1998

WEEK OF _ ,... .: :...;, _- _1__ 7_- .._: c f_.:::/'------ -

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Submitted photo DRILLING - Members of the flag team at East Central Commumty College show off their skills at "Show and Tell,'' a performance which concluded last week's band camp. ECCC band bigger than ever

the bombing at the Olvmpic Vil– lage. ':The, marching band is the meat and potatoes of our pro– gram and this past year's band j, t h e best band I've ever been associated with," Carson said . "The quality of students and the attitude of the students made the difference." Carson said the band program at ECCC as been "making a dif– ference" in the live:- of the stu– dents who join each year. "I've had :;everal :-;tudents come here not knowmg what they \\ant to maJor m. and after a while have decided they want to do what I do:· Carson said. "That says a lot. but a student who tells me that be ing in the band has been the best part of going to :::.chool here is the bCbl feehng .. This year's marchmg band will be s porting brand new band uniforms. Carson tries to replace uniforms every 10 years, and often donates used uniforms lo high schools who have "EC" ini– tials. "We've set several school records already with this year's band This 1s the fi rst time that drummers came in and rehearsed with the band the first day ... they progressed so quick– ly," Carson said. "It is the largest drum line we've ever had, the largest horn 1:\ T line we've ever had, the largest dance line we·,e ever had and the first time we've worked up the whole opening dnll by the second day of band camp."

By Jimmy Andrews The Mend1an Star

DECATUR- Thomas Carson has been director of bands at East Central Community College for 17 years . He oversees the marching ba nd , the concer t band, the Jazz band. and the rock-and-roll "Collegian" band. This year. 150 students showed up for trvouts and e\·en– tuallv became a member:- of the largest marching band in ECCC hi~ton Thirtv of the:.e band member" also "play in thP. con– cert. Jazz and rock-and -roll hands. "When 1 first got here \\'e had aht)ut 30 :-tudenb in the band. so lhmgs have obviously grown. I reallv don't have to recruit much rn\ "elf. becau~t· mv student-. have a hctter feE>I for tho!'ie high school students out there who are talented and they come to me and say that they've told them that it is a must that they join our band." Carson said. "Most know my reputation, but I could kill a band if I didn't have those expectations." The ECCC Collegian Band was the only community college band in ;\1iss1ss1ppi inv1ted to perform at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Ga. "We were JUSt invited b} someone on the Olympic Com– mittee who had heard us play in Georgia. It was n year and a half

APPEARED IN:

LAKE MESSENGER_ SCOTT COUNTY TIME~

UNION APPEAL

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m the planning, and eventually WINSTON COUNTY JOiled to three concerts." Carson CLARION-LEDGER_ _ ~m~he band left the very night of