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University of Wyoming

The Western Thunder Marching Band of the University of Wyoming
 

Band

The University of Wyoming Marching Band - "Western Thunder" - features musicians from nearly every major on campus who perform for as many as 125,000 football fans each year at home and road Cowboy football games.

History

The University of Wyoming Bands began in 1913 as a R.O.T.C. unit and remained as a part of the campus military science area until after World War II. The University Bands became part of the Department of Music with the leadership of Professors Edgar Lewis and Charles Seltenrich and served as entertainment for college athletics rather than military ceremonial needs. The Western Thunder Marching Band (formerly known as the Cowboy Marching Band) has traveled to several bowl games including the Sun Bowl (1958 and 1966), the Sugar Bowl (1967),  the Fiesta Bowl (1976), the Holiday Bowl (1987 and 1988), and the Copper Bowl (1990 and 1993), the WAC Championship in Las Vegas (1996), and the Las Vegas Bowl (2004). The band has also appeared at Denver Bronco and San Diego Charger pro-football games. The Pep Band travels each year to the Mountain West Conference tournament and also accompanied the team to the NCAA tournament in 1981, 1988, 1989, 2002, as well as the NIT appearance in New York City in 1986.

Former Directors

1913-1942 -- Harry Thompson
1941-1942 -- Harold Kane
1942-1950 -- Robert S. Vagner
1950-1955 -- Edgar Lewis and Charles Seltenrich
1955-1968 -- Charles Seltenrich
1968-1979 -- Ronald Kuhn
1979-1980 -- Phil Weinacht
1980-1984 -- Robert Mayes
1984-1985 -- Dennis Hopkins
1985-1991 -- Eddie Smith
1991-1995 -- William F. McMosley
1995-2000 -- Robert S. Belser
Present (2001) -- Christopher Nicholas
Interim (2004-2005) -- Brandt Payne