CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Early Monday, the Harding University High School band leaves for Washington, D.C., to perform in the inaugural parade for President-elect Barack Obama. For the band's director, it's a dream come true, literally.

These days band director Anthony Jones has a hectic schedule. Between practices and planning, he's taken hundreds of calls and interviewed with media outlets all over the country about the amazing journey the band's about to take. Surprisingly, Jones said he saw all this coming a year ago.

“I had this dream that the band was lining up and it was so cold and all of the people were around and there was all this excitement and, it was for the president,” he said.

It was a vision he immediately shared with his students.

"I told my kids in this room that we are going to march in the inaugural parade, and of course they thought I was crazy until things started happening,” he said.

Things like a first performance at a rally for then candidate Obama in Charlotte, and then the exciting call to come to Washington for the inaugural parade.

Jones said this is what he's always wanted, for these students to be recognized for their talent and hard work. It's a commitment that he knows well. He's loved music all of his life.

“I was playing drums at age 6, and couldn't wait to have that marching uniform and have the stripe on the side,” he said.

His father was a band director and Jones wanted to follow in his dad's footsteps. Little did he know that by following that dream, he'd play a part in history .

“I've performed in front of thousands, but we are about to perform in front of millions, and that's hard to grasp. But we are taking it in stride, and looking forward to it this whole thing,” he said.

The Harding University High School band is the only school from North Carolina invited to the inauguration.