feature twirler, and one drum major
.
!" while forming a sculpted 'N,' and the pre-game show ends with the band forming a tunnel for the football team to run through as it enters the field. Beginning in 2008, the band moved its performance of "Star-Spangled Banner" from the middle of the show (before the visitor's fight song) to after the tunnel, so that the team could be on the field. The pre-game show is done using a combination of the traditional high chair-step marching style and the more modern Drum Corps International
-style glide step
.
The halftime show uses glide step and curvilinear drills. Several different drills and musical selections are played during the season, with music generally including various rock
, jazz
, and pop
selections.
The drill showcases the Northwestern monogram and a line of brass spanning length of the football field.
Pride refers to the feeling of pride in NUMB, its performance, their football team, and their school. Guts refers to the fortitude to strive for perfection in marching performance regardless of the circumstances. NUMB stands by the team no matter what.
Traditions surrounding the SpiriTeam evolved over time, reflecting the personalities of the members of the SpiriTeam. The 2007 season marked the first all-female SpiriTeam.
List of Spirit Leaders:
Other noted names: Craig Nordstrom, John Knudson, Terry Applebaum, Fritz Erickson, Jonathan Lehrer, Henry Neubert
List of Grynders:
There have been other "personalities." Among them are:
Geek: To celebrate the traditional view of band members as "band geeks," the band chooses one member to take on all duties of being the official "Band Geek."
The three official duties of the "Band Geek" are as follows:
1. To be as loud and as obnoxious as possible.
2. To assist the SpiriTeam when necessary.
3. To embody the spirit of band geeks everywhere; past, present and future.
List of Geeks:
Dance Marathon (DM) Diva: DM Divas are in charge of organizing a group of NUMB members to dance in the popular campus-wide philanthropy, Dance Marathon. DM Divas facilitate fundraising for the group, mainly through organizing NUMB DM auctions.
Face Man: An unknown Band member disguised in a full face mask of an old wrinkled man assisted the Spirit Leader and the Grinder with their duties during games. Face Man was active from around 1975 to at least 1980. Nat Leonard served as Face Man 1985. Bill Hochkeppel, who served as NUMB assistant director while a graduate student in 1978, was the Face Man as an undergraduate. The Face Man is no longer present in NUMB.
performance of the University Hymn (also known as the Alma Mater). Under the baton of the Director of Bands, new students and veteran members learn and rigorously practice the Alma Mater at each year's band camp. It is performed during halftime and post game and is sung in four-part harmony following the conclusion of the post-game performance. On certain occasions (such as the 1996 Rose Bowl and the 2005 Sun Bowl) the Alma Mater is performed during the pre-game show. The melody of the Alma Mater is based on the Chorale St. Antoni by Franz Josef Haydn (also heard in Johannes Brahms' Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56B). The text originally was sung entirely in Latin (written by J. Scott Clark), but in 1958 the music was arranged by John Paynter and new English lyrics were written by Thomas Tyra.
The NUMBAlums were created by John Paynter in 1972, formally chartered as an organization in 1999, and officially recognized by the Northwestern Alumni Association in 2002. The NUMBAlums are an active organization that not only provides opportunities for the Alums to get together and perform, but also has raised funds for the purchase of new uniforms and equipment for NUMB. There are currently roughly 2,000 members.
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
of Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
. NUMB provides pre-game, halftime, and postgame field performances at all home football games while school is in session as well as performing in various pep bands and at "Wildcat Alley" before the game. Other NUMB performances include "Kids fare: March with the Band" in late September, the Homecoming parade, and any post-season football games, and one Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
away game per season.
The Early Years (1911-1952)
In 1911, Northwestern's first University-sanctioned marching band was organized to play at football games. Under student leadership, their numbers varied before they were put under the supervision of the School of Music in 1926.Under the leadership of their first full-time director, Glenn Cliffe Bainum, they garnered fame for Bainum's innovative half-time drills. In the early 1940s, with Bainum serving in the military, Harold Finch took over as band director until 1945, when the band was disbanded due to lack of personnel. Bainum restarted the marching band program in 1947 and continued as director until falling ill in 1950.
