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| Band News |
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Tournament of Roses Webcast
The Tournament of Roses will offer a webcast of Bandfest for $8.50 per show or $21 for all three shows. The webcast will allow viewers to see NCCU's Marching Sound Machine perform in Pasedena, Calif. For every webcast purchased, $1 will be donated to the band. For more information, visit www.tournamentofroses.com/bandfest-webcast or contact Steve Russell at srussell@interscapeconstruction.com
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Marching Sound Machine to Perform in Charlotte
The past year has brought one success after another for the North Carolina Central University Marching Sound Machine. Last November, the band received an unexpected but well-deserved invitation to the Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., and in January, gave a stirring performance at its sixth consecutive appearance at the Honda Battle of the Bands in Atlanta. The newest honor is an invitation to the Sprite Queen City Battle of the Bands in Charlotte, which will take place Aug. 28, at Charlotte Memorial Stadium at 7 p.m.
With a unique sound that incorporates drum corps techniques, a pit percussion section and a large dance and equipment auxiliary, the 224-member band is one of the largest units on the NCCU campus. Its performances have been described as “electrifying,” “show-stopping” and “powerful” by those who have seen the Marching Sound Machine take to the field. But perhaps what sets the band apart is the vision and leadership of band director Jorim Reid and his commitment to musicianship. “It’s all about their skill as musicians,” said Reid. “We don’t want to blast our audience but rather, engage them with a high quality listening experience.”
The Marching Sound Machine and five other marching bands from historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) will compete for more than $60,000 in scholarships. The other competitors will be bands from Florida A&M University, Johnson C. Smith University, North Carolina A&T State University, Shaw University and South Carolina State University. High school drumlines from West Charlotte High and Harding University High will also perform.
Tickets for the Sprite Queen City Battle of the Bands can be purchased for $15 in advance at www.ez-tix.com
and for $20 the day of the event at the stadium box office. For the latest information on the Sprite Queen City Battle of the Bands, visit www.queencitybattleofthebands.com
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Walmart Gets Marching Sound Machine One Step Closer to Rose Parade
When members of North Carolina Central University’s Marching Sound Machine arrive in Pasadena, Calif., to take part in the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day, they will not have to worry about lost luggage at the airport, thanks to a major in-kind gift from Walmart. The transportation services division of the discount giant will transport the band’s instruments, equipment, luggage and uniforms. This gift, valued at close to $100,000, is the largest donation received in support of the Tournament of Roses campaign.
On Christmas morning, two 18-wheelers will roll into Durham, load up and head west, crossing eight states and arriving in California by Dec. 28. Walmart will also transport the equipment back to Durham on Jan. 5. “This gift is saving the university thousands in transportation costs,” said LaTanya Afolayan, vice chancellor of Institutional Advancement.
NCCU is anticipating a total cost of $500,000, or $2,000 per student, for the band to take part in the prestigious parade. They still have a ways to go, but Afolayan, whose office is leading the fundraising effort, is confident that NCCU will reach its goal. “This gift sets precedence for other major supporters,” she said. “In these economic times to have Walmart step up at this level, it really means a lot. It signifies Walmart’s commitment to higher education, and we hope it will inspire others to join us in this endeavor.”
NCCU alumnus James Dockery, a member of the board of the NCCU Foundation, was instrumental in securing the donation, Afolayan said. Dockery is a former Walmart employee.
Through their dedication to musicianship, electrifying performances and the artistic expression of band director Jorim Reid, the Marching Sound Machine has gained the attention of several sponsors, including Michael Jordan Nissan, which has donated a 2010 Nissan Versa, valued at $18,000, to be raffled during the NCCU homecoming game on Oct. 30.
The Marching Sound Machine was selected as one of 16 bands to perform at the 2011 Rose Parade. Band members will assist with float preparation and perform in the annual Bandfest event before taking center stage as the first HBCU from North Carolina invited to the Tournament of Roses. To join the parade and help the Marching Sound Machine get to Pasadena, visit www.nccu.edu/tournamentofroses. |
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NCCU Marching Sound Machine Raises the Bar at Honda Battle of the Bands
Carlton Wright, director of bands at Minor High School in Birmingham, Ala. described the performance by the North Carolina Central University Marching Sound Machine at the recent Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) this way, “Your students were by far, the best band in the stadium. Everything about your program was of the kind of class and quality that all HBCU programs should strive for.” This year's event in Atlanta, Ga. marked the sixth appearance for NCCU and has been called one of their best and most moving performances.
