{"id":41564,"date":"2024-09-27T10:00:03","date_gmt":"2024-09-27T14:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/?p=41564"},"modified":"2024-10-15T16:07:09","modified_gmt":"2024-10-15T20:07:09","slug":"marching-band-facts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Aardvarking\u2019 and More: Fascinating Facts about the Marching Band"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Did you know that this iconic Big Red student group is almost as old as the University itself?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Joe Wilensky<\/strong> & Alexandra Bond \u201912<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more than 125 years, the Big Red Marching Band has brought music, color, and Big Red spirit to the Hill, Ithaca, and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students and alumni delight in singing along to \u201cMy Old Cornell,\u201d getting revved up by \u201cGive My Regards to Davy,\u201d and locking arms and swaying to the \u201cAlma Mater.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Trumpeting Big Red spirit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\n

At home football games, fans in Schoellkopf eagerly await the halftime show, when the band sweeps smartly across the field in synchronized patterns as it plays songs both time-honored and contemporary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is no more spirited group on campus than the members of the Marching Band,\u201d says Scott Pesner \u201987, who played clarinet all four years of undergrad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey evoke pride and carry forward school traditions from one generation to the next.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most active during fall semester, the band plays at every home football game and a handful of away ones, as well as at festivals and concerts in downtown Ithaca and on campus, occasional NFL halftime shows, and special events like the (not infrequent) weddings of band alumni.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The band can occasionally be seen\u2014and heard\u2014parading through the Cornell Store, on Ho Plaza, down campus roads, or (as it notes on its website) \u201cwhen we\u2019re feeling truly studious, the circulation room of Uris Library.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on for 16 band-tastic facts!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

It traces its roots to ROTC!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The band\u2019s origins stretch back nearly as far as the University itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"a
Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption>
The Cadet Band, circa 1895.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

A student brass band was first organized in 1870 and was succeeded two years later by the ROTC Cadet Band, the forerunner of today\u2019s marching band.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It remained part of ROTC until the late 1940s, when it became part of the wider Cornell Bands organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

It took a while for it to find its style!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Initial writeups of the nascent marching band were \u2026 rather harsh. As the Ithaca Journal<\/em> reported on one performance: \u201cThe Cadet Band played a few strains, but the principal strain was on the audience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"the
Continuing their military look in 1923.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In A History of Cornell<\/em>, Morris Bishop 1914, PhD 1926, was also less than enthusiastic about the group\u2019s choreography: \u201cAt a review of the troops the band was supposed to march, playing, before the battalion at attention, and then reverse direction and countermarch. The maneuver was too difficult; the band simply marched off home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the only \u2018real\u2019 marching band in the Ivy League!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Other Ivies only have \u201cscatter bands,\u201d whose movements aren\u2019t fully choreographed. The Big Red’s takes pride in being a true corps-style band: members march in formation and play in unison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"The
In formation\u2014before a packed Crescent\u2014in 1970.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the centerpiece of a famed NYC parade!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Every other year, following a Cornell vs. Columbia football game, the band leads a crowd down Manhattan\u2019s Fifth Avenue for the Sy Katz \u201931 Parade<\/a>\u2014fondly known as NYC\u2019s \u201cshortest parade with the longest history\u201d\u2014culminating in a concert outside the Cornell Club on East 44th Street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"The
Jason Koski \/ Cornell University<\/figcaption>
Big Red in the Big Apple.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy father had a dream of a parade for the Big Red Marching Band down the streets of New York,\u201d says Alice Katz Berglas \u201966, who has long shared stewardship of the event with her brother, Bob Katz \u201969, and alumni volunteer Penny Skitol Haitkin \u201965.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The parade marked its 50th anniversary in 2022 and returns to the Big Apple later this fall<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

It boasts a unique (and uniquely named) tradition!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAardvarking\u201d is where a band member, most often the drum major\u2014either atop a ladder or suspended from a railing or other fixed object\u2014bends backward, arms waving wildly, while warbling a series of high-pitched sounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"a
Big Red Marching Band<\/figcaption>
Does it look more like a … whooping crane?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The tradition, which dates back to the \u201960s and whose origin story remains murky, was originally performed upright, with the hands wiggling next to the ears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNeither I nor the band is familiar with how this name came to be,\u201d Greg Bodenair \u201910 wrote in the Daily Sun<\/em> in 2009, \u201cbut the ritual is surely amusing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The schedule is demanding!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Members are expected to meet four or five times a week for music practices, field rehearsals\u2014where they perfect walking with a smooth heel-to-toe step, taking small strides, and lifting their knees high\u2014and performances, not to mention individual instrumental practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"band
Jason Koski \/ Cornell University<\/figcaption>
A Reunion concert on Bailey Plaza.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

