Northrop and UMN School of Music Present
Student Matinee: UMN Marching Band
Fri, Nov 15, 10:30 am is currently at capacity
On-demand Dec 6-20 is Free with Registration
The in-person Student Matinee has sold out. Any reservation forms submitted will be added to a waitlist.
The on-demand Student Matinee performance is free and available for registration. Group rates are available for the Nov 16-17 weekend performances.
Includes commentary between pieces and a Q&A
Recommended for Grades 3-12.
Northrop’s most popular matinee returns! Enjoy seeing and hearing the more than 320 members of “The Pride of Minnesota” in this lively, joyful, and participatory indoor concert featuring halftime favorites, an appearance by Goldy Gopher, and more. One of the most exciting and highly visible organizations on campus, the University of Minnesota Marching Band, under the direction of Dr. Betsy McCann and Dr. John Leonard, provides enthusiastic support to the University’s athletic programs, and represents the UMN at events throughout the year.
Know Before You Go
Event Information
Fri, Nov 15 In-Person
- Theater Doors Open: 9:45 am
- Performance Begins: 10:30 am
- Run Time: 60 minutes, including Q&A
- This event will be captioned, with other accessibility services available upon request.
- Advisory: This performance includes loud music and flashing lights.
- Detailed Event Information: Education contacts, check your email for detailed information the week prior to the event.
- On-demand Access will be available Dec 6-20. Education contacts, check your email for detailed information the week prior to the event. Find the Event Info link in Your Order Confirmation
If you have questions, contact matinees@umn.edu. If you need assistance with your tickets, please call the box office at 612-624-2345.
Teacher & Student Resources
This slideshow is intentionally without sound.
Pre-event Video In-person
Student Matinee Program Information
- The Marching Band will play halftime favorites with Band Director Dr. Betsy McCann offering commentary between pieces.
- Ear plugs will be provided to all students & chaperones!
- Students will engage with University of Minnesota students in a Q & A at the end of the performance
Suggested Learning Target
Students will identify the families of instruments that make up the Marching Band and investigate how live music interacts with the social, historical, and cultural engagement on campus and in the community.
Pre-Show Questions:
- Do you play a musical instrument and if so, why did you choose that instrument? If not, what instruments might you be interested in learning to play?
- What do you know about student life on a college campus?
- Why do you think sporting events include mascots, live music, and cheerleaders?
Post Show Questions:
- What did you learn about the Marching Band today?
- What songs would you like to hear the Marching Band play?
- The Marching Band will often perform Halftime shows that celebrate or commemorate social movements or important people in our collective history. If you were to direct a Halftime show, what would be your inspiration and theme?
Watch
- Halftime - 10/29/22: "Trailblazers" * (13-minute Halftime show video celebrating 50 years of Title IX and integration of women in the Pride of Minnesota. Features music from Lizzo, Beyoncé, Aretha Franklin, and Whitney Houston. All Grades.)
- Trailblazers: A Celebration of Women in the Pride of Minnesota (7-minute video featuring some of the trailblazing women who participated in the integration of the Marching Band in 1972. Grades 8-12)
- Halftime - 8/31/2023: "Commemorating the March on Washington" * (10-minute Halftime show video commemorating the March on Washington. The Marching Band performs music that was played during the Civil Rights Movement. This video features Professor Emeritus O'Neill Sanford who served as the director of the Pride of Minnesota from 1976 to 1985 and was the first African American band director in the Big Ten or at any Predominantly White Institution. All Grades.)
- MN State Connect & Respond Standards
*These videos show the Marching Band in action! Notice how the patterns, shapes, and movements of the Band connect to the music they play and the theme or inspiration of the show. These videos also demonstrate how the Marching Band connects events and important figures of our collective history to their performances.
- MN State Connect & Respond Standards
- A Game Day in the Life: University of Minnesota Marching Band (A-30 minute video of a member of the Marching Band with a Go-Pro taking viewers through a typical game day of the Band on the evening of Oct 12, 2019. All Grade levels.)
Listen
- Music and Football: The connection of two popular pastimes - The Kennedy Center (Guided Learning Series podcast episodes diving into the connection between music and football with Comprehension, Critical Thinking, and Reflection prompts for students. Grades 8-12.)
- MN State Connect & Respond Standards
Do
- Whack-A-Note: An Interactive Carnivalesque Learning Experience - The Kennedy Center (Grades 4-12: An interactive online game of sight-reading and musical notation.)
- MN State Foundations Standards
- The Kennedy Center offers Lesson Plans for Grades 3-5 exploring the relationships between acoustics and science, with supporting documents, videos, and materials lists.
- Brass Instruments and Pitch
- Percussion Instruments and Pitch
- Woodwind Instruments and Pitch
- Strike Up the Band: Creating Homemade Instruments
- These materials support National Core Arts Standards and Next Generation Science Standards.
Read (All Grades)
- Goldy Gopher Fun Facts & Jokes
- Outfitting the Pride - A look back on the Marching Band’s uniforms throughout the years.
- History & Traditions of the Marching Band
- By the Numbers: University of Minnesota Marching Band (Article by Mpls St Paul Magazine with fun facts about the band.)
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