NORTH TONAWANDA — When it comes to combining high levels of musicianship and showmanship, few things in existence will compare to a major college marching band.

Of course, as talented as the roughly 180 performers who take part in the University at Buffalo Marching Band and UB Dazzlers dance team are, it still takes a lot of practice to get the show to presentation quality.

“It’s very hard not to run into people,” said Amanda Blum, a Buffalo resident and alumna of Mount Saint Mary Academy in the Town of Tonawanda who plays trumpet at UB. “It takes a lot more dedication than most people expect. You’re out there in rain, snow, no matter what the weather is. It can get kind of tough at times.”

Thankfully, Mother Nature cooperated during this past week’s band boot camp. Band members, after first gathering last weekend, practiced throughout the week in preparation for tonight’s preview concert (this season will feature the music of Billy Joel, Blum said).

Tonight’s show is the first of at least a dozen shows this semester and the first of two performances this week — the band will also play at Thursday night’s home football opener against Rhode Island.

The band is open to any UB student with no tryout necessary, according to the band’s website. Practices generally run three nights per week, and the musicians playing during games in full regalia (including the feathered hats made familiar by movies such as “Drumline”). The band director is James Mauck, and the music instructor is Joe Giarrizzo, the administrator for business and finance for the Tonawanda City School District.

In addition to exhibitions, the band performs at all UB home football games, which trumpet player Anthony Leone considers a highlight.

“It’s a great way to support the football team, which I really enjoy,” said Leone, a sophomore business administration major who graduated from St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in the Town of Tonawanda. “It brings out the school spirit in all of us.”

Spirit is a primary motivator for the band’s members, as there isn’t much financial incentive to march, according to John Hathaway, the band’s recruiter and public relations director. First-year band members receive a stipend, and performance-based scholarships totaling $10,000 are also issued annually. But, for the time being, there’s no more money to be had.

“UB doesn’t even have a music education program,” said Hathaway, a Tonawanda High School graduate. “That makes it really tough to round up kids.”

Helping in that cause is Hathaway’s connection to the Mount. Since he serves as the head of that school’s music program — including a parade band — Hathaway can encourage any Thunder grads who attend UB to continue their pursuit of music.

But even with parade band experience, the transition can be tough.

“It takes a lot of work to remember the drills, which I didn’t expect going into college,” Blum said. “You have to get to certain spots by certain times while keeping a certain pace. In parade band, you don’t really have to remember where you going. You just follow the person in front you.”

But even that can prove tough, according to Olivia Gane, a North Tonawanda resident and Mount alumna.

“You’re constantly, constantly worrying that you look a certain way,” said Gane, a clarinet player who’s starting her freshman year as a biology major. “You have to look straight ahead, not smile. If you see your friends in the crowd, you can’t smile and look at them. You have to just concentrate and keep a straight face. That’s really hard.”

And none of these challenges even scratch the surface of mastering the music, which needs to be memorized along with the steps. With no dedicated music class during the school day, the songs need to be learned during students’ free time.

“It’s much harder music, and you definitely have to practice more and be a lot more dedicated,” said Mount alumna Karen Larkin, a sophomore tenor saxophone player/media study major from Clarence. “But there’s definitely a lot more enjoyment in it. You feel much more pleasure that you accomplished something difficult.”

Accompanying the band on the field are the members of the Dazzlers, who dance with the band during halftime and perform sideline routines throughout the game (the Dazzlers are also present at basketball games). Team captain Grace Schnitter of Clarence considers the group a vital part not only of the gameday experience, but also of the team members’ lives.

“When I started as a freshman ... I didn’t have the dorming experience,” said Schnitter, a junior nursing major who attended the Mount and did a dance internship at Walt Disney World. “I didn’t have those close friends right away.”

Those bonds are important for dancers and musicians alike.

“Once you get there, everybody makes you feel so welcome that it’s easy to become a part of it,” Larkin said. “It’s really fulfilling and you really feel great that you’re a part of something, something more than just going to school and going home and doing your work. You see people and you see them perform something, and you want to play it as well as they do.”

All of the performers who were interviewed agreed that band’s dividends, both tangible and intangible, are plentiful.

“It’s really amazing to hear the crowd cheering for you after a performance,” said Blum, a sophomore philosophy major. “Being in the band is rewarding.”

Or, as Gane so succinctly put it, “You have to be hardcore about it.”

IF YOU GO

• WHAT: University at Buffalo marching band preview show featuring bands from UB, Mount Saint Mary Academy, Medina High School, West Seneca West and the Buffalo School District

• WHEN: 6 p.m. Aug. 29

• WHERE: Kunz Field, UB North Campus, Amherst

• MORE INFORMATION: Call 645-2055