Alumni who still consider their musical skills the pride of the Atlantic Coast Conference will have the opportunity to rejoin The Marching Tar Heels at this Saturday’s Homecoming football game.
The reunion, organized in conjunction with the General Alumni Association, invites past band members to return and once again be part of the experience with a pregame dinner and an invitation to play part of the halftime show.
“The reunion has been in place since before I came in as director in 1975,” said Jeffrey Fuchs, director of UNC bands.
Rejoining the marching band for the night is an experience that many alumni relish.
El Fisseha, the administrative assistant of UNC bands, said that in past years, between 70 and 100 alumni returned and that they included representatives from many graduating classes.
“The oldest year I saw this year was around 1960,” Fisseha said about the roster for Saturday.
The reunion involves the alumni in the band wherever possible.
“They do everything their section of instrument does,” Fisseha said.
“They might not do exactly what they did when they were here, but they follow what the band does now.”
Current marching band members said they find the event beneficial.
Lauren Hallyburton, a clarinet player for the Marching Tar Heels, said the reunion is a good way to promote continuity.
“I like it because now I know I can always come back to something that is a really big part of my college career,” Hallyburton said.
Alumni can register beforehand or on the day of the football game and can participate in one of two ways: marching or nonmarching.
Both roles invite the alumni to Top of Lenoir for the pregame meal. But only the marchers go with the band to Kenan Stadium and participate in the halftime show.
The non-marchers are invited to sit in the GAA section for the game.
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
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Thursday, May 2, 2024
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