A long-ago director gets a shout-out in a classic Broadway musical!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n

Patrick \u201cPatsy\u201d Conway, who directed the Cadet Band from 1895\u20131908, taught music locally and later toured the country with his ensemble, Patrick Conway and his Famous Ithaca Band.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In stage and film productions of The Music Man<\/em>, he and other famed band conductors are name-checked by the character Harold Hill in the introduction to the classic song \u201cSeventy-Six Trombones\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019ll feel something akin to the electric thrill I once enjoyed: when Gilmore, Liberati, Pat Conway, the Great Creatore, W.C. Handy, and John Philip Sousa all came to town on the very same historic day!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

\"poster
Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the largest fully student-run organization in the Ivy League!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The band typically boasts around 250 active members (though they rarely perform all at once), including not only musicians but the color guard, which does routines with flags, mock rifles, and other equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"The
Jason Koski \/ Cornell University<\/figcaption>
Making music on Ho Plaza.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The group is completely student-run\u2014from the head manager, who coordinates events and travel, to the drum major, who runs rehearsals and leads performances. The choreography, or \u201cdrill,\u201d is designed by a committee of members who also select the music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Alumni join the band at Homecoming and in NYC!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Former members\u2014who created a Big Red alumni band in the early 1980s\u2014typically join the current band for a pregame parade outside Schoellkopf during Homecoming and are also invited to join the biennial Sy Katz Parade in Manhattan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Band
No\u00ebl Heaney \/ Cornell University<\/figcaption>
Alumni attend Homecoming\u2014with a new recruit in tow.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s part of a multi-band organization!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Big Red Bands<\/a> includes not only the Marching Band, but the smaller Pep Band<\/a> and the Big Red Bands Alumni Association<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(The Pep Band\u2014most famous for its spirited presence in Lynah Rink for men\u2019s and women\u2019s hockey games, though it also plays at many basketball, sprint football, lacrosse games, and more\u2014was a subset of the Marching Band until the mid-1980s.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the band receives some support from the Student Activities fee, the majority of its expenses are covered by the alumni association, founded in the 1980s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Big Red Spirit, Through the Years<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
\"A
A trumpeter with gusto, 1988.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"The
\u2018Bandies\u2019 hang out with the Big Red Bear, 1994.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"Members
\u201cCU in Schoellkopf\u201d: Group photo, 1998.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"A
Close-up on a clarinetist, 1978.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"tuba
Tuba traditions, 1980s.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"The
On the field, 1984.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"band
Parading in NYC, 1998.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"a
On the march, 1970.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"band
Spirit and sideburns, 1970s.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"The
On the Arts Quad for Fun in the Sun, 1977.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"The
The alumni band in Barton, 1987.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\"The
A drum major conducts, 1966.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

There are numerous alumni couples!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As is the case for many time-intensive student groups, band members have long been known to date each other\u2014and for those relationships to lead to long-term partnerships and\/or marriage. By current count, there are at least 80 Cornellian couples who were in the band together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

