Marching Chiefs
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Since 1949, the name Marching Chiefs has served as the official title of the marching band of The Florida State University.
[edit] History
An unnamed band had existed at the university since 1941 when the school was still The Florida State College for Women under the leadership of Charlotte Cooper, Jean Hitchcock, Allie Ludlaw, and director Owen F. Sellers. With fewer than twenty students, the band made its first performance at the Odds and Evens intramural football game on Thanksgiving Day 1939. With the integration of male students to the university in 1947 and a budding athletic program on the horizon, the marching band found itself expanding and searching for a unique identity. A newspaper survey conducted that year, sponsored by the FSU Student Government Association, aided in selecting the title officially adopted by the university.
The first appearance of the Marching Chiefs was at Stetson University in 1949.
In 1953, Dr. Manley R. Whitcomb, formerly of Ohio State University, joined the faculty at FSU as the director of the Marching Chiefs. Whitcomb is credited with being the first to implement fast marching tempos, and high marching steps known as the "Chief Step". Whitcomb was also among the first college band directors to use the football grid as a template for planning halftime shows. He has been credited as the inventor of the eight steps to five yards, or 8-to-5, marching pace. Along with Dr. Whitcomb came the talented young arranger, Charlie Carter. Under Whitcomb's tutelage, chapters of the honorary band fraternity and sorority Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma were installed.
In 1958 Charlie Carter arranged J. Dayton's Smith's, "The Hymn to the Garnet and the Gold" into the current arrangement the Marching Chiefs play to this day. It was after the Homecoming game of that same year that "The Hymn to the Garnet and the Gold" was played (and sung) by the Marching Chiefs starting a tradition that still endures to this day.
In 1959 the Marching Chiefs practice field was moved to its current location, just south of the Tully Gym/Leach Center Complex. Early band members called it Sherwood Forest.
By the early 1960s, the band numbered about 150 and Whitcomb had turned over the reins of the marching band to longtime music faculty member Robert T. Braunagel, "Brownie." Carter remained as arranger. Cliff Madsen was assistant director. This period saw FSU's first football victories over instate rivals Miami and Florida, and the band was there to witness and aid them. Band trips to Miami were annual and much-anticipated events, since Miami was unwilling to visit the much smaller FSU stadium. Uniforms were updated from black double-breasted coats to trimmer black uniforms with gold overlays embroidered with a Seminole Indian profile. Girls, or "chicks" in Chiefs' parlance, wore skirts and majorette boots.
Probably the most significant event of the decade occurred in 1963, when the homecoming halftime show featured an innovation in halftime entertainment: the first-ever performance of an original composition for marching band, accompanied by abstract formations integrated with the music. Band Ballet was a challenging work approximately 10 minutes long composed by John Boda, a well-known composer and FSU professor. The intricate formations were created by director Robert Braunagel.
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In 1971 Florida State University Alumnus and former Marching Chief Drum Major Richard Mayo took over as Director of the Marching Chiefs. That same year the Marching Chiefs grew to over 200 members and were finalists in the Best College Marching Band Contest on ABC-TV.
In 1974 the Marching Chiefs traveled as guests of the United States Department of State to perform at the International Trade Fair in Damascus, Syria. While in the Middle East, the Chiefs traveled to Amman, Jordan for a command performance for King Hussein. Thus beginning the "world-renowned" title that the Marching Chiefs use to this day.
In 1977 FSU and Marching Chief Alumnus Dr. Bentley Shellahamer took over as Director of the Marching Chiefs.
In 1977 the Marching Chiefs made their first NFL performance for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In 1978 the Marching Chiefs made their second NFL performance for the New Orleans Saints.
In 1981 membership in the Marching Chiefs exceeded 300 and FSU Alumnus David Westberry took over as voice of the Marching Chiefs.
The December 6, 1982 issue of Sports Illustrated magazine stated that, "Florida State occasionally may lose a football game, but never a halftime show."
In 1984 the Marching Chiefs made their third NFL performance jointly with the Fightin' Gator Marching Band of the University of Florida at Super Bowl XVIII in Tampa, FL.
In 1988, the Chiefs had grown to over 400 members, making the ensemble the largest collegiate marching band in the world.
In 1989 Robert Sheldon became Director of the Marching Chiefs.
