Attention to all of the Star Wars fans! The World Famed Tiger Marching Band has been chosen by Lucas Films to perform music from the Star Wars collection at the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif.
The Rose Bowl Classic is known as the “Grand Daddy” of them all and the parade will take place January 1, 2007. The band will also participate in a Band Fest.
The band will lead a parade into the stadium where there will be characters from the movies and the executive producer of Star Wars George Lucas.
The band will perform the Star Wars theme, the Imperial March (Darth Vader’s theme) and the Throne March.
When Lucas films contacted GSU the committee sent the music in audio leaving the job of writing and arranging the actual music to the director of lower brass section Dr. Charles Lacey and the Calvin Beckton and Dr. Larry Pannell.
Even though all band members aren’t able to travel for this particular performance; the leaders of the band also known as the drum majors Keestaun Kelly and Calvin Thomas, both seniors, feels that that a performance such as this one is well over due.
“It is an accomplishment to be the only black college band chosen for a performance such as this one,” Thomas said.
George Lucas wants the same effect that the motion picture Drumline presented and by selecting Grambling’s band his vision would become reality.
Lucas sent his film company to film the band’s practice to show the band’s progress on the project. John Singe the head of Public Relations and Tom Warner the head of marketing of Lucas films was anxious to hear how the band pulled the music together for the awaiting performance.
“George Lucas wanted this parade to be a big deal and to do so we need the “best band in the land” leading it!” Singe said.
Dr. Larry Pannell feels that this performance is an honor and is excited to see how it pans out.
“This performance is the most tedious out of all the performances I have been a part of” Pannell said.
Pannell has formulated a flag line consisting of young women from the band. The flag line will be a separate entity from the Orchesis Dance Company who will also perform with the band in this Rose Bowl parade.