The University of Pittsburgh Varsity Marching Band, or Pitt Band, is the college marching band at the University of Pittsburgh. The band numbers over 300 students consisting of instrumentalists, a majorette squad known as the Golden Girls, a color guard, and the drumline. The band was founded in 1911 and has won numerous awards over the years. All members of the band must pass an audition in order to join. The band is currently housed in Trees Hall; however, in 2020, the Pitt Athletic Department announced its "Victory Heights" initiative, part of the campus master plan which includes a new marching band facility slated to open in spring 2027.
History
The earliest noted incarnation of a university band at the school was in 1904 when it was known as the Western University of Pennsylvania. It consisted of eight young men whose official uniforms were inexpensive caps. After a few years, uniforms made up of a derby hat and a sweater were adopted, however, the uniforms never lasted longer than one season due to the especially fragile nature of the derby. An official organization of a student marching band occurred in 1911, the year often cited as its date of establishment, and the band made its first appearance that year at Forbes Field on 14 October 1911 at the Pitt vs. Ohio Northern game with just 8 musicians in uniforms only consisting of scarlet felt caps with blue tassels. Band members played on seven instruments borrowed from Becher's Music Store. The original band was organized by Dr. Earl Miller and James G. Oliver while Carl Sabad became the Student Leader and Don Kirk played the role of manager, who obtained commitments to its membership from 22 men. Half of the funding for the band was initially provided by the Athletic Council with the other half donated by students, alumni, and friends of the University. Uniforms were provided in 1912, including mackinaws, from a donation by Edward V. Babcock.
The band ostensibly struggled in its early years, particularly during World War I, until 1918 when Italian immigrant Mario S. Rocereto was named director, a position he held until his retirement in 1934. Rocereto raised the standards of the band by making membership in the band try-out only and adding new uniforms consisting of blue overcoats with blue and gold caps paid for by the Athletic Council. The band greatly grew and improved under Rocereto. The band gave its first home concert on 5 April 1922 in the Carnegie Music Hall and was composed of male musicians from multiple schools within the university. In the late 1930s, Pitt’s military department took over direction of the band and enrollment became restricted to ROTC members. Band uniforms were military-like with cross belts and members had to pass rigid musical aptitude and marching tests.
From 1939 to 1971, Robert “Ace” Arthur was the director of the band. Under his leadership in the 1940s the Pitt Band developed a national reputation and was considered by some among the top collegiate marching bands in the nation. The band during this period performed the halftime show of the 1956 Sugar Bowl, and the band provided a presidential escort for president Dwight D. Eisenhower at Fort Ligonier in 1958.
Arthur was succeeded by a director, Edmund Williams, who only stayed for one year, who was succeeded in turn by Donald E. Hower. Hower led the band from 1972 to 1985, and its numbers grew considerably under Hower in line with the rebirth of football program from the mid 1970s. Female musicians first joined the band in 1972, and the baton twirling majorette corps, the Golden Girls, was added around 1975. This incarnation of the band played at the 1977 Sugar Bowl, where Pitt defeated Georgia to become the 1976 national champions.
O’Neil Sanford led the band from 1985 to 1995 and added a 16-member color guard. However, his time was marked by a decline not only in the fortunes of the football team, but also declining interest in the band—reflected in the falling numbers of marching musicians as the years went on, as well as the poor morale and discipline which were the hallmarks of his tenure.