Under the direction of band director, Jorim Reid, the Marching Sound Machine took the 65,000 audience members on a ride through time, using the music of Michael Jackson, and making stops in the 80s and 90s before reaching their final destination in 2010 with Jay-Z's "D.O.A (Death of Auto-Tune)". “I knew we had a good show, but you never know until you perform in front of people,” said Turquoise Thompson, band auxiliary captain. “My favorite part was the auxiliary feature, ‘Poison’ by Bell Biv Devoe. We added a lot of stunts and a battle of the sexes segment with five guys from the drum line against the auxiliary girls. It went back and forward…you could say we won, even though we came together at the end.”
At one point, the band brought the audience to tears with their powerful tribute to the Haitian earthquake survivors. “Sometimes you wish you could be trapped in a moment and that’s how this felt. The arrangement was beautiful; you could feel Mr. Reid’s heart and soul in it. It is hard to imagine that you contributed to that feeling…amazing,” Thompson said. The tribute encouraged the audience to support Haiti as it rebuilds. The NCCU community is accepting donations through the NCCU Foundation, which will be given to the United Nations World Food Programme, and the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.
For band staff member, Bryan Henry, friendly competition and excitement describe the experience. Henry is one of seven band staff members that support the Marching Sound Machine, carrying equipment and attending all the practices. A tuba player as well, he performed at HBOB last year. “It’s the Super Bowl for bands, and I thank Honda for this experience." A mass communication major from Durham, Henry documented the band's preparation, blogging and posting weekly videos, which he considers great practice for his future as a sports commentator.
While their performances are explosive, what sets the band apart is musicianship - the art of playing an instrument to create an effect - a practice Reid enforces and the band believes in. "People can't experience the music if they can't understand it - good music can be loud, but all loud music is not good," said Henry. For Thompson, a graduating senior, the experience was emotional, “It was all worth it, even the numb fingertips in January from hours of practice. In the end you know that you accomplished so much when you hear the reaction from the audience.”
With such dedication to their craft, it is no surprise that the band has been invited to participate in the 122nd Rose Parade. Themed, "Building Dreams, Friendships and Memories," the event will be seen in more than 200 international territories and countries on New Year's Day in Pasadena, Ca. Cost for the band’s participation is approximately $2000 per student and NCCU has begun efforts to raise the $500,000 needed. To make a donation to send the band to "America's New Year Celebration," visit <https://www.nccu.edu/giveonline.cfm>. |
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Honda Battle of the Bands a hot ticket in Atlanta |
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NCCU Marching Sound Machine Offers Tribute to Haitian Earthquake Survivors
DURHAM, N.C. - The North Carolina Central University Marching Sound Machine will make their sixth appearance in the Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) Invitational Showcase, scheduled for Jan. 30, 2010, in Atlanta, Ga. Performing on a national stage, before a crowd of more than 65,000 cheering fans, this electrifying, high-energy band will take a moment to offer respect to those who have lost so much. The Marching Sound Machine’s 12-minute routine will include a tribute to the people of Haiti.
“It was the students’ idea,” said NCCU band director, Jorim Reid. “A lot of people are reaching out to help, and we wanted to do our part.” Band members selected Michael Jackson’s, “Earth Song” as their tribute. With a poignant chorus, “What about us,” the song will be the concert selection, or ballad of the performance. Band chaplain and auxiliary captain, Turquoise Thompson, first introduced the idea of the tribute. “This is the first tragedy of the New Year, and it is so sad. There is no way you can see that terrible footage on the news and do nothing.”
This will mark Thompson’s fifth and last performance. She will be graduating in May with a degree in public administration. A well-liked and respected band member, Thompson understands the universal nature of music, “music let’s you express yourself, it speaks every language. We are going to use what we are good at to honor someone else.”
For Reid this appearance is also significant. “It has answered my prayers,” he said. When Reid came to NCCU in 2001, there were only 30 band members. Today, the 224 member band is one of the largest student units on campus, with a unique sound that incorporates drum corps techniques, a pit percussion section, and a large dance and equipment auxiliaries. “We are a hybrid band,” said Reid jokingly, “that means we can do anything any other band can do, just with limited resources.”
To prepare for the Atlanta appearance, the band will observe “Marching Sound Machine Week” with an open practice on Thursday, January 28, for the NCCU campus, at 7 p.m. NCCU was selected as one of eight bands to perform from among 45 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that participated in the “Road to Atlanta” in October 2009. The Marching Sound Machine was also selected for the 2011 Tournament of Roses Parade and fundraising efforts have begun to help send them to Pasadena, Ca. To help support this upstart band, visit <https://www.nccu.edu/giveonline.cfm>.
In addition to the show-stopping performances, the HBOB program will also feature the third annual “Fox Music Experience” music internship program – of which NCCU’s own Donald Parker, III is in the running – and fifth annual HBCU Recruitment Fair. The “Fox Music Experience” will take one student inside the music and film industry of Hollywood. Through the recruitment fair, young adults will have the opportunity to meet with admission recruiters and band directors from across the country to learn more about their admission requirements, academic offerings and scholarship opportunities. |
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