Psychology sophomore Ariana Delgado plays the vibraphone during the Maverick Marching Band preview on Sept. 18 at Brazos Park. The band performed their show titled “Override,” which has 3 movements.
After a long, collaborative process, the UTA Maverick Marching Band presented its preview performance of “Override” on Friday at Brazos Park.
Christopher Evans, associate director and director of the Maverick Marching Band, said the theme of this year’s show is man vs. artificial intelligence and includes music from artists like The Beatles and Muse.
Evans said the marching band does not perform at football games like other universities so having a preview performance is an opportunity to get recognized and perform in front of the UTA community.
He said over the decade-plus years he has been working with the university’s marching band, he has seen it evolve from playing songs standing still on a field to being like musical theatre outdoors.
The color guard team practices their routine on Sept. 18 at Brazos Park. The color guard performed alongside the marching band.
“It’s a constantly evolving activity, and you’re pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on the field,” Evans said.
Art junior Sha’Tanae Lang said the show is on theme for today’s world, with the rising use of artificial intelligence.
Lang said she was part of the marching band in high school and then took a two-year gap before coming to UTA. It is her first year back playing the bass drum. She had to get back into the rhythm of it but is happy to be participating.
“I’m really excited to play,” she said. “We’ve been working really hard on the show and this sounds pretty good so far.
Lang said at the beginning, with all the new faces, she felt nervous but then as she got to know her band mates, her perspective changed. She said it’s a collaborative environment and members do their best to make everyone’s schedules work and hold each other accountable so everything sounds good.
The UTA drumline plays during the Maverick Marching Band preview on Sept. 18 at Brazos Park. The band is one of the largest student organizations.
“It’s basically like a family,” she said. “We all get along.”
Lang said her favorite part of marching band is the connections that are made. At times rehearsal can be hard, especially during summer, but as friends are made it becomes more tolerable, she said.
“When you start to make friends and connections, you start having fun,” Lang said.
Similarly, music education freshman Jacob De La Cruz said his favorite part about the UTA marching band is how his passion for music keeps growing through the friends he has made along the way.
De La Cruz, a snare drum player, said he wants to show the community what the marching band is offering and feel proud of what is accomplished.
“I’m here with all my friends that I admire and collaborate with on a daily basis,” he said.
Marching band members play their instruments while marching in place during the Maverick Marching Band preview on Sept. 18 at Brazos Park. The marching band practiced their music in front of a crowd ahead of their upcoming performances.
Music education junior Noelle Foster is one of the drum majors who conduct the show, keep time and help run rehearsals.
Foster said every section has a leader who they rehearse with before all coming together. In the end, it is a collaborative process, and everyone is needed for the final product.
“It’s not like one person is more important than the other,” she said. “We’re all working together all the time.”
Foster said, before a show, the band takes part in a wind arc, in which they perform long tones, scale exercises and tune their instruments. After that, they perform a full run of the show.
“We have a good group of people, good music, good drill,” she said. “It’s a really good show.”
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