Marching ever onward – Sound of Idaho encourages students to follow passion

Three whistles. Short, sharp blasts that make new students cringe. Then drums — cadence. Marching band members with their brass instruments flood the stage. It is an immediate standing ovation as the opening of “Go Vandals, Go,” echoes in the Lionel Hampton auditorium.

This is the Sound of Idaho.

Marching band camp began Tuesday, under the direction of Spencer Martin, who is returning for his fifth year as Director of Athletic Bands. Martin said this year could be the biggest band the University of Idaho has seen in a while. In 2012, there were 172 members. Martin said this year looks like it will hold between 230 and 240 members.

Diamond Koloski | Argonaut
“The happening” by the Vandal marching band on Deakin Avenue Thursday evening

With 13 sections and just over 72 hours, the marching band’s first performance will be Friday at convocation, Martin said. Then the band plays again Saturday and Sunday at different events around campus, before beginning preparations for their first half-time show on Sept. 1.

“It’s go go go go go,” Martin said. “There is an energy to that.”

Third-year baritone player, Saban Ursua, said his experience with the marching band has been unlike any other. Ursua said the moment he knew the UI marching band was the place to be was his first-year at band camp. It did not take him long to find a home.

Having just come out of drum core, Ursua still did a little dance, called the “Twerk Song,” during practices. He said the little dance caught on and now the whole section does it. The realization he had created something, that he had been a part of something that became a routine was when he knew he was in the right place.

“Anything I do, anything anybody can do, can turn into something that the band does,” Ursua said.

Ursua said he has met engineers, Virtual Technology and Design majors, theater majors, music majors all in the marching band. All kinds of people come together to do something they are passionate about. Ursua said all the different people and all the different personalities click because they are all just “quirky band kids.”

“The marching band is a family, they have this connection to each other and to campus,” Martin said.

Ursua said the students of UI are what keeps the band going.

“We love you guys,” Ursua said. “All the things that we do, all the silly stuff, we do … is all for you guys. And as crazy as it sounds, we always have you guys in mind when we’re doing this. And that’s what makes this whole thing, just shine. You guys are it. That’s all I can say.”

Without students, both in the stands and in the band, the Sound of Idaho would be nothing.

Martin said the marching band is made up of students who work as hard as they can to produce something that Martin said he hopes makes people happy. He said that there are only three professional staffers, and the rest of the band is student run.

“The students work as hard as they can,” Martin said.

The support the community, the students and faculty and staff have shown the band, makes Martin feel honored, he said. At other colleges and universities, during half time people leave the stadium to go out and tailgate. Martin said that at UI, people stay. The students stay. And they listen. It is those moments, those six minutes of undivided attention, ending with a standing ovation, that Martin said makes him proud of his students.

“I want the students to feel like rock stars, even if it is just for those six minutes,” Martin said.

Claire Whitley

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