Most Badgers have probably seen the UW Varsity Band play at some point, either at a football game, pep rally, basketball game or just another random sporting event. These are the Badgers that feel an affinity—love, even—for the school like no other, because they’re at these events cheering our teams on with the band. Seeing the band at games and other events has never been about them though: the band is there to make it more fun, to help us cheer that much harder for our teams. However it was only this past weekend when I realized that a true Badger hasn’t experienced the varsity band until you’ve seen them at their annual concert.
The performance that we see at such events barely scratches the surface of what they’re truly capable of doing in all their glory. Their potential and talent still remains eclipsed at events where they’re ever present. It is a sight to behold when watching the band at the Kohl Center, one of those great moments that you know you’ll look back on after you’ve left this place to remember as one where you truly felt in sync with everything this school is and represents. It is a moment of seeing more than just 315 talented kids do something they’re incredibly talented at, it is one where you see the Badger traditions echoed in every tune they play from decades long past.
Under the inspired vision of their director, Michael Leckrone, the varsity band paid ode to “The Wizard of Oz” with this year’s theme, “There’s no place like home.” The band began its immaculately put together concert with a playful jibe at the tuba players and a tuba section performance of the song, “In the mood.” It followed by a medley of some classic songs that included the likes of “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Bob Dylan, Billy Joel’s “The Longest Time,” Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart” and others.
Jon Schipper on trumpet and Mark Hetzler on trombone each made dramatic guest appearances and performed solos with the band. Leckrone kept up a mostly amusing, and a tad touching, commentary in between all the performances, which made it easy to see why he was so loved by his students. The band then took everyone through a Camp Randall sing along that included every game day tradition song with which everyone is familiar. Where the band’s creative prowess really showed their true colors though was during the entire soundtrack to “The Wizard of Oz” movie. “Over the Rainbow” was belted out to an awed audience by Amanda Paulson, a local singer with a voice fit for Broadway.
As hard as it was to follow up that selection, the band managed just fine with a Queen medley. My favorite piece from the two-and-a-half hour long concert however was the Percussion Feature. There was something very hypotonic in watching their military-meets-otherworldly performance that was synced like they had been doing this their whole life. The band’s second musical feature was that of the broadway show “Wicked” and its entire soundtrack, with another vocal performance by Amanda Paulson and Jamie Pitt. The band ended the night amidst raining streamers and sparks with the Kohl center almost exploding in celebration to the sounds of “Varsity” and “On Wisconsin.”
