Michigan Marching Band - Band Week

Band Week

Every summer during the two weeks before the first home game the MMB holds its "Band Week." New members, rank leaders, and flags arrive first to rehearse marching styles and traditional music. New members work on marching fundamentals. The returning members join a few days later and the music audition is held to determine the players' chairs. After the returning members have been through a couple days of marching rehearsal, "First Look" is held. During first look the entire band performs glide step and a pre-game portion which are observed and scored by the staff. These performances are given in groups of 8. Until recently, the votes of the entire band determined which members will make up the first performance block. However, concerns over the accuracy of this method gave rise to a new process in which the staff judge and determine the initial performance block. The remainder of Band Week is devoted to rehearsing the first performance of the MMB for pre-game and halftime. The reserves spend the remainder of Band Week practicing for the next challenge.