Mighty Sound of Maryland The Mighty Sound of Maryland is the official marching band of the University of Maryland . It was founded in 1908 at what was then known as the Maryland Agricultural College . The band performs pregame and halftime shows at all Maryland Terrapins football home games , and travels to at least one away game each year . History . For 50 years prior to 1909 , the military - style college heard music by the Cadet Corps Drum and Buglers . Then , in 1909 , the Maryland Agricultural College prevailed upon Mr . Levi G . Smith , a local violinist , to organize and conduct a band capable of playing for all formal ROTC functions . The result was a 19 - piece band , which set up in the barracks behind present day South Campus Dining Hall . It played exclusively for ROTC functions for its first year , but later branched out to other school and community events . By 1927 , three student bands were organized , and the bands were first recognized as an official student organization . In 1928 , Sgt . Otto Siebeneichen , retired director of the U . S . Army Band , was appointed the first full - time director admitted to the faculty of the University of Maryland . In 1924 , the old football stadium was built . It occupied the location where Fraternity Row now stands . The stadium was razed in 1953 so that construction of Frat Row could begin . Women were allowed in the concert bands for the first time in 1937 . Mr . Frank V . Sykora , a graduate of the Imperial Russian Conservatory , directed the bands from 1947 - 1949 . During his tenure , the size of the bands grew to over 100 members and began extensive traveling . In 1950 , the football arena , Byrd Stadium , opened with a win over Navy , and the band was fortunate to gain the guidance of Warrant Officer Robert L . Landers , the conductor of the world renowned " Singing Sergeants " as well as the Maryland Red and White Band . The Music Department at Maryland was established in 1954 , led by Homer Ulrich . The university hired Ulrich as the first full - time band director to be member of the music faculty . Hubert Henderson , hired in 1955 , established the band in the Music Department and integrated it as an ensemble ( both marching and concert ) in the music performance and music education programs . He was assisted by associate directors Norman Heim , Henry Romersa and Acton Ostling , Jr . Queen Elizabeth visited the campus while touring the U . S . A . in 1957 . Her visit was so important that the band was given $ 10 , 000 to purchase new uniforms to be used at the football game that she attended . Henderson left in 1965 and Ostling became the director of bands . John Wakefield was hired to work with Ostling as associate director . When Ostling left in 1968 , Wakefield became the director of bands . With the help of associate directors Fred Heath , Jerry Gardner , Dieter Zimmer and L . Richmond Sparks , Wakefield has led the bands to the superior ensembles they are today . In August 2000 , the bands moved from their old home of Tawes Fine Arts Building into the brand new state of the art Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center . In September 2001 , the new band room was dedicated to Mr . John E . Wakefield , Director of Bands , in appreciation of all his hard work and dedication to the University of Maryland Band Program . In November of that year the Mighty Sound of Maryland marched in the Macy ' s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City . During Early Week ( band camp ) of 2006 , Dr . Sparks introduced the idea of a volunteer trip to New Orleans to the band . The idea was met with much enthusiasm and excitement , and on September 9 , 2006 the band played a New Orleans Tribute halftime show . After finishing on the field , each member of the band took to the stands to collect donations in their shako s to help fund a service trip to New Orleans over winter break . In the third quarter of the game over $ 25 , 000 was raised . By the end of the semester , over $ 50 , 000 had been raised to fund the band ' s trip . After a long bus ride , over 240 members of the band spent a week in New Orleans building houses with Habitat for Humanity at the Musicians ' Village Project . While in Louisiana , the band also performed for Habitat for Humanity volunteers , at Gallier Hall for the mayor , and at the Krewe of Alla ' s Mardi Gras kickoff parade in Gretna , LA . In the Fall of 2008 , the Maryland band program celebrated its 100th anniversary . In 2010 , the Mighty Sound of Maryland won CBS ' s Hawaii Five - 0 theme song contest , gaining a prize of $ 25 , 000 for the band program . Part of their recorded performance of the theme was also aired on CBS during the show . The Mighty Sound of Maryland marched in the 2013 inauguration parade for President Barack Obama . The band was selected from over 2 , 800 other applicants and marked the fourth time they had participated in a inaugural parade . Traditions . Pregame . The Truck is a cadence played by the drumline and choreographed by the band when in marching formation . Individual sections have different " lyrics " to the Truck . Block and Mess is one of the signatures of the Mighty Sound of Maryland ' s pregame show . It involves all wind players sans tubas forming a block and then running through it at over 250 beats per minute . The World ' s Largest Maryland State Flag is unfurled during the Crown Imperial finale of every pregame show . The flag , which measures about twenty yards , is accompanied by a cannon blast as it is opened . Stands . The Bone Cheer is performed by KAOS , the trombone and baritone section , usually once per game . The cheer involves the section alone playing a song and the rest of the band yelling " Go ! Fight ! Win ! " Once the cheer ends , the Tenor Sax Challenge begins , in which tenor saxophone players hold up their instruments from the base using only one hand for as long as they can . Another KAOS cheer is performing the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel ' s Messiah . The Mello Cheer is performed by the band ' s mellophone section . The section plays concert F quarter notes for as many points as the football team has scored while the rest of the band counts . For this reason , the cheer is usually only played when the Terps score a large amount of points . The Amen Chorus was played at the end of victories , accompanied loudly by students and fans . It was considered a tradition unique to the University of Maryland . It was discontinued in the late 80 ' s . Following every victory , the band plays Battle Hymn from the film " Gladiator " before playing the school ' s Alma Mater . Rock and Roll Part II was played following touchdowns and other big plays to energize the crowd . Due to the student section ' s improvised lyrics - and the university ' s concerns about sportsmanship and its image - the band was forbidden from playing the song at all football and basketball games in 2004 .