Marching Into the Future

BY KELLEY McGEE

WHETHER STORMING THE FIELD during halftime or blanketing the stands with unrelenting energy, the band is a tightly choreographed musical force that’s been enhancing Christopher Newport’s game-time experience for nearly twenty years.

Now more than 200-members strong, the Marching Captains have also become one of the largest NCAA Division III marching bands in the country — a fact that both surprised and intrigued the band’s new leader Dr. Mark Johnson.

“I was stunned to see a group this size at a Division III college,” said Johnson. “Before I applied for the position, I watched every YouTube video I could find and read every bit of information on them. The Marching Captains were the thing that attracted me to Christopher Newport.”

Dr. Johnson found himself immediately swept into the energy and commitment of the students, most of whom are not music majors. The students hail from a wide variety of disciplines around campus, united by their dual pursuit of excellence and fun. Johnson got right to work when he arrived on campus, getting to know the musicians and spending countless hours with them marching, practicing and perfecting the wide-ranging, crowd pleasing repertoire for which the Marching Captains are known.

“Our band starts its journey mid-August with 10 days of camp. These 12-hour days are full of music rehearsals, sectionals, learning drills, and a lot of fun. It’s a lot of hard work, but even so, you can see the fun each musician is having throughout the performance.”

Most autumn afternoons you can find the Marching Captains blanketing the lawn in front of the Ferguson Center for the Arts and The Mary M. Torggler Fine Arts Center. The musicians’ joyful sounds drift across the campus during drills, as sunlight glistens off their instruments. Johnson says he’s grateful for the high level of commitment from both the musicians and the extended team that keeps the Marching Captains performing at peak levels. “Our student leadership and graduate assistants are instrumental in making sure band camp and all performances run smoothly. I could not function without them!”

Debuting in 2004, The Marching Captains are well traveled, having performed in London at the New Year’s Day parade, in Dublin at the St. Patrick’s Day parade, and at a special performance of the National Anthem at a Washington Nationals baseball game. For some alumni it was the big performances they remember. For others, it was the enduring memories of friendships and fun that have stayed with them. Johnson says he is honored to help carry forward the legacy of the Marching Captains as the band enters a new era.

“The band will continue to grow here at CNU! I'd like to see the band grow past 250 members,” he said.”I look forward to band alumni joining us during future Homecoming events to take the field one more time as part of the incredible Marching Captains.”