The Sound of the Golden Hurricane - The University of Tulsa

Sound of the Golden Hurricane Marching Band

band playing at the bonfire

Andrew Anderson
Director of Bands
andrew-anderson@utulsa.edu
918-631-2558

Sound of the Golden Hurricane Marching Band

The Sound of the Golden Hurricane works in coordination with the TU Spirit Squads to form the backbone of student support for our football and basketball teams. The Sound prides itself on providing a variety of entertainment through the course of the football season, performing different halftime shows for nearly all home football games. A new pregame routine, established in 2013, follows a more traditional model and showcases the fight songs and alma mater of The University of Tulsa.

  • Eligibility and Scholarships

    Membership in the band is open to any TU student as well as to students of nearby universities who do not have a marching ensemble (such as TCC or OSU-Tulsa). A short playing demonstration may be required for scholarship purposes, but only potential music majors will be asked for a full audition prior to the fall semester.

    Scholarships are available to all students in the ensemble, and participation in the spring concert bands is expected in order to qualify. Participation in the TU symphony orchestra and/or jazz ensembles may also be expected for music majors (but not exclusively).

  • Rehearsals and Enrollment

    Rehearsals for the Sound of the Golden Hurricane and for the spring concert bands are currently held Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Noon to 1:50 p.m. (Class conflicts do sometimes occur and will be excused, provided that there is no other section of the class that the student may be enrolled in).

    TU students who wish to participate in the marching ensemble should enroll in MUS 0020 (zero-credit hour option) or MUS 0021 (one credit hour). Wind and percussion players should enroll in section one, and color guard members should enroll in section two. See the Schedule of Courses for more details.

    Non-TU students who wish to participate should contact Andrew Anderson directly.

  • Frequently Asked Questions

    Q:  When does the band rehearse?

    A:  During the course of the semester, the band rehearses Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from noon to 1:50 pm. Some students may have occasional class conflicts with this meeting time. Participation is still allowed in this case, though the student should check that no other course sections are available. (Students in such a situation should consult their academic adviser to enroll in both courses.) The band also rehearses on the day of home football games, usually for two hours – exact times depend on the kickoff time of each game.

    Q:  Are there any rehearsals that meet before classes begin?

    A: Yes, the band’s summer schedule starts one week before classes begin (August 14-17 for Fall 2022). During that Sunday through Wednesday, the band rehearses 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. The band’s schedule will not interfere with TU’s Freshman Orientation activities, except for those students serving as peer leaders. *Non-freshman students living on campus will need to apply for early move-in or have other housing arrangements for the week.*

    Q: Is there an audition required to join the band?

    A:  No audition is needed for participation, but auditions are required for scholarship consideration (must be completed by March 1 of the spring before the student’s freshman year) and are required of all participating students in August. The purpose of the fall audition is to help faculty set ensemble personnel. Fall audition music is distributed during summer band sessions.

    Q:  Are Tulsa Community College students able to participate?

    A:  Yes! We welcome participants from TCC and have several each year. Interested students should email Mr. Anderson at andrew-anderson@utulsa.edu during late July or early August to verify their intent to participate. These students should also keep in mind both the summer week and in-semester class schedule to ensure that their TCC schedules can accommodate their participation.

    Q:  I’ve been accepted and am in the process of enrollment. In which course should I enroll?

    A:  Band members should enroll in MUS 0020 (zero-credit) or MUS 0021 (one credit hour). For both courses, wind players and percussionists should enroll in Section one and Colorguard members should enroll in Section two.

    Q:  Are members expected to play for basketball games?

    A: Yes, in order to continue receiving awarded band scholarship money. The marching band membership is divided into three groups, which rotate games, resulting in the expectation of each member playing eight basketball games during the course of late fall and early spring. There are no additional rehearsals for music played during basketball games.

    Q:  Are there opportunities for travel?

    A:  Yes, depending on the year. The marching band travels to road games if any are played at Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, or Arkansas – budgetary concerns usually preclude any further regular season travel. However, the full band does travel to any bowl game for which the football team is invited. Additionally, 29-member bands (size limited by NCAA regulation) usually travel to the American Athletic Conference basketball tournament and to any applicable NCAA Tournament games. In recent years, the bands have traveled to Miami, Memphis, San Diego, Fort Worth, Dayton (OH), Norman, Stillwater, Fayetteville (AR) and Shreveport (LA).