It will be music to the world’s ears! On the Monday after Thanksgiving break, the executive director of The London New Year’s Day Parade, Robert C. Bone, visited the campus of Olivet Nazarene University with a film crew from the United Kingdom. The Tiger Marching Band was one of eight bands chosen from the United States to be featured virtually for the 37th annual parade.
Band director, Dr. Matt Stratton said of the experience, “I cannot begin to express how incredible our students were that day. For three hours in frigid temperatures on the day after Thanksgiving break, the marching band gave tireless passion and professionalism to this project.”
The broadcast includes 240 PBS stations in America. Olivet’s 5-6-minute spot will include footage of a parade through campus with Mills Clock Tower and Burke Administration building as the backdrop, as well as portions of the football pre-game and halftime shows from the fall semester.
The parade will be broadcast at 7 a.m. local time on January 1, 2022. While on campus, the film crew also conducted several student interviews and a candid spot of the entire band wishing the world “Happy New Year from Olivet Nazarene University.”
This is not the first high-profile performance opportunity for the band. The Tiger Marching Band played live for the Queen of England in the 2016 LNYDP; in 2017, the band was the only college marching band from Illinois to perform at the Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C.; and in 2020, the Marching Tigers performed in the New Year’s Day Parade in Rome, Italy.
“I am humbled by God’s continued blessings on our band and excited that the world will have a chance to see our campus, hear our band, and celebrate the new year with our wonderful students,” Dr. Stratton reflected.
For more information about the School of Music, contact the Office of Admissions contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@olivet.edu or 800-648-1463.
Published 12/16/21
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