The Paynter Years (1953-1995)
Tradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
s and culture it still has today. Among the accomplishments during his tenure were NUMB's incorporation of women in the 1970s, and the band's innovative use of drill charts to develop marching shows.
In 1970, James Sudduth became the first person (other than Paynter) to hold the title of marching band director. In the years that followed, several others held the position, including Cliff Colnot, William Hochkeppel, Donald Casey and Don Owens. In 1983, the position of the director of the marching band was shifted to the Athletic Department, and Dale Lonis became the first director of athletic bands. Under Lonis' leadership, the glide step
Glide step
Glide step is a form of movement used by marching bands to minimize upper body movement, enabling musicians to play their instruments and march without air-stream interruptions. Standardizing the style of marching also serves to add to the visual effect of a marching band. Sometimes special shoes...
was added to the halftime show style. Also during these years NUMB began forming the "Sculpted N" in its pregame performance following the university's adoption of a new logo.
Stephen G. Peterson took over leadership of the band in 1987. During his tenure, the band was awarded the 1992 Sudler Trophy in recognition of a tradition of excellence. When the football team won the Big Ten Championship in 1995 and went to the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
, Paynter, Peterson and NUMB went too. NUMB's halftime show at the Rose Bowl consisted of opera favorites, including the Overture to William Tell
William Tell (opera)
Guillaume Tell is an opera in four acts by Gioachino Rossini to a French libretto by Etienne de Jouy and Hippolyte Bis, based on Friedrich Schiller's play Wilhelm Tell. Based on the legend of William Tell, this opera was Rossini's last, even though the composer lived for nearly forty more years...
. Paynter died on February 4, 1996, just more than a month after conducting the band at the Rose Bowl. His Northwestern life was magically bookended by the school's only two Rose Bowl appearances (he was an NU marching band member in 1949).
Recent History (1996-present)
Capital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
(then called the Florida Citrus Bowl), and NUMB featured the Northwestern Percussion Ensemble in its performance of Malagueña. Peterson departed following the 1996 season, and was replaced by Rodney Dorsey, who served through 1999. Daniel J. Farris became director of athletic bands and director of NUMB in 2000. Recent performances included field shows at the 2000 Alamo Bowl
Alamo Bowl
The Alamo Bowl is a major American college football bowl game played annually since 1993 in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It matches the second choice team from the Pacific-12 Conference and the third choice team from the Big 12 Conference.Traditionally, the Alamo Bowl has been...
, the 2005 Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl
The Sun Bowl is an annual U.S. college football bowl game that is usually played at the end of December in El Paso, Texas. The Sun Bowl, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl are the second-oldest bowl games in the country, behind the Rose Bowl...
, the 2008 Alamo Bowl
Alamo Bowl
The Alamo Bowl is a major American college football bowl game played annually since 1993 in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It matches the second choice team from the Pacific-12 Conference and the third choice team from the Big 12 Conference.Traditionally, the Alamo Bowl has been...
, the 2010 Outback Bowl
Outback Bowl
The Outback Bowl is an annual New Year's Day college football bowl game played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The event was originally called the Hall of Fame Bowl from 1986 to 1994 until being renamed in 1995 for its new title sponsor, Outback Steakhouse...
, and the 2011 Ticket City Bowl.
Instrumentation includes about 150 wind instruments, 26 percussion, one feature twirler, and one drum major
Drum Major
A drum major is the leader of a marching band, drum and bugle corps, or pipe band, usually positioned at the head of the band or corps. The drum major, who is often dressed in more ornate clothing than the rest of the band or corps, is responsible for providing commands to the ensemble regarding...
.
Pregame and Halftime
NUMB's pre-game consists of Northwestern's traditional "Pre-game Fanfare" and "Push on" fight song. After a "Patriotic Medley," NUMB performs the visiting team's fight song to the visiting fans. NUMB performs "Go U NorthwesternGo U Northwestern
The "Go U Northwestern" is one of the fight songs of Northwestern University. It was written in 1912 by Theodore Van Etten, a member of the Northwestern University Wildcat Marching Band at the time...
