About the Marching 97

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why is it called the Marching 97?
The number 97 is the traditional number of people in the Lehigh Marching Band. The band is made up of ranks: groups of eight members. Ideally, there would be twelve ranks, making the band 96 musicians strong. Add in the Drum Major and you have 97 people. We consider it our goal to have the full 97 members, though we've had between 55 and 75 members in recent years.

I loved/hated my high school band. Are you like them?
There are a few differences. First of all, there is no roll stepping in the Marching 97.  We march in the high-stepping Big 10 style. This means that your foot comes completely off of the ground, your toe is pointed and your thigh is raised until it is parallel with the ground.  It takes a little practice, but you’ll catch on!

Another difference is that we are a noncompetitive band and much less strict than most high schools.  Because we don't have to prepare for competitions, we learn a brand new show for every home game. How is that possible? Our drills are a lot easier to learn than most corps style shows because we march in ranks. Shows are easy to create, learn and remember.

Finally, there is no color guard in the Marching 97.  However, we have had former color guard members learn how to play instruments and join our ranks!

Do you play at every game?
We play at home games and the Lehigh/Lafayette game, whether it’s home or away. In addition, we also play officially at one away game every year.  For all other away games attendance is not mandatory, but to keep the rowdy, fun atmosphere, we usually send a delegation of the marching band to cheer and play to keep the fans and team motivated. These trips are called flames and they are pep-band style performances.

What about the time commitment?
Practices are every Tuesday and Thursday after class from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM outside the Rauch Field House on Goodman Campus. We meet outside Zoellner Arts Center and drive over South Mountain to the practice fields.  When there is a home game on Saturday, we have an extra practice on Fridays at 4:00. The morning of a home game, we meet around 9:00 AM, run through the show a few more times, eat lunch, get dressed, and march to the field.

While being in the 97 does take a decent amount of time each week, members of the  Marching 97 have plenty of time to lead active social lives, participate in other extracurricular activities, and keep their grades up.

Do you go to band camp?
Yes. Band camp lasts for three days prior to freshman orientation.  We spend this time in the Poconos learning the first drill of the season. We also play games, have water fights, swim, sing songs, play music, and generally have a good time. Since band camp starts the week before classes, you get to move in before your roommate, get the inside scoop on Lehigh before everyone else, and make a lots of new friends (chauffeurs and tutors, too) in the process!

I don't go to Lehigh, am I invited, too?
Absolutely! Students from any of the colleges or universities in the Allentown/Bethlehem area can join the 97 as long as they can get to and from practices and shows.

Who’s in charge?
Students!  The Marching 97 holds elections at the end of every year to elect a new batch of student officers. There are eleven executive members of the band including the Manager, Drum Major, and Conductor.  Our half time shows are even written by students.

There is one faculty member that helps the band, Al Neumeyer. He's there to give advice, and help us learn the drills and play the music.

Apparently, my question was not "frequently asked."

If you have any additional questions feel free to contact us! We look forward to hearing from you!

What other music groups can I be part of at Lehigh?
Click here to check out webpages about some of the other ensembles at Lehigh.