U.W.O. Band and Early Formation
The formation of the Western Mustang Band, started off as a smaller band in the mid 1920’s. Known as the U.W.O. band, this group formed in 1926 under the direction of Paul McKibben, the dean of the medical school. This small ensemble played at the football games and travelled with the football team, performing at away games as well. At this point in time, the group consisted of a few dozen musicians. Marching band performances at football or any athletic games was still in its infancy at this time, but as time went on, people started to expect the band at games. It started to become an integral part of any football game.
In 1929, the band became “permanent[ly] and officially established”, as reported in the Gazette. The band played at the opening ceremonies of the newly constructed J.W. Little Memorial Stadium, with 30 members performing.
This image shows the early band formation in 1931.
Don Wright’s Involvement
Don Wright became involved in the band, playing trumpet while getting his undergraduate degree in the early 1930’s. In his last year of his undergraduate degree, he became bandleader in 1933. After he finished his degree however, he was asked in 1935 to come back and direct the band again.
While under his direction, the band started to shape up into a proper marching band. Wright introduced rehearsal times “Once a week – Thursdays 4:30PM till dark, rain or shine.” Wright also arranged all the music for the band, tailoring the music properly to the instrumentation of the band.
These are the three Herald Trumpets used in the early band for fanfares. Notice the banners on the bells.
Under Wright’s direction, the band started to innovate and evolve. Three Herald Trumpets were added to the band, giving a very dramatic effect to the sound. These trumpets, with big “U.W.O.” letters on their bells, would often do fanfares to announce the entry of the band into the stadium as well as add flourishments to songs, with would add excitement to any game. Wright included full band instrumentation. Flutes, clarinets, saxophones, as well as all brass along with snare drums and a bass drum were part of the band’s sound. He also allowed a girl to take on the drum major role, which was unheard of at the time as well as using two male baton twirlers to the majorette/colour party. When all majorettes were girls and all drum majors were guys, this change in gender roles allowed for a better evolution of the band.
Also under Wright’s direction, the band started to play jazz at football games, something unheard of at the time. These short arrangements of popular jazz numbers attracted crowds and usually brought them to their feet in excitement. Traditionally, marching bands would only play marches and other classical pieces, so bringing in jazz, popular style at the time, onto the football field led to a resounding success for the band in the mid to late 1930’s.
In 1936, the University Student Council at Western put on a drive for funds to support the purchase of new uniforms. At this point, the U.W.O. Band became the Western Mustang Band. They first performed as this newly formed band while in their brand new uniforms in the fall of 1937, under the direction of Don Wright as bandmaster and founding director.
Western Mustang Band
1940's and WWII
During the Second World War, the band took shape under the Canadian Officers in Training Corps and reflected regimental-style of military band. It wasn’t until after the Second World War that the band changed its style, and started to branch forward into doing more field drill routines with popular, well-known songs at the time.
1950's
Marvin Kwitko in 1955. He was the band director for three years until he graduated from UWO with a degree in medicine.
In the 1950’s, the band started to open up to both Western and non-Western students. This was done to help increase the size of the band and it proved to be effective for the first half of the decade. As the University grew in size however, there became an increase in Western students involvement in the band and the amount of members coming from outside of the university was gradually phased out in the later part of the 1950’s.
1954 was the first year the band acquired a female band member, Jane Perkins. Perkins joined the band on trumpet. Up until this point, the only female members in the band were majorettes or colour party members. Popularity grew amongst both genders and in 1957, it was regarded that the band had an entire row of girls. Most marching bands at the time were predominantly all male, so incorporating both genders equally in the band, helped set it apart from others.
Marvin Kwitko was the bandmaster for three years from 1954-1956, while doing his undergraduate arts degree. He did a number of arrangements for the band, and introduced popular songs in the band. Much like how Don Wright introduced jazz into the band, Kwitko started playing 1950’s pop tunes and played less of the COTC-style of marches. The band kept strong at 45 members under Kwitko’s direction.
1960's
In 1959, Ron Brown became bandmaster. Some may call this period of the band the “golden era”, as Brown brought the band to very high success. Under Brown’s direction, he instituted daily practice. This ensured the top performance of the band. Brown was the band director through the mid 1960’s, and kept the band an incredible size of 65-80 members. In Bob Gage’s “Mustang Tales”, he recounts:
In a story on the Western band in 1961, the London Free Press reported "Snappy drills, up-to-date routines, plus good music go to make excellent pre-game and half-time entertainment by the 85-member band, which continues to draw raves by fans from London to Montreal."Bob Gage, Mustang Tales
A colour photo of the band playing at the 1967 Homecoming.
The band at this time came to draw crowds from all over.
During the late 1960’s, the membership of the band started to decline. Brown had left as director and university marching bands across Canada started to become less popular. At this point, the band dwindled to around 22 members.
1970's
In 1970, a reconstruction of the band’s image was done to popularize it once again. This included things like a newer, more casual style of uniform and an update on music the band was playing. This reconstruction got the band membership numbers back up to around 45 members in 1971. During this year, the band flew to Halifax to support the football team, where they were competing at the National Football Championship. The band stayed steady with the updated image into the 1970’s, and even in 1974, the band had 64 members in total.
This is the band marching in the Homecoming parade in 1970. The band at this time had an updated uniform and image.
Name Change
In 1975 the band changed its name to the Mustang Marching Band. This name stuck with the organization until 2002, until it was changed back to its former Western Mustang Band.
1980's to Present Day
The band continued throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s. During this time, the band fell under some criticism due to the lack of involvement with Western functions. A revival and reshape of the band image came in the early 2000’s, with the onset of some new instruments and newer uniforms.
Music
Western Song
Walter J. Smither (class of ’32 and ’35) wrote the school song, known as “Western Song” with lyrics written by Margaret Ovens (class of ’29). The melody was originally rejected as a school song while Smither was at Beck Collegiate, but in 1928, the song was resurrected to become the official school song of UWO, with the help of Ovens as the lyricist. A piano and voice part was arranged first, and a band arrangement came shortly after by Don Wright in 1936. The current arrangement reflects the one Brad Masters, a former Mustang Band president, did in 1981. While the first half of the song was written for the school specifically, the last half of the Western Song, known as the “Western Marching Song”, reflects a similar well-known school song, “Washington and Lee Swing” which in very commonly used in other school fight songs, followed by the Western school cheer, Caninny.
Canniny
The Canninny cheer is a staple of Western spirit cheers and has been used by Western since the early 1920’s, originating from early football games. Often accompanied by the band, traditionally the cheer goes as followed:
Ca-ninny, ca-ninny, ca-ninny canoe,
With a hull-a-ba, hull-a-ba, hull-a-bal-oo,
With a riccaty, raccity, raccity, ru,
Hiup, Skyup, Western U!
W-E-S-T-E-R-N,
Western, Western, Western!
Men of Western U
The Western victory song, known as “Men of Western U” was written in 1955 by Marvin Kwitko, a former bandmaster and meds student. This small piece was debuted for a four part men’s choir, but then Kwitko arranged the piece for the band shortly after. The piece consists of a small intro, followed by a chorus with lyrics written by Kwitko, then a chant where each university faculty has their own part, and finally a repeat of the chorus. The piece has not gotten much use in recent years by the band.
