On October 4, marching bands will come together for the 20th Collegiate Marching Band Festival (CMBF). The CMBF fulfills two goals: a means for college bands to showcase their groups for each other and the community and as an outlet for high school students to watch different bands and learn that they can remain involved in music without pursuing a college degree in the arts.
“The college band community is tightknit… and people didn’t often get to see each other’s shows,” says Courtney Beard, program coordinator at Vivace Productions, which hosts the festival.
The CMBF will take place at J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown, Pennsylvania. In total, some 23 bands will perform. Vivace Productions expects an overall attendance of more than 10,000. While the participating bands perform for the love of their art, the festival also acts as a recruiting tool for their respective programs. Performing bands have information tables on display as a means for high school students and their families to learn more about their programs.
The festival has influenced generations of musicians. Beard is one of these people. “I performed in it when I was in college, and as a performer, it was a really big deal for me,” she says. “The fact that it’s still going on, and all these thousands of people get to benefit from it, I think it’s really awesome.”
Tickets for the Collegiate Marching Band Festival are available now and may be purchased online at www.vivaceproductions.com.
© 2015. Photo of Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania band by Chris Maher, corpsreps.com. All rights reserved.
