w 2021 CATAMOUNT EXTRA POINTS – GAME DAY PROGRAM w
2021 "PRIDE OF THE MOUNTAINS" MARCHING BAND
The students and staff of the 2021 "Pride of the Mountains" Marching Band are proud to present our 2021 production entitled, “INVINCIBLE” presented by B.H. Graning Landscapes, Inc. The directors, staff, student leadership team, and membership have worked incredibly hard to provide audiences with another unforgettable performance experience. With a membership of over 410 elite members, the Pride of the Mountains marching band is poised to set new performance standards in 2021, while continuing to push boundaries of design innovation and entertainment at the collegiate level. In addition to their halftime support, B. H. Graning Landscapes, Inc. is making possible the opportunity for the Pride of the Mountains to be a member of the Marching Health team. Marching Health is a nationwide physical conditioning initiative that serves as a training program for students in the marching arts. Through our involvement, students are receiving instruction on preemptive techniques that will reduce injury, build a stronger body. We look forward to a long relationship with Dr. Elliot Cleveland, founder of Marching Health and feel confident that this program will build longevity to our students’ physical health while teaching best practices for life long wellness. The production is designed by Matt Henley (Asst. Director of Athletic Bands and Percussion Arranger), Jon Henson (Front Ensemble Arranger), and Ian Lewis (Colorguard Choreographer and Designer). Musical arrangements are created by Drum Corps International Hall of Fame composer Doug Thrower and the drill is written by acclaimed creative designer, Jamey Thompson. Both of these gentlemen are internationally recognized for their contribution to the pageantry arts world and are iconic names in the marching band and drum and bugle corps activity. With the national reputation the Pride of the Mountains maintains, we recognize our design team as prime contributors to the innovation and entertainment excitement centered upon each year’s production. This fall promises to again be one of the busiest on record with regard to recruitment performances. Beginning Saturday, September 25th, the band will perform for over 3000 spectators in exhibition at the Enka Land of the Sky competition which showcases 30 of the region’s top high school bands. The 20th annual Western Carolina University Tournament of Champions takes place on Saturday, October 23rd , when we welcome high school bands from around the Southeast to our campus as well as our world- class evaluation panel assimilated from across the United States. The Pride of the Mountains will perform twice during this event for over 10,000 attendees. On October 30th we are also excited to travel to Atlanta, GA to perform at the Lafayette Classic Marching Band Competition to perform in exhibition for some of Georgia’s premier high school band programs. It is an honor and a privilege to be asked to showcase our talented students and our passion for the marching arts with this esteemed community. About our 2021 production… “INVINCIBLE”
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vs. EKU – White Out Whitmire
“It’s not what happens that counts, but how you react.” – Bruce Lee With all of the sadness and negativity surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, the dismantling of education systems, experiences, programs, families, lives and all things surrounding the past year and a half – it would be easy and even natural for people to give up. However, it is with great pride and conviction that we say that our Western Carolina University Pride of the Mountains students have not only NOT given up, but are THRIVING in spite of the difficult situations and constantly changing landscape! It is this valiant spirit that has inspired this year’s production – because our band program, our University, our Alumni, and our community are without a doubt – INVINCIBLE!!! PART ONE – The entire production actually begins where we left off in the fall of 2020. Our percussion students last performed a piece that was leaning on how we felt at the time. “Uninvited” by Alannis Morissette represents the uninvited virus and all things that came with it in our world. Also, the powerful song “Shatter Me” by Lindsey Stirling represented the shattering of so many lives and programs, including our own. The PotM bass drum line begins with a virtuosic solo performance while the remainder of the band is visibly broken and shattered into a million pieces all over the field. As the music evolves, you will see our incredible students pick themselves up and put themselves back together again, one piece at a time. This is the invincible spirit that our program has continued to exhibit even during the most difficult of times. “Yesterday” by the Beatles is our opening full band statement! This classic and beautiful melody screams the sentiment that, yes, we were broken – but that was yesterday. We are moving on, and we will be stronger than before. This spirit carries forward with the popular and meaningful song “Invincible” by Kelly Clarkson. This passage features a musical and visual fugue where you can experience us piece together once again, in small groups this time, to a penultimate moment of victory and strength! Our final song in this fun medley is “Get Back” by the Beatles, that emphatically states that we are back, back to where we once belonged, experiencing the thrill of live performance with our friends – ALL OF YOU!! PART TWO is intended to be one BIG thank you to our Alumni! Throughout all things the vast majority of our former members have been massive supporters of our current students and the program that was so good to them. The “long purple line” is real, it is meaningful, and we do not take for granted the shoulders in which we stand on today. “I’ll Be There” by the Jackson 5 expresses the sentiment in which we felt from our alumni, and that we appreciate so very much. This meaningful song blends directly
