Tennessee Tech hosting the Bands of America competition at Tucker Stadium this week, bringing 38 high school bands from 11 different states to Cookeville.
School of Music Director Colin Hill said the university began coordinating logistics for the large-scale performance in April. The competition moved to the campus after a previous contract at Nissan Stadium fell through earlier this year.
“It’s an honor to host them not only because it’s a great event for our campus in our community, but it’s also a great recruitment opportunity for a bunch of high school students, especially the top high school students from around the region to visit our campus, so it speaks to our facilities that we have the infostructure to host a large-scale event,” Hill said.
Hill said the university infrastructure and the size of the music program allow the school to provide the necessary staff and volunteers to manage the influx of visitors. Campus safety, the police department, local EMS, athletics, dining services, and parking services are all involved in the coordination.
“You’re going to see bands that play at the very top level for high school programs and they’re all competing to make it to nationals in Indianapolis in November,” Hill said. “So it’s high school marching band at the highest level.”
Hill said the event serves as a significant educational tool for university students who are preparing for careers in music education. These students gain exposure to elite show designs and the complex behind-the-scenes operations required to manage a major competition.
“Many high schools host local marching band competitions as a way to recruit money for their programs, and so this gives them a really good inside look at all the logistics required to host a large-scale marching band event,” Hill said.
Hill said the experience of watching such high-level ensembles can provide local musicians with a new perspective on what is possible within the activity. He said he hopes the visiting spectators and performers leave the campus feeling that the event was well-run and organized.
“We really believe in being hospitable and kind to all those that visit our campus and our community,” Hill said. “So I think the biggest thing is that they had a good time, it seemed organized, and they were impressed with our hospitality.”
Hill said the creativity and show designs of modern marching bands have evolved significantly over the last two decades. The competition performances are scheduled to take place Friday and Saturday.