|
Post by codeblu78 on Dec 22, 2019 16:12:10 GMT -5
A national audience got to see best of HBCU bands and football
BY DONOVAN DOOLEY of THEUNDEFEATED.COM
ATLANTA — At historically black colleges and universities, the musical battle in the stands is often just as competitive as the one on the field.
Without the marching bands and their commitment to excellence, the pageantry of the black college football game would almost cease to exist.
“Music has a lot of power over emotions and vibes,” said James Richardson, head drum major for North Carolina A&T State University. “Just like other schools, HBCU [historically black colleges and university] bands are the pride of their respective universities.”
North Carolina A&T and Alcorn State faced-off in the Celebration Bowl on Saturday, a game that many deem the HBCU national championship. While the implications on the field are huge — the Aggies won their third straight Celebration Bowl title 64-44 — for many fans, their attention was focused on more than just the game.
for the rest of the story
|
|
|
Post by Aggie One on Dec 22, 2019 20:25:46 GMT -5
Halftime Show - NCAT Marching Band | Celebration Bowl 2019 vs Alcorn State
Mfcool Productions
|
|
|
Post by Aggie One on Dec 22, 2019 20:27:59 GMT -5
Halftime - Alcorn State Marching Band & Golden Girls | Celebration Bowl 2019 vs NCAT Mfcool Productions
|
|
|
Post by Aggie One on Dec 22, 2019 20:31:25 GMT -5
North Carolina A&T Vs Alcorn State University - Zero Quarter @ the 2019 Celebration Bowl Killa Kev Productions
|
|
919aggie
Official BDF member
Posts: 2,499
|
Post by 919aggie on Dec 23, 2019 9:57:09 GMT -5
It’s a shame that the band director has to do this. Do we (the university) not have any money to give to the band?
|
|
|
Post by marchingband1969 on Dec 23, 2019 11:21:23 GMT -5
It’s a shame that the band director has to do this. Do we (the university) not have any money to give to the band? View AttachmentThis is what happens when you continuously put a winning band product on the field every year, alumni and fans "assume" you don't need anything. So now the BGMM has one of the smallest band student scholarships budgets in the MEAC conference, they practice on a muddy, poorly lighted pothole parking lot behind BB&T Stadiums, and they practice in a dilapidated warehouse...that has poor heating and cooling, poor lighting, extremely poor acoustics, no private practice rooms, and only two small bathrooms for over 200 students. There's a lot the BGMM needs but their biggest need is more student scholarships. Fancy band rooms and practice facilities are important but without talented band students, we don't have the number one HBCU band! And without scholarship dollars, you can't get talented musicians. By the way, we're talking about talented musicians that major in Math, Biology, Polyscience, Engineering as well as Music. And our alumni can provide those scholarships. Hell, if we gave a fraction of what we give to A&T's athletic program, we could recruit and retain more talented band students. So in January, the BGMM will kick off an aggressive student scholarship campaigned. I'll share the details with you in a few weeks.
|
|
|
Post by lobengula on Dec 24, 2019 16:50:55 GMT -5
It’s a shame that the band director has to do this. Do we (the university) not have any money to give to the band? This is what happens when you continuously put a winning band product on the field every year, alumni and fans "assume" you don't need anything. So now the BGMM has one of the smallest band student scholarships budgets in the MEAC conference, they practice on a muddy, poorly lighted pothole parking lot behind BB&T Stadiums, and they practice in a dilapidated warehouse...that has poor heating and cooling, poor lighting, extremely poor acoustics, no private practice rooms, and only two small bathrooms for over 200 students. There's a lot the BGMM needs but their biggest need is more student scholarships. Fancy band rooms and practice facilities are important but without talented band students, we don't have the number one HBCU band! And without scholarship dollars, you can't get talented musicians. By the way, we're talking about talented musicians that major in Math, Biology, Polyscience, Engineering as well as Music. And our alumni can provide those scholarships. Hell, if we gave a fraction of what we give to A&T's athletic program, we could recruit and retain more talented band students. So in January, the BGMM will kick off an aggressive student scholarship campaigned. I'll share the details with you in a few weeks. I am glad that the cat is out of the bag. I hope somebody sees this and act accordingly other than the alumni. We need someone from A&T to approach the legislators with a big ask for funding. There are funds available on the state and federal level. I recall when the late Adam Clayton Powell spoke at A&T and he was discussing how the HBCUs were being shafted in the allocations of funding. I recall his talking about PWI getting funding for the sounds that fish makes research funds. Now this was during the Viet Nam era.
