How marching bands found a way to still take part in the National Championship game
Wisconsin Football 9-1-2018 Marching Band
For those of you who watched the College Football National Championship game, you may have noticed something slightly different about the game this year.
For the first time in a long time, the National Championship game did not feature a marching band performing a live halftime field show. One of the many changes brought about by COVID-19 in 2020 is that marching bands have been sidelined as a precautionary measure to fight COVID-19.
A game as important as the National Championship was not about to be without one of college’s greatest traditions, however, which is where the Intercollegiate Marching Band came in.
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William Penn University Marching Band Students Honored to Perform with the College Band Directors National Association Intercollegiate Marching Band
01/14/2021
The college marching ensembles collaborated in a virtual performance, showcasing their talents and commitment to the performing arts during halftime of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on January 11, 2021.
The William Penn University Marching Band is proud to announce that four students were selected to perform in the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Intercollegiate Marching Band (IMB). They joined nearly 1,500 performers from 200 bands in 45 states and Puerto Rico, all working together to produce a virtual college marching band show. The college marching ensembles collaborated in a virtual performance, showcasing their talents and commitment to the performing arts during halftime of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on January 11, 2021.
FAMU Marching ‘100’ Drum Major Kicks Off NCAA National Championship Game Virtual Half Time Show
FAMU Marching ‘100’ Drum Major Kicks Off NCAA National Championship Game Virtual Half Time Show
Florida A&M University (FAMU) Marching “100” head drum major Moises Martinez kicked off the Intercollegiate Marching Band virtual half time show during the NCAA National Championship Football Game Monday night.
Martinez, a fourth-year environmental studies student from Hollywood, Florida, highlighted his 48-second solo opening performance with the trademark “FAMU Drum Major Nifty” centerstage on an empty Bragg Memorial Stadium field.
“My experience felt like no other,” Martinez said. He was excited to get the call from the University of Chicago at Urbana Champagne band director asking him to shoot a video for the performance. He had performed the routine hundreds of times as a Marching “100” drum major, but this time was very different.
Alexa Smith, of Choctaw, is one of seven Emporia State University students who was chosen to be part of a virtual band performance during the College Football Playoff National Championship game.
The virtual Intercollegiate Marching Band performance of "End of Time" by Beyonce was the brainchild of the College Band Directors National Association and a group of industry professionals. The group asked member schools to nominate up to five students who play instruments, plus five students in other marching band roles, including color guard and dance teams. Nominated students then submitted videos to audition for their spots.
Smith, a freshman biochemistry and molecular biology major, is in the color guard.
Lang
1/10/21
While the Hawkeye Marching Band didn’t get to perform at any Iowa games this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, six members will get to perform at halftime of tonight’s national championship game.
According to the marching band’s Facebook page, trumpet players Brandon Burkhardt and Zach Ring, snare drummer Jake Parker, mellophone player Amanda Thomas, and alto saxophonist Kelsey Gruber will be a part of the Intercollegiate Marching Band that will perform virtually at halftime of Monday’s game between Ohio State and Alabama. Award-winning Golden Girl Kylene Spanbauer will be a featured twirler.
The Intercollegiate Marching Band is made up of nearly 1,500 students from 200 college marching bands across the country.