<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0626IL_1GrSJLnz00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0626IL_1GrSJLnz00" width="1000" height="650" ><figcaption>Photo credit: HBCUGameday Youtube Screenshot</figcaption></figure><p>Elizabeth City State University’s Sound of Class marching band has settled among the top Division II HBCU bands. Its director, Bracy C. Martin Jr., hopes the program becomes known for something bigger than a ranking.</p><p>An Elizabeth City State alumnus, Martin says that goal starts with identity. He wants a distinct sound, a respected drumline and performances that carry Viking pride well beyond northeastern North Carolina. When asked what audiences should connect with the band, he answered with that single word.</p><h2>A steady move up the rankings</h2><p>The Sound of Class sits at No. 10 in the October 2026 Red Lobster Band of the Year Division II rankings, presented by Cricket, with 330.15 points. That is a two-place gain from No. 12 in September, according to the latest published standings.</p><h2>Percussion leads the way</h2><p>Percussion was the band’s best category. It ranked fourth, trailing only Fayetteville State, Savannah State and Virginia State. The band also placed 10th in drum majors and in pictures, drill and design. Martin says the drumline remains one of the program’s calling cards.</p><p>The standings also show where the band can improve. It finished 15th in musicality, and Fayetteville State topped the overall division with 376.8 points. October’s rubric expanded the maximum points available for musicality and drill-related categories, so September and October totals should not be compared directly.</p><p>Martin treats the rankings as useful feedback, not a popularity contest. He values having experienced band directors judge the performances, especially those who have achieved what his program is working toward. He reviews the assessments with his staff and shows performance video to students, which turns each critique into a working checklist.</p><h2>An alumnus building what comes next</h2><p>Martin’s tie to Elizabeth City State began long before he led the band. He once wore the uniform himself, and he says that experience is the reason he returned to his alma mater.</p><p>Before coming back, he directed the band at Warwick High School in Newport News, Virginia. He then spent three years as an assistant director at Elizabeth City State and served as interim director before taking the lead role. Those years helped him build a recruiting pipeline in Hampton Roads, just across the North Carolina-Virginia line.</p><p>The band also recruits in the Charlotte and Greensboro areas and reaches toward Baltimore, introducing prospective musicians across the region to the <a href="https://rollingout.com/2026/11/07/hbcu-alumni-names-from-the-2026-midterms/">HBCU</a> experience. Martin wants current students to feel the same sense of belonging he felt, while building the skills and confidence to represent the university wherever they perform.</p><h2>Taking the sound beyond campus</h2><p>This season, the <a href="https://youtu.be/OxiJ86CO98s?si=u1iV9aQXsRcVcNLJ">band</a> has taken part in a North Carolina battle of the bands and performed at high school band events. Martin sees those appearances as more than entertainment. Each is a chance to reach students, alumni and audiences who may not know the program.</p><p>The next opportunity he pointed to is Charlotte’s Queen City Battle for the Crown, set for January 2027 during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. New instruments have also been ordered, which could support the band’s next stage of growth.</p><p>For now, the Sound of Class holds a top-10 spot among Division II HBCU bands, with a percussion section already near the top of the rankings. Martin’s ambitions reach past one month’s score. He wants a sound audiences recognize immediately and a band students are proud to join.</p><div style="position:relative;width:100%; height:0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OxiJ86CO98s?si=4dX8V-3V4D8_1fdu" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" style="width:100%; height:100%;top:0; left:0; position:absolute"></iframe></div></div></body>

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Elizabeth City State University’s Sound of Class marching band has settled among the top Division II HBCU bands. Its director, Bracy C. Martin Jr., hopes the program becomes known for something bigger than a ranking. An Elizabeth City State alumnus, Martin says that goal starts with identity. He wants...

HBCU bands: the rising NC program to watch

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Elizabeth City State University’s Sound of Class marching band has settled among the top Division II HBCU bands. Its director, Bracy C. Martin Jr., hopes t

HBCU bands: the rising NC program to watch

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