27 Jan 2010 -- With its usual impressive power and musicality, the UCLA Bruin Marching Band thrilled thousands at the EagleBank Bowl in Washington, DC, on December 29, 2009. The work which led to this performance, however, began in September at Marching Band Camp. During the intense eight-day Camp, Marching Band members benefited from the teaching of several clinicians from outside the school--including the Band of Flight's newest trombonist, Airman 1st Class Andrew Duncan. Airman Duncan's duties included directing sectional rehearsals for the group's 35-member trombone section, teaching private trombone lessons, and teaching music and marching fundamentals at rehearsals of the full band. The hours were long: 12-hour days the first week, 8-hour days the second; and the goals were incredibly ambitious: 5 halftime shows' worth of music and marching drill movements to memorize, and a full folder of popular music to learn for performance during games--all to be performed for live audiences of more than 500,000 people and millions more on television.
Airman Duncan was eminently qualified to help the band achieve its goals. In addition to a Master's degree in music from Carnegie Mellon University, Duncan also drew on his two years as a member of the world champion Cadets drum corps, a year as lead trombone for the Disney All-American College Band, and the marching fundamentals he learned at Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in 2008. He had also served as a drum corps instructor, teaching the Capital Regiment corps in Columbus, Ohio, in 2006. While working with Capital Regiment, Airman Duncan met Professor Gordon Henderson, Director of Bands at UCLA, who was also helping prepare the corps for competition. "I observed him teaching marching fundamentals (he was on the visual staff for that group)," remembers Prof. Henderson, "and I was impressed with his ability to communicate and motivate the students."
For his part, Airman Duncan arrived looking forward to the experience. "From the moment I got the call from Gordon to teach at the 2009 camp, I was excited for the opportunity to share my expertise with the students at UCLA and reconnect with the friends I had made during my first stint at UCLA in 2008," he remembers.
"For several mornings, (Duncan) drilled us on our marching fundamentals," recalls Andrew Rodgers, a senior Anthropology Major at UCLA and co-section leader for the Bruin trombone section. "There was definitely a significant improvement from when he started working with us. He'd mix things up to keep us on our game."
The afternoon trombone sectionals lasted anywhere from 1-3 hours, and students found them very helpful. "They were well-run, because (Airman Duncan) would talk to the director about what should be covered. It was very clear," said senior Trombone Major Emily Joseph. Andrew Rodgers attributed Duncan's effectiveness to his "cool, adaptable persona. He's extremely good at instructing a large group."
After the first week of camp, the Bruin Marching Band took the field for UCLA's home football opener. Airman Duncan was in his full service dress uniform for the game, which prompted some questions from his new friends in the trombone section. "He was very positive overall and really nice. When he was in uniform for the game, we asked him questions about the Air Force," remembers Joseph. "I got an excellent impression of the Air Force Bands, and it was a good chance to have questions answered about being a musician in the military," added Rodgers. Band members were also inquisitive about broader topics, remembers Duncan. "What made this year truly special was that I was able to spread the Air Force message in a positive way. They were not only interested in learning more about Air Force Bands, but some were interested in pursuing careers in the Air Force at large and were curious about the many benefits of a career in the Air Force." All in all, the experience proved beneficial for Airman Duncan, as well as for the university. "Not only did he help raise the playing level of the trombone section a few notches, Andrew's enthusiasm was infectious and it helped establish a strong sense of camaraderie within the section that lasted through the entire season," summed up Professor Henderson. Adds Airman Duncan, "I'm truly thankful that the Air Force made it possible for me to represent the Band of Flight at the camp, and look forward to returning in the future!"