Strike up the band: NCCU Sound Machine to sound off in 2011 Rose Parade

By Neil Offen
noffen@heraldsun.com; 419-6646

DURHAM -- When Roy Ector, drum major with the N.C. Central University marching band, got the news, he called his mom.

"We weren't supposed to tell anybody at first, but I had to tell her," Ector said. "Now she's telling me, she's going to go to California, too."

That's because Ector and the rest of the NCCU Marching Sound Machine are heading for the Golden State and the Rose Bowl. The band has been chosen to march in the 2011 Tournament of Roses Parade.

For Jorim Reid, who's been band director for eight years, it was a surprise.

"The Rose Parade was in my 15-year plan," he said. "I didn't intend to submit an application for another seven years."

But a parade committee member suggested the band apply, and the application was successful.

"Marching Sound Machine, congratulations," said Tournament of Roses President Jeff Throop in a video message to the school. "You are going to be performing in front of hundreds of millions of spectators across the world."

At an outdoor press conference Monday morning at Shepard Circle on the NCCU campus, Reid said he was "thrilled at the opportunity for my students to experience the pageantry and tradition of the Rose Bowl parade."

He called participating in the parade one of the three biggest honors a marching band can get. The other two are participating in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and being named by the John Phillip Sousa Foundation as the top college band in the nation.

Marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade, with its massive television audience, will give the Sound Machine and the university unparalleled exposure.

"This puts our name and our presence before millions of people," said Chancellor Charlie Nelms. "It's a terrific recruiting tool, reaching so many students who are thinking about college. It also speaks directly to those who are interested in music. And it will attract donors to get involved with the university."

The university will need those donors.

By the time New Year's Day 2011 rolls around, the marching band figures on having more than 200 members to bring to Pasadena, Calif. Figuring the cost of the trip, which would include some new instruments and uniforms, at around $2,000 per person, the university will have to raise at least $400,000 -- at a time when budgets are very tight.

"What kind of fundraising will we have to do?" Nelms asked rhetorically. "Massive!"

Without using any state or UNC system funds, "it's going to be a monumental task," Nelms acknowledged. "But it's one that we will embrace. It's a real honor for us and for the state of North Carolina."

In fact, the state will have two of the 13 U.S. marching bands in the parade: the Western Carolina Marching Band also has been invited.

Reid, for one, has no doubt NCCU can raise the money, although he admitted he's already been struggling this year with reduced funding.

"When there are tough budget times, music is the first thing that gets cut," he said. "But I know we can do this. It will be difficult, but we know the university is behind us on this."

Reid already has created a fundraising timeline, and "we will soon be calling on friends and supporters," Nelms said. "We will need a community-wide effort to make this work. It will take a lot of hard work, but work that is worthwhile."

Ector, for his part, will do whatever it takes.

"This is so exciting," the drum major said, right after he stood on the pedestal of the statue of university founder James Shepard and led part of the band in a quick rendition of "Rock the House" for the press conference. "I got really excited when I heard about it the first time and I'm still pretty excited."