Not only did members of the Alabama and Ohio State football teams have their moment in the spotlight during the College Football National Championship game Monday night, but so did a few students from Emporia State University.
Monday night’s half-time show featured a virtual band performance consisting of collegiate marching band members from around the country. This includes members of the ESU Marching Hornets, color guard, rifle detail and Stingers Dance Team.
ESU Director of Athletic Bands Dr. William Woodworth on KVOE’s Morning Show Monday explained the performance was organized by the College Band Directors National Association with discussions beginning last semester. Dr. Woodworth says the purpose of the performance was to ensure band members “had something to do this year.”
Dr. Woodworth says a total of 26 students were nominated to perform in Monday’s half-time show with a total of 10 selected. Students had roughly a week after their selection to learn and submit the required musical pieces for the performance.
Woodworth says the students were also preparing for final exams at the same time they were submitting their pieces for the show. He says he is beyond proud of his students and the amount of work they have put in for this momentous opportunity.
Emporia State University participants
*Aleya Bearden, a junior nursing major from Tonganoxie and Stingers dancer,
*Abigail Brown, a graduate student working on her Master’s in Music Education from Shawnee and member of the ESU color guard,
*Celsea Butler, a sophomore business educator major from Paola and twirler,
*Natalie Chavez, a sophomore nursing major from Emporia who plays alto saxophone,
*Katelyn Hess, senior music education major from Lawrence who plays trumpet,
*Henry Huck, a sophomore music education major from Lansing who plays sousaphone
*Emily Kutz, sophomore English major and member of the color guard,
*Alexa Smith, freshman biochemistry and molecular biology major from Choctaw, Oklahoma, and member of the color guard,
*Courtney Troup, sophomore earth science major from Independence, Missouri, and member of the color guard, and
*Anna Vincent, a freshman interdisciplinary studies major from Topeka and member of the ESU color guard.
