Penn State Blue Band The Penn State University Marching Blue Band , known generally as the Blue Band , is the marching band of Pennsylvania State University . Founded in 1899 , it is the largest recognized student organization at the University Park campus of Penn State , presently with over 300 active student members . The primary function of the Blue Band is in support of the Penn State Nittany Lions football team , performing for all home football games at Beaver Stadium . Instrumentation . The current Blue Band numbers 315 members , including 268 instrumentalist s , 31 Blue Band Silks ( Colorguard ) , 14 Touch of Blue ( majorettes ) , a drum major and a Blue Sapphire ( featured baton twirler ) . Members come from virtually all curricula and colleges represented at the University Park campus of the Pennsylvania State University . The 2010 - 2011 Penn State Marching Blue Band includes : History . The Blue Band traces its history to 1899 with the formation of a six - member drum and bugle corps initiated by student George H . Deike . A donation from steel magnate and Penn State College Board of Trustees member Andrew Carnegie made possible the formation of a brass band in the summer of 1901 . By 1913 , the organization was known as the College Band , and the first permanent director of bands , Wilfred O . " Tommy " Thompson , was appointed in 1914 . In 1923 a few new blue uniforms were purchased towards replacement of the old brown military style uniforms in use . Blue uniforms were issued on the basis of ability and rank . Photos from 1924 ( not shown here ) show a nucleus of blue uniformed members in a block “ S ” formation surrounded by a large number of brown uniformed band members . This select group of instrumentalists became known as the “ Blue Band ” and represented Penn State as the official traveling band . During succeeding eras in which Hummel ( Hum ) Fishburn ( 1939 – 1947 ) , James W . Dunlop ( 1947 – 1975 ) , and Ned C . Deihl ( 1975 – 1996 ) served as directors , the name Penn State Blue Band was kept even though all members were uniformed in blue . Today the director of the Marching Blue Band is Dr . O . Richard Bundy . The assistant director is Gregory Drane . Auditions . The Blue Band is open to all students at the University Park Campus by competitive audition . The Blue Band accepts 290 – 315 student members annually . Veteran members ( returnees ) must reaudition for the band the following year if they wish to return . The audition process consists of two parts of a standard etude or solo played on the Tuesday ( prospective rookies ) or Wednesday ( prospective returnees ) before band camp . The student should pick a slow / lyrical section and a technical / virtuosic section that demonstrates his / her current playing level . The student must then sight read a piece selected by the staff member responsible for their respective section to demonstrate the student ' s ability to pick up pieces quickly , as there is limited time to prepare the band ' s repertoire during the season . Staff members score both prepared and sightread performances , which are then tallied and ranked to assist the staff and section leaders in making final cuts . The day after the playing audition , rookies are taught the Blue Band style of marching , during which time other members of the Blue Band staff , as well as section leaders make decisions for final cuts which happen that evening . Though the band consists of over 300 players , there are fewer positions in both the pregame and halftime performances . After all the available slots on the drill are filled , the remaining players ( usually rookies ) are assigned to double a spot on the field with another Blue Band member ( usually another rookie ) . These " alternates " are required to learn all the music and drill just as a regular member . Within each alternate pair , each person is guaranteed one performance between the first two football games . Afterwards , the whole section competes for spots on the field by memorizing and " checking off " ( playing a school song or chaser for a section leader ( guide ) , without music ) as many pieces as possible . If there is a tie or the entire section has all of their music checked off , there are challenges where a player may challenge any one person in the section for a position . A challenge consists of the playing of Lions ' 68 ( Floating LIONS Music ) while marching the " skill drill " , which is a basic outline of what each player must do while floating the " LIONS " during pregame . Rehearsal . Membership in the Blue Band requires a large time commitment . The band practices weekly on Monday , Wednesday , and Friday from 4 : 00 p . m . to 5 : 45 p . m . , and on Tuesday from 7 : 30 p . m . to 10 : 00 p . m . The band performs at all home football games and must arrive for an additional Saturday morning rehearsal five hours before the scheduled kickoff . All practices take place at the Blue Band Building , the home of the band as of Fall 2004 , or on the practice field next to it . A few weeks into the football season , however , Intramural Sports occupy the field on Tuesdays , so the band rehearses on the turf fields next to Holuba Hall , just off of University Drive . Performances . The Blue Band performs many times throughout the school year , not only during football season . In addition to home football games , the entire band travels to one away game per season , and there is also a small 15 - person pep band that travels to the other away games . The band learns a new halftime show for every home game to add a variety of music to the band ' s repertoire , as well as adding variety to halftime performances . Saturday performances start by marching over to the Bryce Jordan Center in parade formation to Parade Order . When the band reaches the Bryce Jordan Center , the band plays its Pregame and Halftime music at an event known as Tailgreat , a pre - game pep rally , including performances by the Penn State Cheerleaders and an appearance by the