LINCOLN, NEBRASKA (November 10, 2020) Lauren Plumley of Geneseo, Illinois, is part of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's 297-member Cornhusker Marching Band, which is persevering through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Plumley, a junior mechanical engineering major, plays clarinet.

Through quick adjustments made by faculty leaders in the spring and summer, the band is rehearsing daily and preparing for a performance series this fall, as well as a stand-still version of its pre-game show to be recorded and made available online. The band has also recorded performances for the "Second Screen" virtual game-day experience offered by Nebraska Athletics and HuskerVision. For more information, click here.

This year, auditions took place via video submissions, and the annual camp was replaced with a virtual program that ran through the summer. During that time, student leaders connected with and guided bandmates via Zoom and other videoconferencing platforms.

Faculty leaders have instituted health-related protocols doubling spacing between band members on the field, requiring the use of cloth covers on all wind instruments and facial-coverings where possible, rehearsing with no more than two-thirds of the band in Cook Pavilion at one time, and making sure hand-sanitizer is available.

Along with following all federal, state, and local health protocols, the band is adjusting procedures based on findings in targeted studies being conducted at the University of Colorado, University of Maryland, and Colorado State University.

"The studies are looking specifically at how the virus is spread in the performing arts," said Tony Falcone, associate director of bands in the Glenn Korff School of Music and director of the Cornhusker Marching Band. "As findings are released from those studies, we adapt our protocols.

"We're doing everything we can to protect our students, faculty, and staff from this virus."

This year's band includes representatives from nearly every region of the country; though, 75% of the students are from Nebraska. Twenty-two percent of the students are music or music-education majors. The rest are studying in more than 60 other degree programs across campus. Each band member passed an audition to gain admittance to the group.

The drum majors for the 2020 marching band are senior Jacob Coughlin of Omaha, senior Sarah Ernst of Columbus, senior Sydney McGahan of North Platte, and senior Molly Olander of Burnsville, Minnesota. The twirlers are sophomore Carrigan Hurst of Little Chute, Wisconsin, and senior Kimberly Law of La Quinta, California.

Douglas W Bush is the assistant director of bands and assistant marching band director. Carolyn Barber, Ron and Carol Cope Professor of Music, is director of bands. Other band staff-members are graduate assistants Josh Cutting, Matt Smoot, and Scott Walker. Bastian Wood is the percussion instructor, and Samantha Brown is the color-guard instructor. Rose Johnson is the administrative technician, Jan Deaton is the office associate, and Nolan Schmit is the "voice" of the band.

The Cornhusker Marching Band, which resides in the Korff School, was founded in 1879 as an ROTC unit and is one of the oldest marching bands in the nation. The band has received many honors throughout its 141-year history, including a Distinguished Recognition Trophy presented by John Philip Sousa in 1927 and The John Philip Sousa Foundation's Sudler Trophy in 1996. The Sudler Trophy is the highest honor given to collegiate bands.

The "Pride of All Nebraska" has been seen by millions of viewers on television. The band was the first collegiate ensemble to perform at all of the major football-bowl games: Rose, Orange, Fiesta, Sugar, and Cotton. For more information, click here.

For the full list of 2020 Cornhusker Marching Band members, click here.

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