NEWTON GROVE — As a drum major, Nina Odom is thrilled about the opportunity to lead the Hobbton High School Marching Band through Constitution Avenue in the nation’s capital — a historic moment for the ensemble.
The band was selected to represent North Carolina in the 2020 National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C.
“I think everyone will have a great experience from this and it will be life changing,” Odom said.
Based on a nomination by North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, the American Veterans Center and Music Celebrations International invited the band of about 60 members for the event scheduled for May 25, 2020. It will commemorate the 75th anniversary of World War II coming to an end.
Geoffrey Tart, Hobbton band director, is also excited about being a part of the United State’s official National Memorial Day Parade. The band was chosen based on recommendations from state music official, superior performance ratings and competition results from the past. A selection committee also reviewed video and audio tapes for the process.
With several military installations near the Hobbton area, Tart believes it’s important to support the troops. Many of the school’s marching band shows have a patriotic theme.
“For all of the kids that have gone through the band program, this is a testament to their hard work,” Tart said about the committee members looking at footage. “Even for the kids that are not here, their hard work is still showing.”
Tart was thrilled to get a phone call from the office of Tillis.
“At first, I thought someone was playing a joke on me,” Tart said about the honor to represent the state. “To be honest, I was speechless and it was a pinch-myself moment.”
Tart is now in his 20th year and believes the selection proves his calling for what a director or teacher is supposed to do.
“This is the fruit of your labor for what you’ve done,” he said. “Being recognized among all these band programs across the state and we get the phone call — it’s a ‘wow’ moment.”
Bands will march on Constitution Avenue from Seventh Street to 17th Street in front of several hundred spectators, with the route ending at the National Mall between the White House and Washington Monument. It will be broadcast on Discovery’s military channel, and worldwide to American soldiers on the Pentagon Channel.
The 2020 parade will be a culmination of week-long celebration, preceded by the National Memorial Day Concert Series and Choral Festival taking place at well-known memorials and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Along with the parade, the band is planning to tour Washington, D.C. with a possibility of performing at a local monument.
The trip with three or four overnight stays and traveling is expected to cost about $40,000. Tart and band boosters are planning to launch a fundraising campaign soon to help students travel. In the meantime, donations may be sent to Geoffrey Tart, Hobbton High School Marching Band, 12201 Hobbton Highway, Newton Grove, N.C.
Donations from all over will be accepted.
“We’re representing the State of North Carolina,” he said. “It’s not just our little community, it’s from the ocean to the mountains. That’s who we’re representing. I’m hoping to do that when we’re marching down the parade route.”