Nittany Lion . After Tailgreat , the band makes its way outside to line up in parade formation to march to the stadium . As is tradition , the band starts its march to Beaver Stadium by singing a rousing rendition of " The Nittany Lion " . The band then proceeds to the stadium and prepares for the pregame performance . When the band is not playing in on the field , it is located within the student section , just behind the South end zone . While in the stands , the band plays a variety of stands tunes and fight songs , including the official fight song of Penn State : " Fight On , State " . After the game , the band has a post - game performance on the field , which consists of the traditional playing of " Lion Special " , followed by select tunes from their half time performance . There is also a separate performance after the game on the northwest corner of the field known as the " Corner Concert , " where the percussion section highlights their parts for halftime , Parade Order , and , more often than not , something entertaining they have come up with during the week . The band also has many other performances during the year including Men ' s and Women ' s Basketball and Volleyball games , and other various sporting events , such as Cross Country meets . Outside of the Blue Band ' s obligations as a pep band , the band has its own concert , traditionally known as " Band - o - rama " , during which the band will reprise the year ' s halftime music and fight song s . Class . Although the Blue Band itself is jointly administered by the College of Arts and Architecture and Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics , student members are not paid nor given any scholarship money by the university for being a member of the band . All students who participate in the Blue Band are enrolled in a one credit class - MUSIC 081 - and must remain a student in good standing with the University in order to maintain their eligibility with the band . Organization . Director . Since 1996 the Blue Band has been under the direction of O . Richard Bundy . Dr . Bundy received his undergraduate degree in music education from Penn State , then after receiving a masters degree from the University of Michigan , he returned to Penn State for his doctoral degree ( serving as assistant director under Dr . Ned C . Deihl from 1983 - 1996 ) . Prior to his appointment to the faculty , he served as trombonist with the United States Continental Army Band and as band director / instrumental music instructor in the Iroquois School District , Erie , Pennsylvania . In addition to conductor of the Blue Band , he teaches courses in conducting , marching band techniques , instrumental music education , and band literature . Dr . Bundy has the distinction of being the first director of the Blue Band that had previously marched in the band as a member , graduate or undergraduate . An active guest conductor and adjudicator , Bundy has conducted ensembles and presented clinics throughout the eastern United States and Canada . He is a member of the College Band Directors National Association ( CBDNA ) , Music Educators National Conference , Pennsylvania Music Educators Association , Phi Beta Mu , and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia . He is a past president of the Eastern Division of CBDNA and Phi Beta Mu , Nu chapter . Instructors and Graduate Assistants . Working directly under Dr . Bundy are graduate assistants and instructors . Instructors are typically paid positions and their duties range from assistant band director to working with specific sections such as a percussion instructor . Graduate assistants are unpaid graduate students from the PSU School of Music who help arrange music for halftime shows , write drill , assist with auditions , and work with individual sections . The Assistant Director of Athletic Bands at Penn State is Gregory Drane . The current graduate assistant for the Blue Band is Caleb Rebarchak ( 2010 season ) . Officers . The Blue Band is maintained in a large part by student officers who are elected by the band at the end of the season for the next season . The band has positions for Officers control uniform assignment , the band finances , the music library , equipment set up and transfer , as well as maintaining the band ' s website . Officers also organize intramural sports , ticket raffles , and getting vital information to the section through list serve . Drum Major . The Penn State Blue Band has one drum major who is chosen in the spring prior to each band camp . The drum major leads the band through warm - ups and fundamentals as well as instructing the band during rehearsals . Along with duties in Band Camp and during Football season , the Drum Major also makes various appearances at The Student Bookstore or at other events to get the community a chance to see him / her . The Penn State Drum Major is perhaps best known for the pre - game flip that was created by Drum Major / gymnast Edwin L . Anderson for the 1942 season . Unfortunately , Anderson had to leave school for the Fall semester due to appendicitis , so the Flip didn ' t become a tradition until 1971 . Currently , the Flip occurs twice under the current Blue Band pre - game drill . Blue Band Drum Majors have been ' flipping ' for Penn State since 1971 . In 1978 the flip evolved from a back flip to the current forward flip . The number of drum major flips in the Blue Band pre - game has varied from 1 to 3 ( with the current number being 2 ) . List of Blue Band Drum Majors : Guides . The Blue Band ' s most experienced and most talented members in each section are the guides ( section leaders ) . Guides help the section , especially rookies , to learn the Penn State way of doing anything from marching to playing to specifics about each section such as how to hold your instrument . Squad leaders . The Band is divided up into about 60 squads , each with a squad leader . During halftime preparation , the squad leader is responsible for obtaining a copy of the