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The Wertheim FIU Marching Band Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Announced in 1999 alongside the announcement of FIU’s football program, after years of hard work and preparation, the then Golden Panther Band, now The Wertheim FIU Marching Band, was called to attention. During its first year of existence, established itself as one of the premier collegiate march-ing bands in the State of Florida through a high standard of excellence in performance and entertain-ment. The group not only thrilled and excited audiences at every home football game in the fall of 2002, but was asked to perform in exhibition at local high school band competitions and traveled with the FIU Football Team to two of their away games. In addition, the inaugural edition of the band made an appearance on national television during the CBS telecast of various Thanksgiving Day parades from around the country.

Since the summer of 2010, Professor Barry W. Bernhardt directs the Wertheim FIU Marching Band, which under his leadership has established itself as one of the most visible entities on the FIU campus. Representing over 30 majors and disciplines, the band is a microcosm of the diverse University and Miami cultures and continues to thrill audiences with high-energy entertainment and works to “create the tradition” at FIU.
The Wertheim Family’s recent historic signature gift supports the newly rebranded The Herbert and Nicole Wertheim School of Music & Performing Arts. In addition, in honor of this funding and deep commitment to the arts in South Florida’s creative economy, the FIU Marching Band is now The Wert-heim FIU Marching Band. This gift is the largest in support of a music school in the state of Florida and the largest gift to the FIU College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA).
“Nothing embodies the Panther Spirit like the Wertheim FIU Marching Band,” said Karen S.F. Veloz, Director of The Wertheim School of Music. “We are thrilled to offer The Wertheim FIU Band alumni an opportunity to reconnect with members and play with the band again. For musicians, nothing beats the thrill of performance."
“I am both honored and humbled to be at FIU and have the responsibility to rebuild the FIU Marching Band,” said Barry W. Bernhardt, director of The Wertheim FIU Marching Band. “It continues to grow and develop, and has cemented it’s place both on our campus and in South Florida as the most entertaining group around! We look forward to this 20th Anniversary celebration and to the next 20 years!!”.

About the Herbert and Nicole Wertheim School of Music & Performing Arts

The Herbert and Nicole Wertheim School of Music & Performing Arts (The Wertheim) is a top-ranked, accred-ited member of the National Association of Schools of Music since 1996 and offers a wide range of undergradu-ate and graduate programs in performance, music business, music composition, music education, and music technology. An intimate school, The Wertheim offers individualized training to 220 undergraduate and gradu-ate students in a nurturing atmosphere that allows for each student’s individual artistry and intellect to develop and blossom. The School boasts an exceptional world-renowned faculty of teaching artists and scholars who perform, educate, tour, record, publish, compose, and present scholarly work locally, nationally, and interna-tionally. The more than 100 performances annually include orchestral, wind, jazz, vocal, choral, and chamber music concerts are all performed in the beautiful Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Performing Arts Center at Flor-ida International University’s Modesto Maidique Campus as well as throughout the community.

About FIU

Florida International University is a top public university that drives real talent and innovation in Miami and globally. Very high research (R1) activity and high social mobility come together at FIU to uplift and accelerate learner success in a global city by focusing in the areas of environment, health, innovation, and justice. Today, FIU has two campuses and multiple centers. FIU serves a diverse student body of more than 58,000 and 270,000 Panther alumni. U.S. News and World Report places dozens of FIU programs among the best in the nation, in-cluding international business at No. 2. Washington Monthly Magazine ranks FIU among the top 20 public uni-versities contributing to the public good.