In 1991 the Chiefs became the first collegiate marching band to produce their own CD recording "Our Best Foot Forward", under the direction of new director Patrick Dunnigan.
In 1992 the Marching Chiefs practice field was renamed in honor of Dr. Manley R. Whitcomb.
In 1997 the Marching Chiefs renewed their "world-renowned" status when they traveled to London, England to perform a halftime show for the World Football League's London Monarchs.
The 2001 season marked the first appearance of the Marching Chiefs current uniform of garnet pants, garnet shako hat with a white feather plume, and white jacket featuring the garnet arrow head on the back and "FSU" on the front. The previous uniforms (1989 - 2000) were retired and are now being made into commemorative pillows as a fund raising project for the Florida State University Band Alumni Association to raise funds for an archway entrance to the Dr. Manley R. Whitcomb Band Complex.
In 2005, a donation of over $1 million dollars was made to the university for a new practice field for the Marching Chiefs. Starting with the 2005 season, the Chiefs have a brand new million dollar artificial turf field to march on fully painted as Bobby Bowden Field would be on game day, complete with the FSU Seminole Head Logo in the center. That season also saw the addition of the Rifle Line added to the auxiliary sections.
In 2006, the Marching Chiefs had an unprecedented 8 home games, which meant 8 different field performances. As always, the Chiefs accomplished their goal, and exceeded all expectations.
In 2007, the Marching Chiefs attained a size of over 460 members, far surpassing any other college Marching Band in the world.
[edit] Sections
The Marching Chiefs' sections are known by its members by their own specific name and are as follows:
Flutes: "Flutes"
Clarinets: "Pieces" (Previously "Five Easy Pieces")
Alto & Tenor Saxophones: "Section X" (Previously "Sigma Alpha Chi")
Mellophones: "Hornz" (Previously "Hornies")
Trumpets: "Screech Squad" or commonly referred to as "Screech"
Baritones: "Tone Quality(TQ)" or commonly referred to as "Tones"
Trombones: "The Roamin' Bones" or commonly referred to as "Bones" (Previously "Boners")
Sousaphones: "Royal Flush" or commonly referred to as "Flush"
Percussion: "The Big 8 Drumline" or commonly referred to as "Big 8"
Auxiliary consists of Color Guard, Majorettes and Feature Twirler(s)
Show/Technical Support: "Glue Crew"
Each individual section has its own set of history and traditions, some with their own colors, mottos, symbols, songs, pre-game rituals and/or crests.
[edit] Traditions
Skull Session - When Manley Whitcomb, the founder of the Marching Chiefs, came to Florida State University from Ohio State University he brought a lot of traditions with him, one of those being what is known as a "Skull Session". Performed usually on Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium (located right next to Doak Campbell Stadium) The Chiefs perform section cheers and then go on to give the audience a sneak preview of the day's halftime show selections. Most section cheers tend to be either well-known pop songs, opportunities to poke fun at school opponents/other sections or inside jokes. All cheers are arranged by students who are usually current/alumni Chiefs.
"The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" - This is a tradition that started when the Chiefs were under the direction of Dr. Bentley Shellhammer. As the football team is finishing its on-field warm up routine, the Chiefs join the team's vocals. As they finish, the team lines up shoulder to shoulder on the fifty yard line and holds up their helmets and walks toward the end zone as the Chiefs play the theme from "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" which has been arranged into "G.B.U.", an extended intro which leads into the singing of the Florida State Fight Song.
"Flushing" The Field -The Royal Flush, during every pre-game performance, "flushes" the field by running around the Seminole head at the center of Bobby Bowden Field while the head drum major stands at the center of it. As the rest of the band exits off the field, The Royal Flush is last off as the field and the entire band ends the exit cadence by counting the number of Flush members and ending with "Flush!" This can be heard on every single recording of the Exit Cadence.
"The Hymn To The Garnet & Gold"- Most Chiefs will agree that their favorite school song is what is commonly known as "The Hymn". When Florida State University was looking for an alma mater, several composers sent in their contributions. The Hymn did not make it as the official FSU Alma Mater, but it lives and thrives as a long-standing school tradition of the Chiefs singing it at the end of every game.
The Marching Chiefs webpage is located at http://www.marchingchiefs.fsu.edu
