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Band Invades ATL

By Grant Fulton

On January 31, 2008

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The Winston-Salem State University's Marching Band, "Red Sea of Sound" was one of 10 bands selected to showcase their talents in Atlanta on Saturday Jan. 26, in the Honda Battle of the Bands.

"I voted for my school everyday that I could on the website so that my school could be chosen and it really happened and I felt that my vote really made a difference in the band going to Atlanta," said junior Cornelius Hector.

The school has given students the opportunity to see the band play by developing a trip to Atlanta by bus leaving Saturday morning the trip cost $45 and students were given $15 for meal money. The trip also gave students to opportunity to stay in Atlanta overnight to enjoy all the activities that were going to be happening after the band exhibition.

"As soon as I found out that the school was sponsoring a trip to go to Atlanta, I saw the opportunity to go to Atlanta and I took it, I am so ready to see my band play in the Georgia Dome," said junior Tammy Grayson.

"Honda will expose WSSU to a crowd of 60,000 people who have never heard of WSSU or the city of Winston-Salem and it will give fans the opportunity to learn about Winston- Salem State and hopefully gain some recruitment not only to the school but also to the band program," said Band Director Michael Magruder. The last big crowd that the "Red Sea of Sound" has played for was the Circle City Classic back in October which drew a crowd of 42,000 plus and now Honda will allow them chance to entertain another big crowd in Atlanta.

"Each school will get $10,000 contributed to their band program," said Magruder.

Magruder emphasized that while no winner will be declared, the competition will be tough.

"Of course at the competition there will be crowd favorites and they can determine a winner but there will be not winner determined at the exhibition," he said. "

One thing that needs to be understood is that this is not a competition but an exhibition," Magruder said. "The band is already a winner for being chosen."

WE LOVE OUR RED SEA OF SOUND!!!