The Red Sea of Sound marching band welcomed Tiffany Davis as its second female drum major.
There has not been a female drum major since 2000.
Davis, a junior music business major from Charlotte, said that she comes from a family of band members.
Her mother was a flag girl, and her father played the trumpet.
Her older sister is a flag girl, and her younger sister plays the trombone.
Davis has been a percussionist for 10 years.
Although she is the second female drum major in the band’s history, Davis is the first female drum major in Chain Reaction, the name of the drum majors, and under band director, Michael Magruder.
Magruder began directing the Red Sea of Sound July 2004.
He said that several females have tried out for drum major, but there was something that Davis had that the other females did not.
“She was creative in her audition,” Magruder said.
“She did things that none of the others did.”
Davis said she has always wanted to be a drum major.
“Being a drum major on the collegiate level would be something huge,” she said.
Davis said that people told her that she could not do it, and her motivation was to prove them wrong.
After two official tryouts, Davis obtained a spot in Chain Reaction.
After her first performance, she realized that she had accomplished her goal.
“My most unique characteristic, other than being a female, is that I am very creative with my ideas,” she said.
“I try my best to do what has not been done.”
Davis said that her motivation for the band is her passion.
“Seeing the crowd and marching beside the boys is all I know right now.”
She said her parents are very proud.
“I think they are the whole reason I don’t limit myself because they never limited me.”
Although her parents support her decision to try out for Chain Reaction, Davis’ father was skeptical about her becoming a drum major because he did not know of any female drum majors.
“He knew I would be marching beside guys and wondered if I would be able to keep up.
“He didn’t doubt me, but he prepared me just in case I would have gotten my feelings hurt.”
Tashara McNair, a senior music major from Greensboro, said Davis’ unique style, dominating charisma, and the way she can “go twice as hard as a male,” is what makes her a great drum major.
McNair said that Davis has the patience to work with others.
“She had leadership skills that shined through even before she was made drum major,” McNair said.
“She is a natural born entertainer and she has an illuminating glow that is apparent to everyone,” Chermane Shuford said.
Shuford is a senior mass communications major from Wash., D.C.
Davis has one more year to march with the band.
She said she has to leave “with a bang,” and is looking forward to seeing what will happen.
“This is my biggest accomplishment, only because it’s my latest one,” Davis said.
“I still have time to make even bigger ones.”