Brandon Alpers
Drum Major BRANDON ALPERS is a fourth-year student from Cottage Grove, Minnesota, studying Speech & Hearing Sciences with minors in American Sign Language and Music. He was a member of the alto saxophone section for three seasons and a member of the undergraduate staff member for the 2023-2024 season. Brandon joined the band for the HMB’s first season back in Kinnick Stadium after the COVID-19 pandemic. During his time in the HMB, he traveled to Orlando twice for the Citrus Bowl (2021, 2023), Nashville for the 2022 Music City Bowl, Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship (2021, 2023), and Ohio State University for a collaborative show with TBDBITL. He was selected as the Drum Major of the Hawkeye Marching Band in the spring of 2024. His favorite HMB memory is performing pregame at the Big Ten Championship in 2021. Prior to becoming a Hawkeye, Brandon attended East Ridge High School under the band direction of Brent Comeau. He served as Drum Major for the Marching Raptors in 2020 and was an All-Conference alto saxophonist.
Brandon is a proud Hawkeye and is heavily involved on campus at the University of Iowa. He is the Hospital Liaison Director for Dance Marathon 31 and cherishes the time he gets to spend volunteering on Level 11 of Stead Family Children’s Hospital. He works in the Office of Admissions as an Events Student Assistant. Brandon is an avid member of the Iowa Pep Band. He is a member of the Pediatric Audiology and Language Lab where he is running a study on unilateral hearing loss and writing a thesis. He enjoys attending Lutheran Campus Ministry for fellowship and faith. When Brandon is home in Minnesota, he works as an Audiology Technician at Midwest Hearing. He loves spending time with family and friends, hammocking, attending Minnesota Twins games, doing puzzles, playing Mario Kart and board games, eating ice cream, and supporting Hawkeye sports!
Current + Former Drum Majors of the Hawkeye Marching Band
2024-Present Brandon Alpers
2022-2023 Christian Frankl
2021 Amanda Thomas
2019-2020 Michael Janssen
2017-2018 Analisa Iole
2015-2017 Isaac Anderson
2012-2014 Quentin Marquez
2009-2011 Joe Piasecki
2007-2008 Chet Aliga
2005-2006 Jason Hillenbrand
2003-2004 Dameon Place
1999-2002 Pres Maxson
1996-1998 Chad Smith
1994-1995 Charlie Taylor
1992-93 Eric Hojka
1990-91 David Bowman
1988-89 Jeff Sebille
1986-87 David Lang
1984-1985 John Gilbert
1983 Jim Purviance
1981-1982 David Woodley
1980 Doug Dederich
1978-1979 John Nelles
1974-1977 Doug Dederich
1973 Vern Windsor
1970-72 Tom Leslie, Steve Murphy
1968-69 John Gillenwater
1967 Vince Paxcia
1965 Bill Parisi
1962-64 Gerald Kesler, Bill Parisi
1961 Gerald Kesler
1958-60 Robert Glover
1957 Jack Glover, Robert Glover
1956 Jack Glover
1955 Ron Chesmore, Jack Glover
1954 Bob Clarke
1953 Jean Hedgelund, Nathan Ottens
1952 Rollie Bridge, Ray Bierschbach
1951 Theodore P. Stecher, Malcolm K. Westly
1950 Nate Ottens, Carmen Bonnacci
1948 Charles W. McKinley, Arno F. Kapper
1947 Daylon E. McConkay, Charles W. McKinley
1946 John DuMont
1945 Orley K. Anderson, Doris Lotts
1944 Charles Hudson
1943 Rose Day, Mary DuMont
1940 Jean Hedlund, James Burnside
1939 Jean Hedlund, Parley Wellstead
1937 Douglas Brookes, Pat Clemmensen, Parley Wellstead
1928 Floyd E. Barber
1925-26 Ernest H. Gerdes
1924 John A. Phillips
1923 R. J. Dushinske
1919 Joe Benge
1914 _____ Smith
1912-13 Guy W. Taylor
1910-11 Harvey W. Miner
1909 Walter T. Gutz
1906-97 J. E. Burgy
1905 A. C. Wallace
1903 R.V. Mills
1902 W. L. Baughn
1900 Frederick Henry Luhman
1899 Charles Goettsch
1892 H.C. Ring
1891 Charles Dutcher
1890 Milton I. Powers
1887 Don Love
1886 Julius Lischer
Above: Doug Dederich, 1975
Our Hawkeye Marching Band Drum Majors train at the Smith-Walbridge Clinics.
(HMB alums: e-mail Dr. Eric Bush with the names of former HMB drum majors so we can expand this list!)
