Marching Pirates
Memories of the Marching Pirates shared in commemoration of centennial. Share your memories with us too.
Jonathan Kuhn, '96 ~ During my high school marching band years, I heard the ECU Marching Pirates several times at marching band competitions, and often they would play the National Anthem. ECU's arrangement always gave us gosebumps. I still remember my first Marching Pirates rehearsal in Room 101, and the director called up The Star Spangeld Banner (which came to be known as "The Banner" for short). I was standing beside felllow freshman trombonist Bill (Billy) McMurray, and the anticipation of finally getting to play the piece we'd only gotten to hear before was intense. Playing it was everything I could have imagined. After playing it, Billy and I just looked at each and and said, "Wow". It was a musical experience I'll never forget.
Randy Guptill, '75 ~ I was in the Marching Pirates 4 years, playing baritone and sousaphone. I was at the Marshall vs ECU game and remember talking to a couple of the student managers from Marshall. They pointed out a coach and some boosters. The coach was explaining some fine points about punting and the managers said he was the best kicking coach there was. I believe they were all on the plane.
Bob Daniels, '59 ~ Mr Carter's marching band rendition of the U. S. national anthem was the best I've ever heard in my life and time at ECC (ECU now), or anywhere
else since.
Jay Downie, '79 ~ I had the privilege of performing in the Marching Pirates in 1975 and 1976 as a sousaphone player under Robert Naff, who arranged the famous Star Spangled Banner that still stirs my soul every time I listen to it. I recall raising my eyebrows when we first started rehearsing his arrangement, and wondered how it would be accepted. But I have to say the first performance was unbelievable, judging from the crowd's response. They went crazy. The tuba section in his arrangement bears the burden of starting the entire arrangement on an incredibly long note -- and I distinctly recall Mr. Naff's insistence on perfect intonation . . . even outdoors, in every kind of weather . . . nothing else was acceptable. It was wonderful fun, and an incredible part of my experience in the School of Music at ECU. Go Pirates!
Rick Guptill, '75 ~ I was a member of the Marching Pirates 70-75 (yes, it was 5 yrs, don't ask). Fall of '73 the MP were turned over to a Grad Student, and music majors weren't required to be in the band, so our numbers were greatly diminished, to about 150 or so. For that season's Homecoming halftime show, the director decided to do a "Salute to Women's Liberation," so we formed a large female stick figure including two large, strategically placed circles, facing the student side, and the announcer intoned "The Marching Pirates would now like to salute women's liberation. Watch now as "Francine" burns her bra and becomes liberated." Several guys fired off CO2 fire extinguishers to make "smoke," and when it had cleared each circle now had a white fiberglas sousaphone in the center, then, as the band played "The Stripper," we marched the circles up and down. The students seemed to like the display, but we heard that Dr. Jenkins was not very pleased . . .
John S. Morris, "82 ~ I was a music major and played in the Marching Pirates during the 1978 and 1979 seasons. There was a new director in 1978, I don't remember his name, he was only there for one year before he left. For my first game in 1978 we played "Rock a Bye My Baby", good arrangement by the director. We formed up into a big wedge, almost shoulder to shoulder, facing the home side at Ficklen Stadium. Since I was the tallest trumpet, I was the point of the wedge. With the entire band behind me I pointed my old beat up Conn trumpet at the stands and played. I was scared to death. We accompanied the football team to the games with NC State, UNC, and Duke, both years. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the ECU band was received on the fields of these rival schools.
My second year I played a solo in the show, a real ego trip for a 19 year old kid. It was not hard, I played it perfectly every time except one, the Marching Pirates exhibition at ECU Band Day.
Needless to say, I messed it up. I never heard the end of it for the rest of my time at ECU. The performance was video taped, and it made me cringe to watch it.
I am still a proud to have been a member of the Marching Pirates and I cherish the memories of my experiences.