\u2018Band Day\u2019 used to be a massive event!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a tradition that began in the early 1950s and lasted into the late \u201960s, the band would invite up to 65 high school bands from a 200-mile radius to perform during a home football game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"aerial
Band Day once drew throngs, on the field and off.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The festivities included majorettes and color guards in pre-game twirling exhibitions. For the main event, staged during an extended halftime, the 4,000 or so participants would take the field, perform, and arrange themselves into formations for aerial photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1959, the Daily Sun<\/em> called the event \u201ca booming, bustling, sparkling display of organizational genius and musical ability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Women have been members for more than half a century!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In what was likely a vestige of its origins in ROTC, the band was all-male for many decades\u2014until fall 1970, when its single-sex policy put it in danger of losing University funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cWalking into what was then the band room in Barton, I thought I must have gotten lost and stumbled into a men\u2019s locker room,\u201d recalls Sandra Sears \u201974, one of four women to join that year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was greeted with cheers\u2014and the happy news that her presence guaranteed the band\u2019s funding.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"a
A piccolo player in action.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy the time I actually auditioned,\u201d she recalls, \u201cI was pretty sure that if I knew which end of the clarinet to put in my mouth, I was going to get in.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The band has its own home on the Hill!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2013, the University unveiled the Fischell Band Center, a dedicated practice and storage facility that replaced the cramped space in Barton that had been the band\u2019s home for more than a century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Members
Lindsay France \/ Cornell University<\/figcaption>
The center offers a bespoke space for the band\u2014and also comes in handy at other times, including as a home base for Commencement volunteers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Located just behind the Crescent, the 6,400-square-foot structure\u2014named in honor of its lead donors, band alums Sarah Thole Fischell \u201978, MEng \u201979, and David Fischell \u201975, PhD \u201980\u2014features slanted walls and ceilings for superior acoustics. Instruments, equipment, and hundreds of uniforms line the shelves around the main room, a three-story open area used for rehearsals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

A former drum major\u2019s invention has saved countless lives!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Physician and researcher Henry Heimlich \u201941, MD \u201943\u2014who served as drum major in 1939\u2014developed the eponymous \u201cHeimlich maneuver\u201d to dislodge food from the windpipes of choking victims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just months before his death (at age 96) in 2016, he returned for his 75th Reunion\u2014and conducted the Big Red Alumni Band in Bailey Hall following the State of the University Address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Dr.
Jason Koski \/ Cornell University<\/figcaption>
Heimlich conducts the alumni band.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

And … each section has its own culture and personality!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From the \u201cbones\u201d (trombone and baritone players) to the trumpets and flutes, the various instrumentalists cherish distinct traditions and engage in playful rivalry. (The Big Red Trumpets<\/a>, for example, bill themselves on their website as \u201cthe only real instruments in the Ivy League.\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"members
Jason Koski \/ Cornell University<\/figcaption>
The horn section gets into the groove.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