!" while forming a sculpted 'N,' and the pre-game show ends with the band forming a tunnel for the football team to run through as it enters the field. Beginning in 2008, the band moved its performance of "Star-Spangled Banner" from the middle of the show (before the visitor's fight song) to after the tunnel, so that the team could be on the field. The pre-game show is done using a combination of the traditional high chair-step marching style and the more modern Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International , formed in 1972, is the non-profit governing body operating the North American drum and bugle corps circuit for junior corps, whose members are between the ages of 14 and 21. It is the counterpart of Drum Corps Associates which governs senior or all-age drum corps...
-style glide step
Glide step
Glide step is a form of movement used by marching bands to minimize upper body movement, enabling musicians to play their instruments and march without air-stream interruptions. Standardizing the style of marching also serves to add to the visual effect of a marching band. Sometimes special shoes...
.
The halftime show uses glide step and curvilinear drills. Several different drills and musical selections are played during the season, with music generally including various rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, and pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
selections.
March of the Steelmen
While Charles Belsterling was Vice President of U.S. Steel he wrote the march that came to be known as "March of the Steelmen." Glenn Cliffe Bainum adapted the music to match a drill called the "Old Plus-Four". It has since been performed at the close of every home football season since 1928.The drill showcases the Northwestern monogram and a line of brass spanning length of the football field.
NUMB Personals
NUMB Personals are the messages written by the NUMBers (and often left unsigned) that are read to the band by the SpiriTeam at the conclusion of each spirit session. Fun, occasionally offensive, occasionally cute, and always a good time, the personals are a good way for NUMBers to comment on what goes on in the band--in a good way.Nicknames
The "Wildcat" Marching Band is also fond of nicknames. The Mellophone and Trombone sections, in particular, give nicknames to all incoming members. The Mellophonists do so through a system of "Mello Logic", in which they use 3 or more steps of separation from the NUMBer to create a nickname that thoroughly fits him or her. The "Boneheads", contrastingly, look into the soul of the new member and discern what their true name should be. The "Boneheads" also nickname all Drum Majors and Band Grads.Pride and Guts
Pride and Guts, also known as P&G, is the term used by band members to describe the standard of behavior expected of all members past and present of the band.Pride refers to the feeling of pride in NUMB, its performance, their football team, and their school. Guts refers to the fortitude to strive for perfection in marching performance regardless of the circumstances. NUMB stands by the team no matter what.
The SpiriTeam
Founded in the 1960s, the "SpiriTeam" consists of two leaders of the band: the "Spirit Leader" and the "Grynder" (also known as "Grinder").Traditions surrounding the SpiriTeam evolved over time, reflecting the personalities of the members of the SpiriTeam. The 2007 season marked the first all-female SpiriTeam.
The Spirit Leader
The Spirit Leader is in charge of leading the band, the students, and the home crowd in various cheers. By tradition, the Spirit Leader is elected by the band. The Spirit Leader's symbol of office is the Spirit Leader's Hat - a black aviator-style cloth helmet, which according to tradition belonged to a Northwestern football player who served in World War II.List of Spirit Leaders:
- 2011: Ksjusha Povod [Alto Saxophone]
- 2009-2010:Jed Feder [Percussion]
- 2007-2008: Brittany "Juneau" Petersen [Trombone]
- 2006: Caitlin "Sara(h)" Overland [Trombone]
