This year’s Tournament of Roses Parade had a larger international flare with six of the 22 invited bands representing different countries around the world. The University of Oregon and University of Wisconsin-Madison performed pregame and halftime shows for Rose Bowl fans. Enjoy our 13th annual photo spread.
For their Rose Bowl performances, both the University of Oregon and the University of Wisconsin honored their own histories and paid tribute to important U.S. icons or moments.
For pregame, Oregon highlighted the evolution of the school’s “O” symbol from the interlocking “UO,” which represents the university’s tradition of innovation while Wisconsin performed a shortened version of its traditional show.
For halftime, Oregon celebrated the 50th anniversary of Woodstock and the Summer of ’69 by performing “Proud Mary,” “Evil Ways,” and “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In.” The show featured a peace sign, a steamboat, and a guitar solo!
“The Rose Bowl is a special experience for the collegiate marching band,” says Anna Frazer, administrative coordinator of athletic bands at Oregon. “There are a lot of performance opportunities where the students get to showcase everything they have worked on for large, diverse audiences.”
Wisconsin took a more serious approach, performing “A Salute to the Armed Forces” including the official military songs and “America the Beautiful.” Members of the military and veterans were invited to stand when their respective songs were played.
“The University of Wisconsin-Madison Marching Band was extremely honored to participate in the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game,” says Dr. Corey Pompey, director of athletic bands. “These New Year’s Day events hold such an important place in the national consciousness. These performances left an indelible mark on all of the students.”
Review the highlights from 2019 Tournament of Roses here.
