While Furman Band members play in Dublin, Ireland, for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, musicians with the North Greenville University Band have stepped up to perform for the Furman University Paladins at the opening round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament.<\/p>\n
Furman Band’s trip to Ireland, originally scheduled for 2021, was postponed to this year due to COVID-19 concerns. Peyton Furtado of WYFF News4<\/a> spoke to NGU Director of Athletic Bands and Furman alumnus Gary Rhoden ’11 M’17 about the opportunity. “I’m excited for our students,” he said. Furman’s Sue Samuels, director of bands, spoke to WYFF via Zoom from her Limerick hotel.<\/p>\n The surrogate pep band will play Thursday, March 16, in Orlando where No. 13 seed Furman faces No. 4 seed Virginia. It’s Furman’s first bid to March Madness in 43 years. More links to the same story are available for WYFF’s March 14 coverage at 4<\/a>, 5:30<\/a>, and 6 p.m<\/a>. See related Furman News story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n The WYFF story also ran in Boston<\/a>, Raleigh<\/a>, Jonesboro, Arkansas<\/a>; Tyler, Texas<\/a>; Greensboro, North Carolina<\/a>; and other cities.<\/p>\n