The Georgia State Marching Band will be one of just 10 marching ensembles nationwide honored to play the 2014 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, the university announced Saturday.
The band was informed along with more than a thousand other attendees at a special halftime ceremony at the Georgia Dome for the football team’s annual Blue-White Spring Scrimmage.
The announcement follows the band’s performance earlier this year at President Barack Obama’s inauguration in January.
“This achievement is recognition that the marching band, founded only three years ago, has quickly advanced from being a fledgling band to one worthy of the national stage,” said Dr. Mark Becker, president of Georgia State University, in an April 20 news release. “We are enormously proud of the staff and students who have put in countless hours of planning and practice to get the band to this point.”
Out of 175 applicants, the Georgia State Marching Band was selected based for its musical ability, marching and performance skills and local recognition, according to University Athletics.
Junior mellophone player Jordan Crawford was elated following the announcement, saying that when he first joined the band as a founding member, he never would dreamed of playing both the president’s inauguration and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade back to back.
“During the band’s first season, Dr. [Chester] Phillips told us there were big plans in the works,” Crawford said. “I guess he was right.”
He said that adding these national performances to the band’s resume may help its recruiting in coming years.
“There aren’t too many people who can say they’ve been a part of a band that has marched in the Macy’s parade, so I definitely think it will help more students become interested in joining,” Crawford said.
