Florida A&M University (FAMU) Marching “100” head drum major Moises Martinez kicked off the Intercollegiate Marching Band virtual half time show during the NCAA National Championship Football Game Monday night.
Martinez, a fourth-year environmental studies student from Hollywood, Florida, highlighted his 48-second solo opening performance with the trademark “FAMU Drum Major Nifty” centerstage on an empty Bragg Memorial Stadium field.
“My experience felt like no other,” Martinez said. He was excited to get the call from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign band director asking him to shoot a video for the performance. He had performed the routine hundreds of times as a Marching “100” drum major, but this time was very different.
“The most exciting part was being able to share our culture and love for marching band with almost 1,500 students from across the nation. That is an experience unlike any other,” said Martinez, who was one of two FAMU students who participated. President/Tenor Saxophone leader Matthew James, of Pompano Beach, Florida, also performed.
Sponsored by the College Band Directors National Association, the Intercollegiate Marching Band included nearly 1,500 nominees from 200 college bands, representing 45 states and Puerto Rico. The group performed Beyoncé’s “End of Time” for the College Football Playoff National Championship game Alabama versus Ohio State. The virtual halftime show was presented by GPG Music.
Director of Bands Shelby Chipman, Ph.D, said he received a call a week before Christmas requesting FAMU’s participation. It was a short turn-around time. Fortunately, Martinez happened to be in Tallahassee at the time. The video shoot in an empty Bragg Memorial Stadium lasted about an hour.
“One of the organizers said, ‘we want a FAMU drum major to open the show. We want the same energy and excitement displayed in your pregame show.’ I said we would be honored,” Chipman said. “With all the band programs in the country and with the magnitude of the event, we are just honored that they would ask FAMU.”
To see the performance visit https://youtu.be/dVYM1UNqu6Y
