Elizabeth City State University’s Sound of Class marching band has earned a place among the top Division II HBCU bands. But director Dr. Bracy C. Martin Jr. wants the program recognized for something bigger than a number beside its name.
For the Elizabeth City State alumnus, that mission starts with identity: a distinct sound, a respected drumline and performances that carry Viking pride beyond northeastern North Carolina.
“I would say identity,” Martin said when asked what he wants audiences to associate with the band.
That identity is getting national attention.
Elizabeth City State moves up in HBCU band rankings
The Sound of Class stands at No. 10 in the October 2026 Red Lobster Band of the Year Division II rankings, presented by Cricket, with 330.15 points. The band moved up two places from No. 12 in September, according to the latest published standings.
Its most impressive showing came in percussion. Elizabeth City State ranked fourth in the category, trailing only Fayetteville State, Savannah State and Virginia State. The band also placed 10th in drum majors and pictures, drill and design. HBCU Gameday+1
That percussion success fits what Martin hears when people talk about the Sound of Class. Its drumline, he said, remains one of the program’s calling cards.
The rankings also identify room to grow. Elizabeth City State finished 15th in musicality, while Fayetteville State led the overall Division II standings with 376.8 points.
October’s scoring rubric expanded the maximum points available for musicality and drill-related categories, meaning September and October totals should not be compared directly.
Martin welcomes the feedback rather than treating the rankings as a popularity contest.
He said he values having experienced band directors evaluate performances, especially those who have accomplished what his program is working toward. He reviews the assessments with his staff and plays performance video for students, turning critiques into a working checklist.
An alumnus building the next generation
Martin’s connection to Elizabeth City State began long before he stood in front of the band as its director. He once wore the uniform himself, an experience that eventually brought him back to his alma mater.
“That’s the whole reason I came back,” Martin said, describing what the program meant to him as a student.
Before returning to ECSU, Martin directed the band at Warwick High School in Newport News, Virginia. He later spent three years as an assistant director at Elizabeth City State and served as interim director before moving into the lead role. Elizabeth City State University
Those years helped him create a recruiting pipeline in Hampton Roads, just across the North Carolina–Virginia line.
Martin said the band also recruits in the Charlotte and Greensboro areas and reaches toward Baltimore, introducing the HBCU experience to prospective musicians throughout the region.
He wants today’s students to feel the sense of belonging he experienced as a member while developing the skills and confidence to represent the university wherever they perform.
Expanding the Sound of Class footprint
The band has participated in a North Carolina battle of the bands and performed at high school band events this season.
Martin sees those appearances as more than entertainment. Each offers a chance to reach students, alumni and audiences who may not know Elizabeth City State’s program.
The next opportunity he highlighted is Charlotte’s Queen City Battle for the Crown, scheduled for January 2027 during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. battleforthecrownqc.com
There is another investment underway. Martin said new instruments have been ordered for the band, a boost that could support its next stage of development.
For now, the Sound of Class holds a top-10 position among Division II HBCU bands, with a percussion section already performing near the top of the rankings.
Martin’s ambitions extend beyond October’s score. He wants Elizabeth City State to develop a sound audiences recognize immediately — and a band students are proud to join.