December 7, 2020
East Central Community College “Wall O’ Sound” Marching Band members Angel Mondragon of Forest, a sophomore music education major, and LaDarrien Paten of Louisville, a freshman music education major, both trumpet players, have been selected to perform in the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Intercollegiate Marching Band (IMB). They will join nearly 1,500 performers from 200 bands in 45 states and Puerto Rico, all working together to produce a virtual college marching band show.
“We are super proud of these students and their accomplishments this year,” said Zach Langley, ECCC Director of Bands. “Normally this would culminate in the students going for a week to learn drill and perform at one of the big bowl games, but this year they are doing a virtual rendition of it.”
Joining in unity during a time when college marching bands have been forced to the sidelines, the CBDNA IMB will keep the spirit alive by performing virtually together. This unique project will combine college marching bands from different conferences, regions, and styles in a single performance.
The Intercollegiate Marching Band will perform “End of Time” by Beyoncé in a video that will premiere online during halftime of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on Jan. 11, 2021.
“This is going to be a historical performance,” says Dr. Mark Spede, president of CBDNA and the director of bands at Clemson University. “In this unusual year when bands have been unable to perform their traditional pregame and halftime shows during college football games, CBDNA is pleased to offer this opportunity with the help of its partners.”
The IMB performance will showcase all of the unique aspects of a college halftime show including musicians, drum majors, color guard members, dancers, and majorettes.
“During these challenging times, we are excited that CBDNA, along with some amazing partners, can offer an event so positive to collegiate band programs across the country,” said Barry Houser, chair of the CBDNA’s athletic bands committee and director of the Marching Illini at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “Many students in college bands have been forced apart due to COVID-19, but the virtual Intercollegiate Marching Band will be an event that will bring together nearly 1,500 college marching band students, unified as one band.”
For more information about the CBDNA Intercollegiate Marching Band, visit cbdna-imb.com.
The College Band Directors National Association is a grassroots organization that serves a wide variety of constituents from the conservatory wind ensemble to the athletic band to the small college band and everything in between. They seek to be the best conductors, musicians, and educators possible, and pass that baton to the next generation.
