<p>Clemson has a great marching band (in a crazy football atmosphere) and has great engineering/physics majors as well.</p>
<p>UCLA Band Mom, no, I’m not bitter. Berkeley engineering was always my first choice.</p>
<p>Just a word of caution from a dedicated band parent of 8 long years of marching band. One of our most enthusiastic band members, who is a music member, was thrilled when she got in to the highly competitive, well respected marching band at her college. She HATED it! All of the work (and more) and none of the fun is how she described the experience. She will not be returning to the marching band in the fall.</p>
<p>Stanford band = a bunch of self-conscious nincompoops who have, over the years, routinely embarrassed themselves and their their otherwise estimable institution.</p>
<p>Remember that the OP is looking in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic. So Penn State seems to be the best bet.</p>
<p>^ I take it you won’t be attending the USC @ Stanford game on October 9th. The LSJUMB nincompoops should have a lot of fodder for USC this year.</p>
<p>If you’re flexible about location, the University of Illinois (at Urbana-Champaign) fits what you’re looking for to a tee. Modern Big-Ten style football marching was essentially invented there, and they’ve got outstanding engineering schools. They just built a beautiful new glass-and-steel Computer Science centre, absolutely gorgeous buildings and quads.</p>
<p>OK, Sousa it is. </p>
<p>This discussion reminds me a bit of W.C. Fields playing Edgar Souse in “The Bank Dick”:</p>
<p>“Here you go, Mr. Souse.” " It’s sooSAY!!"</p>
<p>“If you’re flexible about location, the University of Illinois (at Urbana-Champaign) fits what you’re looking for to a tee. Modern Big-Ten style football marching was essentially invented there, and they’ve got outstanding engineering schools. They just built a beautiful new glass-and-steel Computer Science centre, absolutely gorgeous buildings and quads.” </p>
<p>I bet the glass beautifully reflects the flat never ending fields of corn. ;-)</p>
<p>Illinois invented the modern college marching band. The entire football/marching band tradition started with them. And their engineering school is top notch. They are definitely an “Ultimate Band Geek School”. :)</p>
<p><a href=“I%20know%20this%20for%20a%20fact%20because%20my%20Dad%20graduated%20from%20there%20as%20an%20engineering%20major,%20and%20participated%20in%20the%20student%20card%20section.%20%20He%20also%20sang%20a%20great%20version%20of%20the%20song%20%22Illinois%20Loyalty%22.%20%20:”>i</a> )*</p>
<p>Illini Band Firsts
Birthplace of the college concert band - first formal concert given in 1890, with performances as early as 1872 </p>
<p>First college to use Sousaphones - upright bell model sousaphones were purchased in 1906–1907 </p>
<p>First halftime show - in 1907 for the University of Chicago game </p>
<p>First to form school letters (Block I in parade) </p>
<p>First Homecoming - first celebrated in October, 1910 </p>
<p>Performed at first football game broadcast on radio (band was heard on WGN experimental play-by-play broadcast, probably in 1924) </p>
<p>First student card section (Block I) </p>
<p>Referred to by John Phillip Sousa as “World’s Greatest College Band” in the 1920s </p>
<p>First band to have its own band building (in the 1930s) </p>
<p>First to have a giant school flag </p>
<p>Performed at the first televised football game and the first football game televised in color. </p>
<p>First band to use field bugles in a field show (1913–14), thus making the Marching Illini the first drum and bugle corps</p>
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<p>Florida A&M is there.</p>
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<p>Q.E.D. I’m convinced!</p>