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Lined up in pristine rows on a scale replica of Kyle Field circa 1992, more than 300 Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band members march in miniature beneath a glass case in the Sam Houston Sanders Corps of Cadets Center. These pewter figurines were crafted by the late Robert “Bob” Lang ’49, a U.S. Navy veteran and fervent supporter of Texas A&M University who manufactured and sold similar Aggie-themed miniatures at his store in Hearne, Texas.
 

The late Bob Lang ’49, a U.S. Navy veteran and Texas A&M supporter, crafted these Aggie-themed pewter figurines in Hearne, Texas.

In addition to producing this fun-sized band by hand, Lang also made models of notable band directors like Col. Richard Dunn and Col. Jay Brewer ’81 that are housed in the center today. He even sculpted a facsimile of the first Aggie bandsman to serve as Corps Commander—the Texas A&M Foundation’s current president and CEO, Tyson Voelkel ’96. 

To clarify, the figurines don’t actually march. “People come in and say, ‘You know, they used to move around the table,’” said Lisa Kalmus ’93, the center’s curator. She chuckled. “They never have! I don’t know where that idea came from.”

Instead, current band members in the Center Guard—the center’s student assistants—meticulously arrange the models one at a time to mirror the band’s most iconic formations throughout history. The figurines can even replicate the ever-impressive four-way cross…sort of. “We can show them marching toward each other, but they don’t bend enough to fit in that tight space like the band does in real life,” Kalmus explained.  

Rather than start by placing each piece in its final position, the cadets prefer to organize the miniatures in a big block and slide them into formation from there as they would on the real Kyle Field. The task came naturally for Justin Partlow ’07 when he was in the Center Guard. As a drum major, he spent most Saturdays leading the real Noble Men of Kyle with the same attention to detail he gave to their scaled-down doppelgangers. “Caring for these miniatures was a really neat opportunity to preserve the history and legacy of the band,” he said.

These miniatures play a crucial role in preserving the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band’s rich history and traditions. Band members in the Corps of Cadets’ Center Guard are responsible for meticulously arranging the miniatures in some of the band’s most recognizable formations for visitors to enjoy.

Read this issue's Time Capsule to learn the larger-than-life history behind the regular-sized Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band’s most frequently played songs. 

Contact
  • Kelly Corcoran '95

  • Chief Development Officer
  • Corps of Cadets
  • Call: 979.314.9475

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