In fall 2009, Dr. Arthur C. Bartner will begin his 40th year as director of the USC Trojan Marching Band. His tenure has been longer than any president, trustee, dean, or football coach at the university while crafting a career unprecedented for a collegiate band director. He has directed at Super Bowls, Presidential Inaugurations, the Academy Awards, the Grammy Awards, and taken the Trojan Marching Band to six continents, four world expositions, and 17 countries. In his four decades as director, the TMB has earned two platinum albums, appeared in well over 100 movies and television shows, guest starred multiple times on the Academy Awards and Grammy Awards, visited 17 countries, marched in 16 Rose Parades, and traveled to every USC Football game since 1987, a streak of 275 and counting.

 

The pinnacle of Dr. Bartner's career was his leadership of the 800-piece All-American College Marching

Band at the 1984 Summer Olympics. He was also the director of the Disneyland All-American College Band for over 30 years and directed bands at the openings of EPCOT Center and Euro Disneyland.

 

Since taking over the program in 1970, Dr. Bartner has increased the band more than fourfold and earned the band its nickname "The Spirit of Troy" for its tireless support of USC Athletics. It has not missed a USC Football game, home or away, since 1987 and attends over 85 Trojan sporting events each year. Under Dr. Bartner's direction, the program has also become known as "Hollywood's Band" because of its countless appearances on the silver and small screens. The TMB even has two platinum albums, which it earned recording two albums with the rock group Fleetwood Mac.

Most importantly, Dr. Bartner has built a program that is The Spirit of Troy.  The band not only supports the Trojans and Women of Troy at over 80 USC athletic events each year, but is the university’s goodwill ambassadors to the community, the nation, and the world.  The TMB regularly appears at over 30 charity events each year and more than 200 private celebrations for the Trojan Family from weddings to birthdays to bar mitzvahs.

 

Backed by executive producers Tom Bähler and Gregg Field, both legends of the recording industry, a gala dinner and concert commemorating Dr. Bartner’s 40 years with the Trojan Marching Band will be held at USC’s Galen Center.  This all‐star celebration and retrospective of Dr. Bartner’s career will feature famous guest speakers, exciting musical acts, and multimedia presentations.

The gala will feature an exclusive dinner for 600 on the floor of the Galen Center and a subsequent program for 4,000 in the arena.  The event aims to raise more than $1 million toward scholarships for band members.  Over 1,000 TMB alumni are expected to attend.

 

Experience four decades of Trojan Marching Band hits with Trojan Legacy: 40 Years of Dr. Arthur C. Bartner and The Spirit of Troy, the new double CD album debuting this Homecoming at the USC Bookstore.   Encompassing both the “Then” and “Now” of The Spirit of Troy, this definitive collection features two discs of new and archival material.  Live recordings of TMB hits from the Pete Carroll era join the original renditions of four decades of standards from “Frankenstein” to “Heartbreaker” to “Tusk.”   Filling out the more than 40 songs are special bonus tracks, including the full USC Drumline cadence.

 

To forever commemorate Dr. Arthur C. Bartner’s 40-year journey with the Trojan Marching Band, renowned artist Robert Jensen and writer Keith Walker have been tapped to create a hardcover book telling his story.  This keepsake for every Trojan fan will be lavishly illustrated with photos culled from the band’s archives and Jensen’s own paintings.  It will chronicle Dr. Bartner’s journey west to a struggling program and his building it into the most accomplished and acclaimed marching bands in the nation.  Enlivening the text will be special guest writers and recollections from friends of the band.