Watch one of the premiere HBCU bands in the nation, the North Carolina A&T Blue and Gold Marching Machine, as they perform at halftime of the Aggie Eagle Classic rivalry game between North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central University.
About the Blue & Gold Marching Machine
The North Carolina A&T State University band program was started in 1918 with about a 50-piece band. During then, the band was the backbone of the music department. By the 1930s, the band was offered as an extracurricular activity. During this time, A&T was the only black college in North Carolina with a band. But when the 1960s rolled around, the administration changed and the music department was combined with other divisions besides the band. Since then the size of the band has increased to numbers as large as 210 members.
As one of the premier HBCU bands in the nation, the Blue and Gold Marching Machine is synonymous with high stepping performances, precise drills, powerful, yet melodic sounds, and energy! As the premier band of North Carolina and ranking high among the top HBCU Marching Bands, the Blue & Gold Marching Machine of NC A&T State University is a force to be reckoned with!
Under the leadership of visionary, Dr. Kenneth Ruff, “The Blue and Gold Machine” brings crowds of fans to their feet year after year. The hard work of band members has lead to numerous recognitions such as winners of the Honda Battle of The Bands, the 2003 Defeat the Beat Champions, official band of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise, the lead band for the 2012 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and a top 10 band as reported by Sports Illustrated.
The band performs at a variety of school and community functions and consists of approximately 200 members from very diverse majors and concentrations. The band is an auditioned group. The audition is open to all students of the university who wish to participate. The Marching Machine performs different genres of music and incorporates all styles of marching and maneuvering. The unit is a source of pride for the university and the community.