Spirit of the Carolinas

Be Part of the legacy

With roots reaching back to the 1945–46 College Band and revived in 2007 during the return of BraveNation football, this ensemble carries decades of tradition into every home game, parade and exhibition performance. You’ll tour with spirited brass and woodwinds, energize crowds with color guard flair and drive the beat with our dynamic drumline on campus and beyond.

Rehearsing Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons and kicking off each season with an immersive band camp, the SOTC offers academic credit, fully provided instruments, uniforms, housing, meals, travel — and even stipends as a thank-you for your commitment. Whether you're forging lifelong friendships, developing leadership skills or showcasing UNCP pride, you'll be at the heart of an electrifying musical tradition.

Learn more and take center stage with the Spirit of the Carolinas.

Perform, Lead, Belong

The Spirit of the Carolinas brings energy and excitement to every UNCP home football game, selected away games, local parades and high school marching band exhibitions across the region. With a rehearsal schedule designed to minimize conflicts with academic classes, students can fully engage without sacrificing their studies. For many members, band is more than a performance — it’s a vibrant break from the classroom that builds leadership, teamwork and lifelong friendships, all while being part of something bigger than themselves. Students receive stipends for successfully completing the season. The amounts vary depending on budget, years in the band and leadership.

Once you have been accepted to the university, please complete and submit the interest form to be added to the roster for the Fall 2025 marching band season and invited to our Dropbox folder.

Interest Form

students in marching band uniforms holding instruments on the UNCP football field

Colorguard & Drumline

Ready to bring your passion to the field? The Spirit of the Carolinas welcomes aspiring performers to audition for drumline and colorguard and invites winds and brass to participate through an informal assessment during band camp.

Winds & Brass: No formal audition — just an informal scales and show-musical check during band camp.

Drumline & Colorguard: Auditions are held each spring. Colorguard welcomes flag spinners and experienced weapon handlers; workshops help beginners prepare, too.

To get started, complete the interest form and you’ll receive all the info you need — audition guidelines, workshops, music and how to enroll for credit in MUS 1181: University Marching Band.

female member of marchng band colorguard waving flag at UNCP

How do I join the marching band?

Submit the interest form (linked above) and register for one of the following course sections for 1 credit hour (repeatable up to eight times):

MUS 1181
WINDS (woodwind/brass) and COLORGUARD: Section 001
PERCUSSION: Section 002

Students should be registered no later than August 1. Grades for the marching band course are based on attendance, performance and attitude. Specific information about grading can be found in the handbook.

Who can be in marching band? Do I have to be a music major?

Anyone can be in the SOTC! The band is made up of a mix of music and non-music majors, and we have had members from almost every major on campus.*

(*Nursing majors can participate in marching band until they start clinicals.)

Are there auditions to be in a band?

There are no auditions for woodwinds or brass players. On the first day of band camp, wind players will have an informal assessment with their sections on scales, the UNCP Fight Song and the halftime show opener. The music for these songs is in the SOTC Winds Dropbox folder, and students should have this music memorized if possible.

Drumline and Colorguard audition information is above.

What is the cost to participate in the marching band?

There are no costs associated with joining the SOTC. Uniforms, housing and meals during band camp, and travel expenses are all paid for by the Department of Music. In fact, if students complete the season successfully, they will receive a stipend — this means students can get paid to be in band!

Can you tell me more about stipends?

Students who are registered for the marching band class (see Question 1) are eligible to receive stipends at the end of the season. Stipend amounts go up the longer you participate in marching band, rewarding those students who stay in band throughout their college careers. The stipends serve as a "thank you" for your service to the university, though if one of the first questions you ask about band is, "How much will I get paid?" the SOTC may not be for you.

Do I have to buy a uniform?

No, all uniform parts are provided except socks and shoes. Students must purchase their own band/guard shoes, though most students are able to continue wearing the shoes they used in high school. Shoes for the hornline and drumline should be black lace-up marching band shoes with no other markings or colors (NOT tennis shoes); colorguard shoes should be black jazz-style shoes that can be used outside. Appropriate shoes can be purchased from several online locations for around $35.

Do I need my own instrument?

All marching brass (mellophones, marching baritones and sousaphones), percussion and colorguard equipment are provided. Other instruments are available to check out through the Music Resource Center (music library) if needed.

Early History

The history of the UNCP marching band goes back to the 1945-46 school year, when the College Band was organized. Ira Pate Lowry, who served as the music department chair from 1935-1957, was the first director of the College Band; he and his wife Reba, a professor in the foreign languages department, co-authored the alma mater, "Hail to PSC" (now "Hail to UNCP").

The gold, black and white headdresses the band wore in its early days were modeled after those worn by Indians from the Great Plains. They were made by Walter J. and Bertha (Lowry) Pinchbeck and Bonnie (Jones) Maynor ’34.

(Information and photos of Ira Pate Lowry and the PSC band found in the book Hail to UNCP! by David K. Eliades, Lawrence T. Locklear, and Linda E. Oxendine.)

UNCP Band at Spanish Festival

Indoor Band (2003) and The Return of Football (2007-2015)

2003-2015

The roots of the Spirit of the Carolinas began in 2003 as an indoor ensemble led by Dr. Tracy Wiggins, featuring winds, percussion and colorguard in dynamic stage performances. When UNC Pembroke’s Board of Trustees approved the return of football in 2004, Chancellor Allen Meadors ensured a marching band would be part of the game day experience—investing in instruments, uniforms and new facilities.

In 2007, after a 56-year break, football returned—and so did the marching band, officially named the Spirit of the Carolinas. Under the direction of Marty Spitzer, the band performed at home games, parades and exhibitions, with notable appearances at Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and the Grand Illumination Parade. Over the years, SOTC has brought bold halftime shows to life, from West Side Story to Life’s a Beach.

2016-Present

The Spirit of the Carolinas has faced challenges and milestones in recent years, showing resilience, growth and school pride. In 2016, the band debuted new Stanbury uniforms, marking a modern look for a new era. Despite setbacks from Hurricanes Matthew (2016) and Florence (2018)—which flooded practice fields and disrupted schedules—the band remained active, even performing during a Good Morning America segment in 2017.

The 2019 season brought the band’s first alumni reunion at Homecoming and a lively “Soul Train” halftime show. In 2020, COVID-19 led to the cancellation of the football season and the retirement of longtime director Marty Spitzer. Under new leadership from Dr. Michael Alsop in 2021, the SOTC returned with fresh energy, new branding and a crowd-pleasing Elton John show.

In 2022, Mr. Kalem Graham stepped in as director. The band performed at home games, Pembroke Day, and the Harmony Walk, and made its first appearance in the Holiday Extravaganza since 2017—continuing a legacy of spirit, tradition and musical excellence.