In a difficult but necessary decision, the UConn Marching Band is suspending all in-person performances during the fall 2020 semester. This includes football games and pep band performances for men’s and women’s basketball and men’s ice hockey games.
The Marching Band has a proud 125-year history of embodying Husky spirit and providing opportunities for students to earn academic credit while developing musical, social, leadership and organizational skills.
Those activities will continue this fall, largely through online “virtual” practices and gatherings in place of in-person performances.
Our goal is to ensure that Marching Band members can participate under safe conditions while being prepared with the skills to resume in-person activities when that is appropriate. The band also will continue to recruit new members.
Our students’ health and safety is our primary concern, as it is throughout the University. Moving forward on the band’s regular in-person schedules for the fall semester posed too many logistical challenges in the current environment.
This decision to suspend in-person activities this fall was not made lightly. We know that our approximately 300 participants are eager to start practice each summer and to perform at UConn athletics events throughout fall, and that their exhilarating performances are a source of great pride for UConn Nation. Although the UCMB members are disappointed, they are coming together already to preserve the band and prepare for its return when that is possible.
A decision on in-person performances for the spring 2021 semester will be made later this year, and will be based on the best information available about health and safety indicators.
As always, thank you for your understanding in this unfortunate but unavoidable circumstance, and for your support of UConn’s bands and the past, present, and future members.
For more information, contact: University Communications at 860-486-0871