Who are we?!
The Penn Band was founded in 1897 and ever since has been one of the
University’s most progressive traditions. The organization is a part of
the Department of Athletics at the University of Pennsylvania; like most
of the other 50 performing arts groups on the Penn Campus, the Penn Band
has no affiliation with any academic department and is sponsored by the
Vice Provost’s Office for Undergraduate Life. The organization,
typically ranging between 80 and 100 members every year, is among the
largest and most active student-run organizations on campus, performing
upwards of 60 times during the academic year.
The organization boasts a rich history of performance, including several
performances with the renowned band leader John Phillip Sousa, the first
collegiate band to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,
countless recordings, national broadcasts and concerts, and performing
at the pleasure of numerous American presidents and state leaders.
Today, the group is a perennial bastion of music and mirth on the Penn Campus.
The group performs at campus events, all Football games, and most Men’s and Women’s Basketball games. The group also tours along the East Coast: in recent years, the group has toured both Walt Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, including a recent appearance at Disney in January of 2010. The group’s appearances in the past decade include nine NCAA tournament games on national television in the past ten years, ESPN Game Day Live, MSNBC Hardball, and the Fox and Friends Morning Show. Earlier in 2007, the band had the opportunity to perform with rock legend and drummer Simon Kirke on the Penn campus. In 2007, the Band was featured on CBS National Broadcast about Division I college sports, and was seen on a C-SPAN broadcasted presidential election rally in 2008.