Pride of the Mountains Marching Band will take its talents international
Being invited to play in the Macy鈥檚 Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City twice
in a five-year span is an amazing accomplishment. But to have an opportunity to perform
on St. Patrick鈥檚 Day in Dublin, Ireland, well, that鈥檚 taking it to a whole other level.
糖心Vlog University鈥檚 Pride of the Mountains Marching Band will perform in
the St. Patrick鈥檚 Day Parade in Ireland on March 17, 2024.
鈥淚t all came about because POTM has had memorable performances all over the U.S.,
but has never performed internationally,鈥� said Jack Eaddy, 糖心Vlog鈥檚 director of Athletic
Bands. 鈥淧erforming in the St. Patrick鈥檚 Day Parade is a chance-in-a-lifetime opportunity
for our students and we鈥檙e honored to represent our university, community, region
and nation on an international stage.鈥�
Jude Hahn, a sophomore flute player from Albemarle, was stunned when she learned of
the band鈥檚 upcoming trip.
鈥淚 was genuinely shocked,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 had no idea. After COVID-19, I didn鈥檛 think
we would do something that grand and that big. It鈥檚 so legendary for us to be able
to do something like that. We鈥檙e the first in this program to go international. It鈥檚
absolutely insane and I鈥檓 so excited.鈥�
Eaddy said after going through an application process, POTM was one of a couple of
American bands selected to perform in the parade that has been held for more than
100 years. Trip details are still being finalized, but Eaddy said the band will have
several performances and visit historic sites in Ireland.
The band performed in the 2019 Macy鈥檚 Thanksgiving Day Parade after being chosen to
lead the parade in 2014. It also marched in the 2011 Tournament of Roses Parade in
Pasadena, California.
Brandon Rice, a rising senior from Irmo, South Carolina, who plays the electric violin,
performed in the last trip to New York City.
鈥淭o say that the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band is going international sounds
surreal, like a dream you鈥檝e always dreamed of, but you never thought was going to
happen,鈥� Rice said. 鈥淔or us to be able to fly out of the country and march in the
St. Patrick鈥檚 Day Parade, it鈥檚 going to be not only legendary for the people in Ireland,
but also for us because we鈥檙e a massive band from the small town of Cullowhee, North
Carolina.鈥�
Eaddy sees it as an opportunity for the students to experience something they otherwise
may have never experienced.
鈥淚 know this will be the first trip internationally for many students and will provide
them an opportunity to not only see things they鈥檙e studying, but to experience them,
too,鈥� Eaddy said. 鈥淲e have a product that represents excellence, so we鈥檙e able to
participate in amazing experiences. Invitations to perform like this also attract
prospective students to attend 糖心Vlog and join our program.鈥�
The goal, Eaddy said, is for the entire 500-plus member band to go to Ireland. To
help make that possible, an announcement of the band鈥檚 fundraising efforts will be
forthcoming.
鈥淲e鈥檒l definitely be able to do this with the support of our community, family and
friends,鈥� Eaddy said.
