Penn State University
ALUMNI Blue Band ASSOCIATION

Original article from psu.edu linked below

https://www.psu.edu/news/arts-and-architecture/story/new-scholarships-reflect-blue-band-alumnis-own-experience-band?utm_source=College%2BE-News%E2%80%94December%2B2024&utm_campaign=995811f753-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_09_24_02_17_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2bc77c850e-995811f753-379966395

By: Serena Davanzo

Hello ABBA,

The PR team for Blue Band is looking for for ABBA members who wish to join in a video for Giving Tuesday. 

The video is about the legacy of the organization. You're asked to answer the question "How has Blue Band left a lifelong impact on you?"

If you wish to participate you can fill out the form below and submit your video.

The submission deadline is 11:59 PM on November 29th.

https://form.jotform.com/243244164660049

By: Serena Davanzo

Hi fellow ABBA members, 

The communications team would like to start making monthly features of ABBA current members (musicians, silks, majorettes, drum majors, etc). 

We have a variety of people in our organization who are from all walks of life. Everyone has a story about their life post graduation and we want to tell it.

When featured we want to also include pictures of you now and during your time at PSU. 

If you're interested in our monthly feature, please fill out this form below. People will be randomly selected and reach out too.

Any questions feel free to reach out to me at serena.davanzo@yahoo.com.

https://forms.gle/F45Mv6Jm82GZFvWi8

BY CURT HARLER

The Alumni Blue Band association is looking for seven candidates to run for positions as directors for the upcoming election. If you are interested, you’re asked to self nominate on or before November 15th at elections@psualumnibands.org. 

Your candidate statement should include the following:

• Name
• City, State
• Years at Penn State, Degree(s), Other Degrees, Licenses, etc. as appropriate.
• Years in the Band, Instrument, Groups (Marching, Pep Band, POTL, etc.).
• Experience in Blue Band and Alumni Band participation, leadership, and relevant experience in similar organizations.
• Brief statement as to why you want to be on the Board, how do you envision yourself contributing to ABBA and the current Penn State Athletic Bands program.

Directors serve a three-year term, starting in January 2025. Most quarterly meetings are via Zoom and take between 60- 90 minutes. ABBA members who graduated in the past 10 years are encouraged to apply as they are the most underrepresented group on the board.

The next scheduled meeting of the AABA Board will be a virtual Zoom meeting. It's slated for Sunday, January 12th, 2025 at 8:00pm Eastern time. All ABBA members are welcomed to attend this or any other board meeting, although voting is limited to elected board members. Among key business items will be the election of a new Board President to a two-year term (Randy Seely, who has done yeoman work leading ABBA, has reached his term-limit ceiling and is moving off the board).

Penn State basketball will face the Indiana Hoosiers on January 5, 2025 at the Palestra in Philadelphia. Expect an announcement on a pep band for the event (the Blue Band likely will be supporting the Nittany Lion Football Team at a prestigious bowl game).
The annual Knoebel’s Penn State Day event is slated for Saturday, June 14, 2025. Look for a pep band announcement soon.
Golfers and golf fans should mark down June 21, 2025 (the Saturday following Knoeblel’s) for the annual Fore the Glory golf tournament at Penn State. Participation – both as sponsors and as players – is open to everyone.

On the occasion of the Blue Band's 125th Anniversary, the band has received several letters and messages of support.  You can view the letters and video message below.

Letter from Dr. Ann Marie Stanley, Director School of Music

Letter from University President Neeley Bendapudi

Video Greeting from the College of Arts and Architecture

By Ned C. Deihl 

It’s the 50^th birthday for the PSU Silks! Thinking back 50 years it seems like a long time has passed but also feels like just a few years ago. 

In the early 70s after a few years of tweaking, the totally revamped PSU pregame was solidly in place. The Floating LIONS was becoming the Blue Band’s downfield trademark and we wanted to dress up the band. The flags would front the band entering down the field and would then serve as a background for the formations.  They would add a bit of color to the all-male band, waving high above the band. 

 The flag-carrying Blue Banders hadn't qualified for playing a horn but had to be very good marchers, of course: "pick 'em up"!! A few trombonists were understandably unhappy when they found they were no longer the front line on the downfield block. I know how exhilarating it is to march out front as I did at Miami of Ohio when our band paraded through town before each home game -- with clarinets in the front rank. 

My wife Jan made the first Blue Band flags (a la Betsy Ross?), spending many hours on the floor cutting and hemming the three-foot by seven-foot flags. She bought the materials from an outlet in Altoona, choosing shimmering satin-finish fabric in differing colors to represent the school colors of the various opponents in Penn State's schedule. We purchased their long wooden dowel poles from O.W. Houts. Now, the PSU silks are all blue but we have other opponents’ flags hanging in the huge band room -- adding new ones to the Big Fourteen?

Later, flags were called "silks,” perhaps due to drum corps influence. Their poles are now lightweight aluminum and the colors are all blue and white. With those changes, flag twirling with intricate routines has become a big part of the Blue Band half-time shows.    

Typically, the Blue Band marches a full block of silks with 30 on-field performers. But just as the Blue Band has grown in numbers, so too the silks might grow in numbers sometime in the future. 

For now, it’s HAPPY 50^th to the Silks. Here’s looking at 50 years more.

Official ABBA Merchandise is available for order NOW! See the flyer below for more information then click here to shop.

Penn State Blue Band - Alumni Fall Promo Flyer 2024.pdf

Dear ABBA,

We stand TODAY! We would like to introduce our three dancers: Carson Pedaci, Justin

Kim, and Jocelyn Hibbard. Justin is a 4th year trombone in Blue Band. Jocelyn is a second year piccolo in Blue Band. Carson is a third year mellophone in Blue Band and currently our drum major. WE ARE so excited for them to have the opportunity to participate in THON 2024 in such a meaningful way. Please see the following three links if you are interested in donating directly to their individual participant DonorDrive pages.

Jocelyn

Carson

You can also donate directly to Band Together’s DonorDrive page!

Just like last year, we have the amazing privilege of hosting an adventure for the THON Explorer’s program. We have three families signed up, but have an open door policy for more families to come be part of our adventure. THON families will be coming to the Blue Band Building and getting to spend a day as a Penn State athletic band member. Members of Blue Band, Pride of the Lions pep bands (fall and spring), and Hockey Band will be present to provide an immersive experience for families and kids.

As always, we appreciate your support and donations. Our organization is successful because of donors like you. This year, we hope to surpass last year’s fundraising total of $32,000. All proceeds benefit THON. Please consider donating this weekend!

FTK!

Sincerely,

Justin Kim and Katie Baker

Overall Chairs, Band Together Benefitting THON