When Cornell scores on the gridiron, the trumpeters typically do a pushup for each point scored; the flutes have since added \u201cflute-ups,\u201d where a member is tossed into the air for each point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among other section-specific online presences: the Drumline maintains its own Instagram<\/a>, describing its members as \u201cincredibly attractive people that like to hit things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Top: An alto horn player in 1966. All photos by Rare and Manuscript Collections, unless otherwise indicated<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Published September 27, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Did you know that this iconic Big Red student group is almost as old as the University itself?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":41450,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"alumni_hub_syml_posts":[13340,7973,39967],"footnotes":""},"categories":[224],"tags":[],"cornell_year_post":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-41564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cornelliana"],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018Aardvarking\u2019 and More: Fascinating Facts about the Marching Band - Cornellians | Cornell University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Did you know that this iconic Big Red student group is almost as old as the University itself?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018Aardvarking\u2019 and More: Fascinating Facts about the Marching Band - Cornellians | Cornell University\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Did you know that this iconic Big Red student group is almost as old as the University itself?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Cornellians | Cornell University\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Cornellians\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-09-27T14:00:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-10-15T20:07:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/Big_Red_Band_member_closeup_at_game_1966_6201.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2035\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1145\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Joe Wilensky\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@WeCornellians\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@WeCornellians\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Joe Wilensky\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/marching-band-facts\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/marching-band-facts\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Joe Wilensky\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/eb12371d369d4c9b51867971301228e2\"},\"headline\":\"\u2018Aardvarking\u2019 and More: Fascinating Facts about the Marching Band\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-27T14:00:03+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-10-15T20:07:09+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/marching-band-facts\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1775,\"commentCount\":17,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/marching-band-facts\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2024\\\/09\\\/Big_Red_Band_member_closeup_at_game_1966_6201.jpeg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Cornelliana\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/marching-band-facts\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/marching-band-facts\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/marching-band-facts\\\/\",\"name\":\"\u2018Aardvarking\u2019 and More: Fascinating Facts about the Marching Band - Cornellians | Cornell University\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/marching-band-facts\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/marching-band-facts\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2024\\\/09\\\/Big_Red_Band_member_closeup_at_game_1966_6201.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-27T14:00:03+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-10-15T20:07:09+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/eb12371d369d4c9b51867971301228e2\"},\"description\":\"Did you know that this iconic Big Red student group is almost as old as the University itself?\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/marching-band-facts\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/marching-band-facts\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/marching-band-facts\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2024\\\/09\\\/Big_Red_Band_member_closeup_at_game_1966_6201.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2024\\\/09\\\/Big_Red_Band_member_closeup_at_game_1966_6201.jpeg\",\"width\":2035,\"height\":1145,\"caption\":\"closeup of a Big Red Marching Band French horn player on Schoellkopf Field in 1966\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/marching-band-facts\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"\u2018Aardvarking\u2019 and More: Fascinating Facts about the Marching Band\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/\",\"name\":\"Cornellians | Cornell University\",\"description\":\"Cornell's alumni publication\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/eb12371d369d4c9b51867971301228e2\",\"name\":\"Joe Wilensky\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cc152614df443c1338ec351e6dad0f70be9da543e8c7f2eacf811ce192f4300e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cc152614df443c1338ec351e6dad0f70be9da543e8c7f2eacf811ce192f4300e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cc152614df443c1338ec351e6dad0f70be9da543e8c7f2eacf811ce192f4300e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Joe Wilensky\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/author\\\/jjw33\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"\u2018Aardvarking\u2019 and More: Fascinating Facts about the Marching Band - Cornellians | Cornell University","description":"Did you know that this iconic Big Red student group is almost as old as the University itself?","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"\u2018Aardvarking\u2019 and More: Fascinating Facts about the Marching Band - Cornellians | Cornell University","og_description":"Did you know that this iconic Big Red student group is almost as old as the University itself?","og_url":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/","og_site_name":"Cornellians | Cornell University","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Cornellians","article_published_time":"2024-09-27T14:00:03+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-10-15T20:07:09+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2035,"height":1145,"url":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/Big_Red_Band_member_closeup_at_game_1966_6201.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Joe Wilensky","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@WeCornellians","twitter_site":"@WeCornellians","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Joe Wilensky","Est. reading time":"14 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/"},"author":{"name":"Joe Wilensky","@id":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/#\/schema\/person\/eb12371d369d4c9b51867971301228e2"},"headline":"\u2018Aardvarking\u2019 and More: Fascinating Facts about the Marching Band","datePublished":"2024-09-27T14:00:03+00:00","dateModified":"2024-10-15T20:07:09+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/"},"wordCount":1775,"commentCount":17,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/Big_Red_Band_member_closeup_at_game_1966_6201.jpeg","articleSection":["Cornelliana"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/","url":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/","name":"\u2018Aardvarking\u2019 and More: Fascinating Facts about the Marching Band - Cornellians | Cornell University","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/Big_Red_Band_member_closeup_at_game_1966_6201.jpeg","datePublished":"2024-09-27T14:00:03+00:00","dateModified":"2024-10-15T20:07:09+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/#\/schema\/person\/eb12371d369d4c9b51867971301228e2"},"description":"Did you know that this iconic Big Red student group is almost as old as the University itself?","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/Big_Red_Band_member_closeup_at_game_1966_6201.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/Big_Red_Band_member_closeup_at_game_1966_6201.jpeg","width":2035,"height":1145,"caption":"closeup of a Big Red Marching Band French horn player on Schoellkopf Field in 1966"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/marching-band-facts\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"\u2018Aardvarking\u2019 and More: Fascinating Facts about the Marching Band"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/#website","url":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/","name":"Cornellians | Cornell University","description":"Cornell's alumni publication","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/#\/schema\/person\/eb12371d369d4c9b51867971301228e2","name":"Joe Wilensky","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cc152614df443c1338ec351e6dad0f70be9da543e8c7f2eacf811ce192f4300e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cc152614df443c1338ec351e6dad0f70be9da543e8c7f2eacf811ce192f4300e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cc152614df443c1338ec351e6dad0f70be9da543e8c7f2eacf811ce192f4300e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Joe Wilensky"},"url":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/author\/jjw33\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41564","targetHints":{"allow":["GET","POST","PUT","PATCH","DELETE"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41564"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41564\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42557,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41564\/revisions\/42557"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41564"},{"taxonomy":"cornell_year_post","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cornell_year_post?post=41564"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_folder?post=41564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}