TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A trip of a lifetime.
Our cameras were able to catch up with the FAMU Marching 100 Saturday morning as they left Tallahassee for Paris to perform at the Louvre Museum for the Louis Vuitton Men’s Fashion Week.
The University sent 35 band members for the performance for an all expense paid trip.
The journey to perform during the Louis Vuitton Men’s Fashion Week has officially started for the Florida A&M Marching 100, but Band Director Dr. Chipman says when he received the invitation call, he thought it was a joke.
“He says Dr. Chipman we would like to invite the Florida A&M marching band to Paris, France to perform and I almost dropped the phone, literally,” shared Dr. Chipman. “And I’ve been telling that story but it’s so true because you know you hear that and you’re like okay there’s so many pranks and kinds of things that take place in this world that we live in.”
And when the band members heard the news, they echoed that same sentiment.
“He said it and then I was like is this guy serious? You know because every now and then he throws in a little joke so I’m thinking is he really serious,” exclaimed Marching 100 Drum Major Jarvis Rittman. “But then he really just announced it yet so I’m like wow I need to find a way to go on this trip, I want to go on this trip.”
The trip is a chance to add to the legacy of the Marching 100, showcasing their reach.
“The things that we do here at Florida A&M University and the Marching 100 is really appreciated around the world and you know I believe that we set standards for marching bands” said Marching 100 member Gustave Major. “And I feel that we just always perform to our best abilities and our highest standard.”
For most of the band Saturday marks their first time leaving the country.
“I’m a little nervous you know it’s the first time you know performing outside of the country with me being with this band and this first time is actually us being at the Louvre where Mona Lisa is at you feel me. So I can actually see that,” Major said excitedly.
This experience is an all expense paid business trip they say they truly appreciate.
“Going out to Europe, going out to France you know you hear about Paris and you see it on tv and stuff so I feel like it’ll be quite a different experience to actually see it in person and coming back and telling people about how it is and how it went,” explained Rittman.
Besides the food, and site seeing, the band says they’re ready to take on Paris for the second time in the program’s history and give the performance of a lifetime.
“We always tell our students that you know when we perform someone is going to be seeing you for the first time and someone is going to be seeing you for the last time so we have to always be impressionable because you never know when you’re going to get that phone call and have to make that decision to accept,” explained Dr. Chipman.
Another opportunity to show the world why they’re the Baddest Band in the Land.
The group is expected to land in Paris Sunday and will perform at the Louvre Thursday at 2pm local time in Paris and 8am eastern standard time.
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