- 2004-2005: Joe "Mr. Cactus Head Man" Filipas [Trombone]
- 2003: Travis Harper [Alto Saxophone]
- 2002: Tom "C-Dog" McGrath [Trombone]
- 2000-2001: Brian Link [Alto Saxophone]
- 1998-1999: Kellie MacDonald [Sousaphone]
- 1996-1997: Ryan Zawel [Trombone]
- 1994-1995: Ted Barlow [Trumpet]
- 1992-1993: Mark Megibow [Percussion]
- 1991: Drew Scott [Trumpet]
- 1990: Mike Diesenhof
- 1989: Sean Ivory
- 1988: Fred Hemke [Saxophone]
- 1987: Dave "Boomer" Towers [Percussion]
- 1986: Barry Ford [Trumpet]
- 1984-1985: Rocky Daehler
- 1982-1983: Gary Cooke [Alto Saxophone]
- 1981 "Cosmic Ray" Schwarzkopf [Percussion]
- 1980: BJ Mitchell [Trombone]
- 1979: Rick Foster [Trombone]
- 1978: Pete Friedmann [Clarinet]
- 1977: Bill Alles
- 1976: Heidi Ernst
- 1975: Stephen Senderoff [Clarinet]
- 1974: Joe Schorer [Trombone]
- 1973: Rick Blatti [Mellophone]
- 1972: Michael Marks
Other noted names: Craig Nordstrom, John Knudson, Terry Applebaum, Fritz Erickson, Jonathan Lehrer, Henry Neubert
The Grynder
The Grynder assists the Spirit Leader with cheers and keeping the band's spirit up during football games. The Grynder is also in charge of special cheers, including a traditional post-halftime extended cheer extolling the spirit of the band and its ability to growl loud enough to rattle the other team, wake the dead, and to be heard by the Grynder's mother no matter where on Earth (or Heaven) she is. The Grynder is in possession of a mutant gene, recognizable only to the previous Grynder, who selects his/her successor. The Grynder's symbol of office is the Grynder's Hat - a button-festooned black felt hat originally bought at the Wildcat's first Rose Bowl (1949) and handed down from Grynder to Grynder. The traditional goal of every Grynder is to take The Hat back to Pasadena and the Rose Bowl.List of Grynders:
- 2011: Jalen Motes [Percussion]
- 2009-2010: Zack "Posh" Moy [Mellophone]
- 2007-2008: Lauren "Bubbles" Miller [Mellophone]
- 2005-2006: Tim "Shredder" Peterson [Mellophone]
- 2003-2004: Jenny Tison [Alto Saxophone]
- 2001-2002: Ryan Schneider [Mellophone]
- 2000: Patrick "Typhoid Mary" Vukovich [Trombone]
- 1999: Noah Rosenblatt [Clarinet]
- 1997-1998: Josh "Huffy" Berner [Percussion]
- 1995-1996: Huw Gilbert [Percussion]
- 1993-1995: Sean Goldmann [Trombone]
- 1991-1992: Liz Barnes [Trumpet]
- 1988-1990: Kirk Anderson [Trombone]
- 1986-1987: Andrew "Drewker" Kerr [Trombone]
- 1984-1985: Tom "The T" Willadsen [Trombone]
- 1983: Tom Everett [Percussion]
- 1982: Tom Zamojcin
- 1980-1981: Bob Sutterfield [Baritone]
- 1978-1979: Jeff Baker [Baritone]
- 1977: Michael Serber
- 1975-1976: Mark Wolfram
- 1974: Stephen Senderoff
- 1973: Joe Schorer
- 1972: Rick Blatti
Other Personalities
There have been other "personalities." Among them are:
Geek: To celebrate the traditional view of band members as "band geeks," the band chooses one member to take on all duties of being the official "Band Geek."
The three official duties of the "Band Geek" are as follows:
1. To be as loud and as obnoxious as possible.
2. To assist the SpiriTeam when necessary.
3. To embody the spirit of band geeks everywhere; past, present and future.
List of Geeks:
- 2011: Kaitie Hilburn [Clarinet]
- 2010: Alex Hurd [Trumpet]
- 2009: Daniel "Scooter" Burgener [Trombone]
- 2008: Bethany Marzewski [Flute]
- 2006-2007: Michael "Webster" Kasa [Trombone]
- 2004-2005: Jason Crystal [Clarinet]
- 2002-2003: Michael "Cap'n" Riggs [Trombone]
- 2000-2001: Dave Lillethun
- 1998-1999: Tommy "Epstein" McLeod [Trombone]
- 1995-1997: Karl-Dieter Crisman [Trumpet]
- 1991-1994: Steve O. "Stanley" Schnack [Percussion]
- 1990-1991: Rick Dammers [Alto Saxophone]
- 1988: Bob Cleary [Percussion]
- 1987: Jon Loshbaugh [Tenor Saxophone]
- 1986: Andy Boltax [Trumpet]
- 1985: Art Olsen (the Ur Geek) [Trumpet]
Dance Marathon (DM) Diva: DM Divas are in charge of organizing a group of NUMB members to dance in the popular campus-wide philanthropy, Dance Marathon. DM Divas facilitate fundraising for the group, mainly through organizing NUMB DM auctions.
