UC Berkeley band busts out Big Bang

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Dec 15, 2006 | by Matt KrupnickSTAFF

The University of California, Berkeley, marching band has long been well known, but its members never had been stars like this before.

Nobel Prize laureate George Smoot recruited the band for a demonstration of the Big Bang that was filmed for last week's Nobel ceremonies in Sweden.

Led by the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory astrophysicist, the band stepped through a routine on the Memorial Stadium field illustrating the birth of the universe.

"We get to do a lot of really cool stuff in the band, but I think this is the most unique," said trumpeter Daniel Chapman, a fifth- year physics and computer science double major. "He's kind of a hot- shot guy."

The routine, filmed in October by a Swedish camera crew, was unrehearsed as the band played Stevie Wonder's "Another Star." A video on the UC Berkeley Web site shows Smoot, who received the award Sunday for his work proving the Big Bang theory, describing the theory to more than 200 band members.

It was far from the usual physics lecture. Take, for example, his advice to the tuba section.

"They make a really spectacular galaxy, a really big one like our own galaxy or Andromeda," Smoot said. "Go tubas!"

Band members began the routine in a tightly packed group, then demonstrated the universe's expansion by running in all directions and creating their own "galaxies."

The scientist remained in Europe on Wednesday and could not be reached for comment.

Band director Robert Calonico said Smoot called him that October morning and said the film crew was interested in the band's participation. In the video, Smoot explained the unusual request to the band.

"I really admire the band," Smoot said, "and so when they said, 'We want to re-enact the Big Bang with the guys from your lab,' I said, 'No way, I want the band.'"

Calonico said the routine was a highlight of his career.

"It was just one of those fabulous moments," he said. "If I could get their attention like he did, oh, my goodness, that would be wonderful."

Matt Krupnick covers higher education. Reach him at 925-943-8246 or mkrupnick@cctimes.com.