On July 1, the Solid Gold Sound welcomes a new leader. Justin McManus, most recently the director of athletic bands at the University of Connecticut, will join The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music faculty as assistant professor of music, director of athletic bands and associate director of bands. McManus, who earned his doctorate from Boston University, brings extensive experience from Division 1 athletic band programs.
“I’m excited to be joining the school of music,” said McManus. “UCLA is the number one public university in the United States, and the marching band is a great connector for all layers of the UCLA community, whether we are talking about the students, the alumni, Los Angeles or expanding our reach as a global university.”
Before joining the school of music, McManus was assistant professor at the University of Connecticut, where he was the director of athletic bands and the assistant director of wind bands. UConn, a Division 1 basketball powerhouse, boasts a 315-member marching band and 150-member pep band. Prior to that, McManus spent nine years as the assistant director of the University of Notre Dame bands department.
“Our marching band is one of our great treasures, bringing school of music students and nonmajors together to be UCLA’s musical ambassadors to the world,” said Robert Fink, acting dean of The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. “We are confident that we have found a strong and talented leader as the marching band approaches its 100th anniversary.”
At UConn, McManus spearheaded the task of preparing athletic bands for travel and performances, no small feat given the university’s prominence in collegiate basketball and frequent television appearances. He also led the marching band during its participation in the 2024 Heisman Trophy Trust Legends celebration, where they performed for a post-ceremony event that featured Heisman winners spanning five decades. The marching band participated in other distinctive events, including its first performance at an NFL game in three decades.
“Justin McManus brings a wealth of experience at the very highest level,” said Travis J. Cross, director of bands at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. “Our marching band is our most visible ensemble, performing in front of large audiences at the Rose Bowl, Pauley Pavilion and on television. We are thrilled to have Justin join us, with his impeccable record of excellence on both national and international stages.”
McManus, who holds a doctorate in music education from Boston University, has focused his scholarship on building healthy band culture. His work, published in both scholarly journals and academic presses, examines how to foster welcoming environments for those who might struggle fitting into traditional settings, and how to identify and address the root causes of student burnout.
McManus cited UCLA’s commitment to excellence and inclusivity as powerful reasons to join the Bruin community.
“There was a sense of purpose and mission that I could really feel on the UCLA campus,” said McManus. “You could sense it with the people on the ground—the drum majors, the students, the staff. Everyone was dedicated to service, to welcoming people of all different kinds of backgrounds and creating a positive and rewarding experience.”
The UCLA marching band has a storied history and a global reputation. In just the past five years, the band has toured Taiwan, performed with Gwen Stefani at the Hollywood Bowl, and recorded with K-Pop sensation BTS on its best-selling album Map of the Soul: 7. Their subsequent halftime performance of BTS’s music with the UCLA Spirit Squad and UCLA student K-Pop dance group Koreos has garnered nearly 3 million views on YouTube. For the past three years, the band’s achievements have come under the leadership of associate director Ken Fisher, who has taken on the role of acting director.
“Ken Fisher has guided this band with a steady hand and great care,” said Travis Cross. “His lifelong commitment to the UCLA marching band is exemplary, and his leadership in the interim period was essential, both for our marching band students and our staff.”
For McManus, the marching band’s culture of excellence and international reputation was certainly a draw. So too was the school of music’s culture of openness and shared governance, which he witnessed while touring the campus. “There was a hunger for collaboration that resonated across the school of music,” said McManus. “You could see it in the hallways and in the quad—not just in the classroom. It is a very dynamic and exciting university. I’m excited to be part of the Solid Gold Sound.”