halftime drill and teaching the other members of the squad how to read it , as well as assigning positions in the squad and coaching the squad during practices . Squad leaders are usually guides but in the lack of enough , especially in larger sections , the most experienced member of a squad is the squad leader . Gameday traditions . Tailgreat . Five hours before the kickoff on Saturday , the band meets for a short rehearsal and then gets in uniform to parade to tailgreat . The band starts at the Blue Band Building and marches in parade formation over to the Bryce Jordan Center . Once there , the band performs its pregame and halftime shows at a pep rally known as Tailgreat . Parade order . During the parade to the Bryce Jordan Center for Tailgreat , the parade from the center to Beaver Stadium , and the post game parade from the stadium back to the Blue Band Building , the band marches to the percussion cadence , Parade Order . Each section of the band has their own set of chants and carefully choreographed motions . At one point , the trombone section performs " suicides " where the players alternate the positions of their horn between straight up and to the side , and trumpets all hold their horns in a line parallel to the ground and do a wave . There are also full band motions such as during the beginning of the parade where the whole band jumps and high kicks with their right foot . The full band also performs cheers such as " WE ARE PENN STATE ! " , and " I wish I was in the land of roses " to symbolize any Big Ten band ' s wish to make it to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena , California . Parade Order is the feature of the drumline ' s post - game performance , known as " Corner " or " Drumline Corner , " which used to occur in the northwest corner of the stadium , but in recent years is performed on the 50 yard line , after the Blue Band ' s post - game performance . Each year , Parade Order is usually modified by one of the members of the drumline , and each week during " Corner " the break features an extended sketch rehearsed by the entire line ( previously , a " vocal " featuring a humorous phrase or pop culture reference appeared at this spot ) . Other features of this performance include calling out the bass line ( " Here comes the bass ! " ) , 10 push - ups by the cymbal line , the " White DJ " visual by the snare line and circles by the tenor line . Parade Order is easily recognized due to its introduction , which features a lick that is similar to the beginning of the SCV cadence , " Electric Wheelchair . " High - step marching . The Blue Band performs their variation of the " Big Ten March style " during every gameday performance . In order to high - step march , Blue Band marchers must raise their thigh to be parallel with , extend their calf to be perpendicular to , and point the toe directly at the ground . This style , in contrast to typical drum - corps style marching , gives the band a very visual effect . Because the band performs this high - step , it enables them to perform certain moves that could not be done by low stepping . Penn State ' s signature pregame move – the 3 / 4 turn – orients the band to their right after performing a rapid 270 - degree turn to the left . Pregame . The band begins their pregame performance with " Lion Fanfare and Downfield " . " Downfield " is when the Drum Major will perform the 2 trademark flips , one on the 50 yard line , and one on the South goal line . Next , the " Star Spangled Banner " is played , followed by the playing of the opponent ' s fight song . " NFOS " is then played , during which the band creates the " PSU " formation . From the PSU formation , the " PSU Alma Mater " is played , and the band performs one verse towards each side of the stadium . The Band finishes up their pregame performance with the Blue Band ' s " trademark drill , " the Floating Lions . The band spells out the word " LIONS " across the field and reverses the drill halfway through , giving the word " LIONS " a full 180 degree rotation . Lastly , the band moves to the " Team Aisle " formation , from which the Penn State Nittany Lions football team will run out of the tunnel . There are no right turns in pregame . Big Ten Salute . Every marching band that plays for a Big Ten Conference football team salutes the opposing team ' s fans during pregame with their fight song . The Penn State Blue Band inserts the opposing team ' s fight song into the middle of the pregame performance , and forms the first letter of the name of the opposing team ' s school while playing their song towards their fans . This happens immediately after the " Star Spangled Banner " ( at a home game ) or " Lion Fanfare and Downfield " ( at an away game ) . In both cases , this is directly before " NFOS " and the PSU formation . Facts & figures . The Penn State Marching Blue Band has appeared at 31 bowl games including multiple appearances in the Orange , Cotton , Sugar , Fiesta , Rose and Citrus Bowls . The band has also performed at the Outback , Blockbuster , Holiday , and Rose Bowls and for the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football . In addition to marching in several Orange Bowl , Citrus Bowl , and Fiesta Bowl parades , the Blue Band marched in the Bicentennial Constitution Celebration Parade held in Philadelphia in 1987 and made its first appearance on January 2 , 1995 , in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena . In 2005 , the Penn State Blue Band was honored with the Sudler Trophy . The Trophy , which has been presented by the John Philip Sousa Foundation since 1982 , is regarded as the nation ' s highest accolade for collegiate bands . Bundy joined previous Blue Band directors and representatives from the Penn State College of Arts and Architecture to accept the award at a halftime presentation during the 2005 homecoming game . In recognition of the honor , members of the Blue Band wore patches commemorating the achievement on their uniforms during the 2005 season .