It was exactly the way the Spartan Marching Band wanted to end a busy Homecoming weekend as they joined the School of Music and a surprise guest conductor Saturday for the 2002 Spartan Spectacular.
“It’s wonderful concert on a wonderful weekend for us,” band conductor John T. Madden said.The lower bowl in Breslin Center was packed with family members, fans and bus loads of high school and middle school band members to see the show, which has been held on campus for about 35 years.
The Spartan Drumline performed and joined the rest of the band to play selected songs from its halftime shows from throughout the year. English senior Jeremiah Chism said with the Homecoming parade on Friday, the band practiced for an hour and then played in the parade from 6-9 p.m. Chism, who plays the tenor saxophone, said the event is the biggest performance for the band during the year.
“It’s a lot of different music to play at once,” he said. “It’s a nice collage.”
Chism said on Saturday the band practiced on the field at 7:30-9 a.m., played at the game from 10:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., rested and then played at Breslin Center from 7:30-9 p.m.
“They work so hard for what they get,” men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo said after he joined the band as a surprise conductor. “I think that’s is what I want my team to do.”
Izzo, who conducted the “Michigan State Fight Song” during the event, said he had been practicing throughout the week and was “waving his hands around,” to imitate other band conductors.
“It ain’t so damn hard to go like this,” he said. “It is these guys who do all the work. I get to do a lot of great things. But this is even more special.”
Before the 300-member band filled the arena, the MSU Wind Symphony,conducted by John L. Whitwell,began the night with “Weiner Philharmoniker Fanfare.”
Faculty from the School of Music also performed.
Jazz vocalist and instructor Sunny Wilkinson performed “I Concentrate On You”and “Stompin’ at The Savoy.” She also joined the MSU Wind Symphony for “I’m Old Fashioned.”
Piano Professor Ralph Votapek performed piano solos and bassoon Assistant Professor Michael Kroth performed with piano Professor Deborah Moriarty.
Dmitri Berlinsky, assistant professor of violin, performed “Banjo and Fiddle.”
Grand Ledge resident Cas Rakowski, whose daughter plays in the MSU Wind Symphony, said it’s been a while since he’s been to Spartan Spectacular. He came when his son was in the marching band.
“I forgot how loud it was,” Rakowski said. “So, I’m happy I sat in the balcony this year.”