|
|
|
Post by marchingband1969 on Dec 24, 2019 18:55:24 GMT -5
This is what happens when you continuously put a winning band product on the field every year, alumni and fans "assume" you don't need anything. So now the BGMM has one of the smallest band student scholarships budgets in the MEAC conference, they practice on a muddy, poorly lighted pothole parking lot behind BB&T Stadiums, and they practice in a dilapidated warehouse...that has poor heating and cooling, poor lighting, extremely poor acoustics, no private practice rooms, and only two small bathrooms for over 200 students. There's a lot the BGMM needs but their biggest need is more student scholarships. Fancy band rooms and practice facilities are important but without talented band students, we don't have the number one HBCU band! And without scholarship dollars, you can't get talented musicians. By the way, we're talking about talented musicians that major in Math, Biology, Polyscience, Engineering as well as Music. And our alumni can provide those scholarships. Hell, if we gave a fraction of what we give to A&T's athletic program, we could recruit and retain more talented band students. So in January, the BGMM will kick off an aggressive student scholarship campaigned. I'll share the details with you in a few weeks. I am glad that the cat is out of the bag. I hope somebody sees this and act accordingly other than the alumni. We need someone from A&T to approach the legislators with a big ask for funding. There are funds available on the state and federal level. I recall when the late Adam Clayton Powell spoke at A&T and he was discussing how the HBCUs were being shafted in the allocations of funding. I recall his talking about PWI getting funding for the sounds that fish makes research funds. Now this was during the Viet Nam era.
I don't think this is a State funding issue. If we're going to get more band student scholarships dollars it will have to come from alumni and corporations. And I'm convinced that our alums will step up if we do a better fundraising job. For example: 1.Do a better job telling alumni the facts about the BGMM challenges 2. Make it easier to make a donation 3. Send "thank you " notes immediately 4. Send a BGMM delegation to every Alumni Chapter. 5. Highlight band donors on jumbotron during games 6. Host a donor's reception at first home game
|
|
|
Post by lobengula on Dec 25, 2019 15:48:01 GMT -5
I am glad that the cat is out of the bag. I hope somebody sees this and act accordingly other than the alumni. We need someone from A&T to approach the legislators with a big ask for funding. There are funds available on the state and federal level. I recall when the late Adam Clayton Powell spoke at A&T and he was discussing how the HBCUs were being shafted in the allocations of funding. I recall his talking about PWI getting funding for the sounds that fish makes research funds. Now this was during the Viet Nam era.
I don't think this is a State funding issue. If we're going to get more band student scholarships dollars it will have to come from alumni and corporations. And I'm convinced that our alums will step up if we do a better fundraising job. For example: 1.Do a better job telling alumni the facts about the BGMM challenges 2. Make it easier to make a donation 3. Send "thank you " notes immediately 4. Send a BGMM delegation to every Alumni Chapter. 5. Highlight band donors on jumbotron during games 6. Host a donor's reception at first home game I disagree agreeably with you Marchingband1969, if asbestos are present which would not surprise me this is in fact a state/federal issue in regards to all occupants of that building which has some serious implications with regards to health issues. Also prima facie for a new building for a school of musical performances. HBCUs continue to be treated the victims of disparate treatment. If we are to be true to our heritage we have got to speak truth to power continuously whether folk like it or not. Also with regards to making donations easy why is this an issue in this day and age of electronic transfer of funds. Mobile phones are the current means of communications and will continue to be given the technology. Actually this is no excuse for it to be so means someone has a firewall install to frustrate potential donors just like the recent fiaso with the celebration bowl tickets allotment.
|
|
|
Post by Bornthrilla on Dec 26, 2019 10:02:32 GMT -5
|
|