In 1979, Dr. Marchand, the Towson State Music Department, and the Towson State administration brought Mr. Robert Doster to Towson State to create a marching band. Mr. Doster earned a reputation for his work with marching bands at various schools in Frederick County, Maryland and Fairfax County, Virginia. The band he created at Towson has performed at many exhibitions throughout the state along with the Baltimore Cavalcade of Bands. The marching band was also the host band for the Maryland Tournament of Bands in 1986, and from 1993-2004 (with the exception of 2002). From 1983 through 1999, Dr. Dana Rothlisberger, the Director of Bands, ran the marching band. Through his leadership, the band grew in size and stature within the university. Dr. Rothlisberger established the marching band as a permanent fixture in the Towson University Football experience.
In 2000, Dr. Rothlisberger turned the marching band over to Brad Zimmerman who was selected to fill a new adjunct faculty position in the band department. The nature of the adjunct faculty position created some turn over in the position. In 2001, Mark Norman replaced Mr. Zimmerman as the marching band director. When Mr. Norman left in 2002, Towson appointed Jeffery Au as the marching band director. Mr. Au served as the marching band director for the 2002 and 2003 seasons. During his tenure, he advanced the program by pushing the band to perform more then one show a year and become more entertaining during football games. The marching band's improvement and a pending move to the Atlantic 10 football division led to Towson University President Robert Caret approving new funding for the marching band. Dr. Caret wanted the marching band to grow in size while continuing to entertain and excite the crowd during football games.
In 2004, Mr. John Miliauskas began his tenure at Towson as a full-time director of the TIGER Marching Band. Today, every member of the marching band receives a $500 scholarship for each year of participation. The band has recently purchased new uniforms, and in 2005 Yahama became the corporate sponser for the Marching Band. This allowed for the purchase of many new Yahama brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The Towson University TIGER Marching Band is currently the fastest growing collegiate marching band in the state of Maryland.
Some Past Shows of the TIGER Marching Band
(If you have more information of past shows, please contact tumbalumni@gmail.com
2008 Brought to You By the Letter B
- Brass Machine
- Black Magic Woman
- Bon Jovi Medley
- B52's Love Shack
2007 Prizm, Red, Blue, and Green
- El Toro Caliente
- Nuttville
- Money
- Thriller
2006 That 70's Show
- Bill Chase Medley
- Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
- Bohemian Rhapsody
- September
2005 "Club Mix '05"
- Jazz Club: Birdland
- Salsa Club: Livin' La Vida Loca
- Swing Club: Zoot Suit Riot
- Blues Club: Soul Man
2004 "A Magical Mystery Tour"
- A Magical Mystery Tour
- Hey Big Spender & Luck be a Lady Tonight
- Get on Your Feet
- Superstition
- Lil' Liza Jane
2003 "Bernstein Show" & "Foo Fighters Show"
- Candide
- Somewhere
- Bernstein’s Mass
- Times Like These
- Learn to Fly
- All My Life
2002 "A Movie Show" & "Chicago Show"
- Duel of the Fates
- She
- Theme from Mask of Zoro
- Saturday in the Park
- Free
- 25 or 6 to 4
2001
- American Celebration
- Swing Swing Swing
- El Toro Caliente
2000
- Nuttville
- Sing Sing Sing ala Cantina Band
- Firebird
1999
- Prologue
- It Don't mean a Thing if you Ain't Got that Swing
- Malaga