Face Man: An unknown Band member disguised in a full face mask of an old wrinkled man assisted the Spirit Leader and the Grinder with their duties during games. Face Man was active from around 1975 to at least 1980. Nat Leonard served as Face Man 1985. Bill Hochkeppel, who served as NUMB assistant director while a graduate student in 1978, was the Face Man as an undergraduate. The Face Man is no longer present in NUMB.
Colors of the Big Ten
Since 1948, the "Wildcat" Band has been fronted by the colors of the Big Ten Conference universities. In 1975, purple and white flags were also added.Alma Mater
The band is known for its a cappellaA cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
performance of the University Hymn (also known as the Alma Mater). Under the baton of the Director of Bands, new students and veteran members learn and rigorously practice the Alma Mater at each year's band camp. It is performed during halftime and post game and is sung in four-part harmony following the conclusion of the post-game performance. On certain occasions (such as the 1996 Rose Bowl and the 2005 Sun Bowl) the Alma Mater is performed during the pre-game show. The melody of the Alma Mater is based on the Chorale St. Antoni by Franz Josef Haydn (also heard in Johannes Brahms' Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56B). The text originally was sung entirely in Latin (written by J. Scott Clark), but in 1958 the music was arranged by John Paynter and new English lyrics were written by Thomas Tyra.
High School Band Day
Beginning in 1956, John Paynter began the tradition of inviting high school marching bands from the Chicago area to join NUMB on the field for halftime at one game each year. While Band Day was dropped from the schedule for several years in the '90s, it returned in 2004 and continues to be a feature each year. At its peak there were nearly 10,000 high school musicians participating.NUMBAlums
NUMBAlums are those band members who have graduated. The NUMBAlums perform during Homecoming at the parade, alumni gatherings, and during the pre-game and halftime shows at the Homecoming football game. NUMBAlums also perform at such other occasions as away games where the student Band does not make an official appearance, but where there are sufficient NUMBAlums available to put together a Spirit Band to cheer on the football team.The NUMBAlums were created by John Paynter in 1972, formally chartered as an organization in 1999, and officially recognized by the Northwestern Alumni Association in 2002. The NUMBAlums are an active organization that not only provides opportunities for the Alums to get together and perform, but also has raised funds for the purchase of new uniforms and equipment for NUMB. There are currently roughly 2,000 members.
Staff
- Daniel J. Farris—Director of Athletic Bands (2000-present)
- Mallory Thompson—Director of Bands (1996-present)
- Tim Robblee—Associate Director of Bands (2010-present)
- Roderick Cox—NUMB Graduate Assistant
- Leah McGray, John Zastoupil—Doctoral Conducting Assistants
- Roderick Cox, Deanna Tham—Graduate Conducting Assistants
- Dave Eisenreich—Percussion Instructor
- Andrew Toth—Color Guard Instructor
- Pete Friedmann—Announcer (since 1981)
- Daniel Reck—Webmaster (2006-present)
- Tom McGrath—Photographer (2003, 2008-present)
Staph
The Northwestern University "Wildcat" Marching Band is also assisted by an ever-helpful though sometimes-grumpy band of paid NUMBers known as "Band Staph". These workers set the field, uniform the band, purchase snacks for spirit sessions, and help the above Staff keep the organization moving.Timeline
- 1887 Formation of the first Northwestern University band.
- 1911 Formation of the first modern-style marching band at Northwestern under the direction of Dr. Milton Cruse.
- 1912 "Go U NorthwesternGo U NorthwesternThe "Go U Northwestern" is one of the fight songs of Northwestern University. It was written in 1912 by Theodore Van Etten, a member of the Northwestern University Wildcat Marching Band at the time...
