By: Julia Rosier

The University of Maryland’s marching bands, the Pep Band and the Mighty Sound of Maryland, have been compromised due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. With the cancellation of the spring semester and the NCAA Championship and Big Ten tournaments, its members are left disappointed, but hopeful for the fall semester.

The Mighty Sound of Maryland, directed by Andrea Brown, consists of over 250 members and performs at all home football games, traveling with the team to one away football game each year, according to the UMD School of Music. The University of Maryland Basketball Pep Band performs at all men’s and women’s basketball games, according to the website. Many members of the Mighty Sound of Maryland also participate in the Pep Band during the spring semester, according to senior Garrett Tatano.

“It’s very sad and definitely stress-inducing,” Director Andrea Brown said. “Obviously it’s definitely sad for the athletes but for our students, especially our seniors that were selected to travel for a basketball tournament. It’s something that they look forward to all season.”

Brown said that as a result of the coronavirus, auditions for drum major, open houses and recruiting plans will have to be modified.

Sophomore computer science major Tim Clark is a member of the Mighty Sound of Maryland and the Pep Band. The trumpet player said this was his first year being a member of the Maryland bands.

“Despite being cut short, my first year in the band was very enjoyable and I met a lot of really good friends that I wouldn’t have otherwise. I was pretty disappointed that I didn’t get to go to the tournaments, especially since not everyone gets the opportunity to travel which makes it extra special,” Clark said.

Clark added that he is hopeful that he will be able to be a part of the bands and travel next year. 

“I’m most looking forward to performing in the marching band and seeing my friends again,” Clark said. “Marching band has been a huge part of my life since I joined my high school’s marching band freshman year, so I am always excited to be able to participate in the activity.”

Sophomore chemistry major Emma Walter said that the band directors have not announced any plans about the fall or summer.

“I’d love it if everything was back on. I’d probably most be looking forward to having rehearsal every week and getting to spend that time with friends and making a show,” Walter said.

Walter, a trumpet player for the Mighty Sound of Maryland, has been a member of the band for two years. She said that she would be very disappointed if the fall season gets cancelled due to the coronavirus, as her younger brother wants to join the band as a freshman next fall.

“If we didn’t return in the fall, of course it would be really disappointing because we’d be missing a whole season with your friends, a whole season of music, a whole season of just fun in general,” Walter said.

Since the Mighty Sound of Maryland does not perform shows during the spring semester, the spring is dedicated to electing new student leadership, according to senior electrical engineering major Garrett Tatano. 

Tatano, one of the drum majors for the band, said that during the spring semester, auditions are held for the new drum majors for the upcoming season. He said that due to the coronavirus, the auditions will be video recorded and submitted instead of being held in person. The candidates should be trained prior to the audition, but that will not occur this year.

Tatano has been a member of the band since his freshman year and prior to his role as drum major, he played in the trumpet section. He said he was most looking forward to traveling with the men’s and women’s basketball teams to tournaments as a member of the Pep Band.

“That was kind of our last chance to get to do that and it would have been awesome since both the men’s and women’s teams were playing really well this season and we had a chance to go really far in the NCAA Tournament,” he said.

Tatano said that he thinks the outbreak of the coronavirus and recent cancellations will affect the comradery of the band. 

“We spend so much time with everyone in the band, especially as a member of a section, so they really become family. Even though marching band wasn’t happening necessarily in the spring semester, we still spend a lot of time together and that time was taken away … it’s just such an abrupt ending,” Tatano said.