The NCCU “Sound Machine” Marching Band Is Gearing Up for the Celebration Bowl

 Durham NC – The NCCU “Sound Machine” Marching Band now under the direction of, Jovan Wilson(Director of Bands, Interim) and Kynan Hudson(Assistant Director of Bands, Interim), has been preparing to shake up the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, this Saturday.  The band will be attending the 2022 Cricket Celebration Bowl, after the NCCU Eagles football team soared over the competition to find themselves at this iconic championship game. This game will undoubtedly bring in thousands of fans from all across the country as the MEAC and the SWAC championship football teams battle it out on the field. While the football teams are battling it out on the field, the Bull City’s very own marching “Sound Machine” will be blasting tunes and cheering on their team from the stands until halftime, when it’ll be time for them to take to the field for their own iconic performance.

“I was very excited because this is my first celebration bowl and I was excited about the band because we have a lot of potential to make new fans and for new people to enjoy our music” Is what Shakeynah Mays, a senior majoring in biology at NCCU and a member of the 150-person marching band said. Shakeynah also told us how much of an opportunity this is for her and the NCCU marching band. Shakeynah stated that this game would be an opportunity for the “Sound Machine” to “broadcast their school spirit in a different place” and to people who may not have heard of NCCU before; however, this opportunity did not come without challenges.

Adrian Tucker, a volunteer instructor for the marching band, told us “Students present in this current ensemble started during the pandemic.” because of the pandemic some of these students did not have access to their high school band programs and had to get adjusted to being apart of a college marching band. While it was indefinitely a tough process for new students entering the band program after a pandemic, Adrian said “The Band Directors have a great system in place for social, physical, and emotional health” and that the band teaches the “Growth Mindset” to its members in order to ensure their success not just musically but in all aspects of their life. Another challenge Adrian said the band is facing is, getting more support from the band’s Alumni. Adrian told us that the band is hoping for more alumni support in the future whether it be monetary, well wishes, or even the donation of supplies.

Despite these challenges, the NCCU “Sound Machine” Marching Band is still planning to rock the Mercedes Benz Stadium and take advantage of this amazing opportunity. Exposure of the “Sound Machine” brand and marching band are some of the opportunities Adrian told us their trip to the Cricket Celebration Bowl would present to the band. Adrian also told Spectacular Magazine that this would be a massive opportunity for band recruitment and they are already taking action to recruit students from different high schools in Atlanta. As for the ways the band is planning to recruit new students, Adrian said the band will be “giving people ways to contact NCCU live”, using social media, and giving students the opportunity to meet the NCCU marching band in Atlanta.

The “Sound Machine” Marching Band has been working hard to prepare their repertoire of music to be played at the Celebration Bowl, and we asked marching band senior and mellophonist, Shakeynah Mays, what arrangement she was most excited about playing this weekend. She said “We have so much music and we have the best music arranger so it’s hard to pick” but after some thought, Shakeynah told us she was most looking forward to playing “Caught Up In the Rapture” by Anita Baker.

The Spectacular Magazine team is so excited for the Bull City’s NCCU “Sound Machine” Marching Band to take the stands this Saturday to support their school’s football team and fill our ears with pleasing melodies.

If you or someone you know is interested in joining the NCCU “Sound Machine” Marching Band Click Here

Support the NCCU “Sound Machine” Marching Band Here.