" written. - 1913 "Rise, Northwestern" (Push On) written.
- 1926 Glenn Cliffe Bainum becomes Northwestern's first Director of Bands.
- 1928 First performance of "March of the Steelmen".
- 1942-45 NUMB temporary accepts women as most men are occupied by the war including the director, Bainum.
- January 1, 1949 NUMB performs at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
- 1953 John P. Paynter becomes second Director of Bands in Northwestern history.
- 1956 First High School Band Day.
- 1960 Strike Up the Band produced.
- 1970 Jim Sudduth becomes first person other than Paynter and Bainum to be NUMB director.
- 1972 Women permitted to join NUMB.
- 1974 Cliff Colnot becomes NUMB director.
- 1978 William Hochkeppel is NUMB director. Second ending of "Push On" changed to its current version.
- 1979 Donald Casey and Don Owens become co-directors of NUMB.
- 1981 Pete Friedmann first becomes NUMB announcer; he remains the voice of the "Wildcat" Band to this day.
- 1983 Dale J. Lonis becomes NUMB director.
- 1988 Stephen G. Peterson becomes NUMB director.
- 1992 The "Wildcat" Band is awarded the Sudler Trophy.
- 1993 Current version of "Pregame Fanfare" debuts.
- January 1, 1996 NUMB performs at the Rose BowlRose Bowl GameThe Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
in Pasadena, California. The halftime show features opera favorites. At the game, the band debuts new uniforms, commissioned for the occasion. John P. Paynter passes away just over a month later, his Northwestern life bookended by the school's two Rose Bowl appearances (he was a marching band member in 1949). - 1996 Mallory Thompson is named the third Director of Bands in Northwestern history.
- January 1, 1997 NUMB performs at the Citrus BowlCitrus BowlThe Florida Citrus Bowl is a stadium in Orlando, Florida, USA, built for football, which currently seats around 70,000 people....
in Orlando, Florida. The halftime features an extended version of "Malagueña". - 1997 Rodney Dorsey becomes the first African-American director of NUMB. First performance at Ryan Field.
- 2000 Daniel J. Farris takes over as director of NUMB. The band performs at the Alamo BowlAlamo BowlThe Alamo Bowl is a major American college football bowl game played annually since 1993 in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It matches the second choice team from the Pacific-12 Conference and the third choice team from the Big 12 Conference.Traditionally, the Alamo Bowl has been...
in San Antonio, Texas. - 2003 The "Wildcat" Band performs at the Motor City BowlMotor City BowlThe Little Caesars Pizza Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually since 1997. The first five games were played at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. Starting in 2002, the game was moved to 65,000-seat Ford Field in downtown...
in Detroit, Michigan. - 2005 The "Wildcat" Band performs at the Sun BowlSun BowlThe Sun Bowl is an annual U.S. college football bowl game that is usually played at the end of December in El Paso, Texas. The Sun Bowl, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl are the second-oldest bowl games in the country, behind the Rose Bowl...
in El Paso, Texas. The halftime show features "Rocky Point Holiday" and "Fire Dance". - 2006 The "Wildcat" Band performs with a featured twirler for the first time in 20 years.
- 2008 The "Wildcat" Band performs at the Alamo BowlAlamo BowlThe Alamo Bowl is a major American college football bowl game played annually since 1993 in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It matches the second choice team from the Pacific-12 Conference and the third choice team from the Big 12 Conference.Traditionally, the Alamo Bowl has been...
in San Antonio, Texas for the second time. - 2010 The "Wildcat" Band performs at the Outback BowlOutback BowlThe Outback Bowl is an annual New Year's Day college football bowl game played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The event was originally called the Hall of Fame Bowl from 1986 to 1994 until being renamed in 1995 for its new title sponsor, Outback Steakhouse...
in Tampa Bay, Florida for the first time. - 2011 The "Wildcat" Band performs at the inaugural TicketCity Bowl in Dallas, Texas for (obviously) the first time.
- 2011 The "Wildcat" Band debuts its current uniforms during the 2011 season's Big Ten home opener against the University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
.