Harding University High Band Facing Performance Of A Lifetime

The Harding University High School Band of Gold is practicing for a national audience.

The west Charlotte band was picked to play in President-elect Barack Obama's inaugural parade. To get to Washington, D.C., the students’ parents have to raise $50,000 to pay for transportation, hotels and winterizing the uniforms.

At practice Wednesday, band members continued to focus on the details of their performance.

Jasmine Moore, a senior who plays mellophone, said, "It's a great thing when we come together, put our instruments together and make a wonderful sound."

When the audience is the president of the United States, the students said, they want perfection.

Julian Tucker, a senior who plays trumpet, said, "It's not just a football game or basketball game; this is for the entire world."

The Band of Gold is the only group representing North Carolina in the inaugural parade. Close to 1,400 organizations sent in tapes for consideration, and the inaugural committee only picked 200.

While the 120 members work out the C-notes on the field, parents are working on another kind of C-note.

Cassandra Triggs-Tucker said, "We're finding all the dollars are adding up. We're up to $30,000."

The band booster club is still short $20,000, but they're already humbled by the community's support.

"We've had lots of support from the community, our churches, individual corporations and small businesses," Triggs-Tucker said.

The performance on Jan. 20 isn't just for Harding band members, Moore said.

“I never thought small Harding University High School in Charlotte would go to D.C. for the president,” she said.

•Harding University Band Raising Money For Inaugural Parade