The Salisbury University Marching Band has returned to the field. Delmarva Public Media's Jenny O'Connor has this report on how the band is shaping up.
O'CONNOR: Back in the eighties, students packed the bleachers at Salisbury University football games. People were shoulder to shoulder like sardines, draped in school colors cheering at the top of their lungs led by the school's marching band. But one day in 1982, Salisbury experienced budget cuts, which eliminated the lively band from campus and their football games, and ultimately dulled that maroon and gold pride. The new bleachers were quieter and had more wiggle room, but this fall after 40 years, the fight songs are making a comeback. I'm Jenny O'Connor for Delmarva Public Media. Fall of 2025 marks the first year since 1982 that Salisbury University has a marching band. Dennis Senkbeil is SU's Director of Bands who has seen the marching band's community impact firsthand.
SENKBEIL: Homecoming of last year there were 4,500 people. Homecoming of this past week there was 6,900 people. I'm not saying that the entire difference of 2,400 is for the band, but I guarantee there's at least some in that 2,400 if it's a handful, if it's a couple of dozen, if it's a couple hundred, I don't know.
O'CONNOR: And of those thousands of extra attendees, a few were SU marching band alumni who were ecstatic about the return of the group that created some of their favorite college memories.
SENKBEIL: So there is a tradition. We've had a few people who are still local and not who reached out and said, Hey, I was in that last year of the marching band, or I did it in the late seventies. I'm so proud. I'm so happy that this program has returned.
O'CONNOR: And as you might suspect, the club has already made great progress in its first year, growing from the humble beginnings of the student led pep band.
SENKBEIL: So even just in the short timeline of seeing Pep Band as a club from eight students to last year as a course for 20 students, and then marching band for 55 students, people are like, wow, 55, so many. And I tell 'em, this is the smallest we're ever going to be.
O'CONNOR: The first year has gone pretty smoothly for being the Guinea pig of modern SU marching bands. There was so much to learn in the beginning, but Senkbeil and his 55 students took it in stride, and he was pleasantly surprised by the bands' skill level.
SENKBEIL: For this first year, alot of the students I didn't know or meet them until band camp or some of our interest meetings we had this summer before the semester started. So this first year was really kind of hard for me to choose the level of musicality. I think probably hindsight being 20/20, we probably could have actually added more.
O'CONNOR: And he mostly dedicates that to the amount of work put in by students.
SENKBEIL: Our rehearsals are Monday, Wednesday, Friday from one to three. So six hours a week, not including games on Saturday. Just like any performing ensemble, there's a lot of practice behind the scenes and outside of class time that has to happen. They receive a credit, so the time that they're putting in is not equal to the credit they're getting. So I really do tip my hat to the students for the hard work they're putting in.
O'CONNOR: The marching band has also become a melting pot of majors and personalities. You don't have to be studying music to participate. And even with that unique group of people, everyone can find their home in the marching band.
SENKBEIL: We have 20 different majors. Even with that diversity, there are still what I would almost say, like a mirror to someone in the group. There's still someone who is probably thinking the same thing. Maybe having some of the same anxiety or nerves or excitement as what one is feeling.
O'CONNOR: Senkbeil believes it's almost especially important for the non-music majors to have this creative outlet.
SENKBEIL: So it really becomes almost an outlet for non-music majors to kind of take a deep breath from whatever they're studying, whatever their grind is on their major to be a part of something.
O'CONNOR: So Senkbeil encourages people to join the marching band and take advantage of their fleeting college career.
SENKBEIL: As a college graduate, [[with] your time there you feel like you just started, and all of a sudden it's gone. Unlike other majors where there is no professional marching band. So just trying to encourage people to, hey, take advantage of this while you have it.
O'CONNOR: Whether for the pure joy of performance or the life lessons learned on the field, marching band and any type of art can have a huge impact on your life. And while the goal for SU's marching band is to double their size next year, Salisbury University's sequel Pride has already returned with the booming drums and bright horns of the small but mighty SU marching band. For Delmarva Public Media, I'm Jenny O'Connor.
