Kazoo Band
The Kazoo Band, formally known as the Bishop Brownell Memorial Marching Kazoo Band and Chowder Society, was a humorous, student-organized musical ensemble that became a distinctive feature of Trinity College’s Homecoming celebrations during the 1970s and 1980s. Known for its festive spirit, the group brought together students, alumni, faculty, parents, and local supporters in performances that celebrated community and school pride.
The band made its most regular appearances during halftime at Homecoming football games, where participants, often dressed in flamboyant costumes and wigs, performed kazoo renditions of popular tunes and college songs. Some performances were elaborately staged, featuring skits, props, and spontaneous crowd engagement. One 1970s performance famously included a student springing from a large cake during a halftime show. The group's performances were sometimes integrated into events like Parents Weekend, with growing participation from a wide cross-section of the Trinity community.
Participation was open and informal, with posters and announcements made in the Trinity Tripod inviting “all interested, those not interested, and all lonely people” to join. As this was student-led, an organizational meeting was held at the beginning of the semester for logistical planning and preparation. Kazoos were either distributed or sold at meetings, which often included film screenings of prior performances. While no formal disbandment occurred, the band no longer appears in College records after the early 1990s, indicating that the tradition eventually faded.
Sources
Trinity Reporter, Summer 1991.
Trinity Reporter, November/December 1975.
Trinity Tripod, 11/11/1975.
Trinity Tripod, 11/05/1974.