Bethune-Cookman Marching Wildcats shine at national showcase, receive $23K in scholarships

For the Bethune-Cookman University Marching Wildcats, there’s no such thing as only 15 minutes of fame.

The band continues to gain recognition on national stages and international programs with its latest feat being an appearance at the National Battle of the Bands in Houston last month, where eight historically Black colleges and universities showcased their skills.

“Once we came out for our field show, the stands were packed,” Trumpet Section Leader Emmett Galloway said. “It was a full crowd, and it was definitely nerve-wracking, especially leading up to the performance. We have been working so hard.”

Previous coverage: Bethune-Cookman Marching Wildcats open CBS election special starring Alicia Keys

21st century education: B-CU stakeholders begin a 'reimagining' of 118-year-old school's educational delivery

More in higher education: DSC's Deltona campus to add nursing, sonography and machining programs in new building

'A very special moment'

The bands performed at NRG Stadium, where the Houston Texans play. The Marching Wildcats participated last year, as well, and in years before the pandemic when the showcase was in Charlotte, North Carolina, but Galloway, a 21-year-old senior, said the crowd was bigger this time around coming out of the pandemic.

“We’ve been practicing so, so much, and getting the response that we did, it was just a rewarding experience,” he said.

His favorite part was performing “Love’s Train” by Silk Sonic, which prompted spectators to turn on their flashlights and sway to the music.

“It was a very special moment. I've never seen something like that being in this band before,” Galloway said. “When you see something like that, that's when you know your hard work has paid off.”

Band Director Donovan Wells said the band has been practicing since early August, including sessions two and three times a day before classes started.

Terius Cohen, also a 21-year-old senior, is a drum major in the band. He echoed the hard work they’ve been putting in and said it was an “awesome experience” seeing HBCUs come together for the big event, which was not a competition but a chance to showcase the bands.

“There's been a lot of practicing and a lot of things going on as far as our repetition, making sure everything is right, making sure every I is dotted, every T is crossed,” he said. “We like to make sure that we are professional.”

Growing the Marching Wildcats' fan base

Cohen said Texas is more of a territory for other HBCU bands, but that may be changing.

“We went there. We performed an awesome show, and we converted a lot of that area into our fans,” he said. “They could not help it because we had a very professional sound and a very professional look with an entertaining show.”

The energetic performance, which also featured the university’s 14 Karat Gold Dancers and Sophisticats Flag Corp., can be viewed on YouTube at The Pride of BCU Marching Wildcats account.

"I love how we can all play different instruments, but we can all come together for the same purpose of giving a good performance to the crowd," Cohen said.

It’s one of many appearances for the Marching Wildcats well beyond campus. The band was the focus of the 2018 show “Marching Orders,” which aired on Netflix in all but three countries, Wells said.

He also recently did a podcast with band directors from Brazil, which aired throughout South America, and French TV filmed a documentary on the band.

The Marching Wildcats have performed the halftime shows for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers many times in addition to commercials and other major sporting events as big as the Super Bowl.

Increased recognition of HBCU bands

Wells says part of what makes the band special is its high level of performance.

“The band has a good sound, they execute well and we come across well on camera,” he said. “We have the exciting style of HBCUs, the dancing, but we also have a very clean playing sound that you would hear from a DCI (Drum Corps International) band or Big Ten Band.”

Though the Marching Wildcats have around 230 members compared to their usual 280-300 due to lower pandemic enrollment, Wells is still excited about the season.

"We had a good class of students come in, good work ethic,” he said. “I'm very pleased with the quality and level of performance that we're doing right now, and I know it's going to even get stronger at the end of the season.”

In addition to new fans and memories from the Battle of the Bands, B-CU will also benefit from $23,000 in scholarship funds provided by Cricket Wireless, Pepsi and Toyota to go along with their participation in the event.

Wells says it will likely go toward scholarships for some current and some future students.

“To do what we do in the short period of time that we've done it is a testament to the commitment that these young people have,” Wells said. “When they go out, they represent so much more than just themselves. They represent the university, the legacy of our founder. They represent our band program, the brand that we’ve built, and they represent all the people that have been in the band before them, so they don't take it lightly.”

Cohen and Galloway said that it felt good to be recognized with the scholarships for their hard work even as a smaller HBCU.

Galloway said being in the band has taught him not just about music, but about how to carry himself, and that the memories will stay with him long after they’ve been made.

“Being a part of the Marching Wildcats by itself is something that I'll carry with me the rest of my life along with all the experiences that I've done with it,” he said.

Contact reporter Danielle Johnson at djohnson@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Bethune-Cookman Marching Wildcats wow at National Battle of the Bands