CSULB Wind Symphony is headed to Washington D.C. to perform at The Kennedy Center
Cal State Long Beach is one of four schools throughout the nation that was selected to attend the festival.
LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Students from the Bob Cole Conservatory Wind Symphony at Cal State Long Beach have been preparing for their big performance on March 10 at the Sousa Band Festival.
"We're headed to Washington DC to play in the Sousa Festival and to play in the Kennedy Center, which is an amazing opportunity we've been given," said student Jennifer Sosa.
"The Sousa Festival came up as an opportunity and we showcased what these students have done and the work they have put into their instruments and their performance. And it impressed the festival, they said, 'we have to have you,'" said Royce Smith, dean of the College of the Arts.
Cal State Long Beach is one of four schools throughout the nation that was selected to attend the festival. Students said they plan on raising $25,000 to get there.
"Taking 48 musicians plus tubas and trombones is fairly expensive. And so we're asking the community to help us raise $25,000 to offset some of those costs. They can go to our beach funder csulb.edu/music and then you just click on the giving tab," said Jermie Arnold, director of bands for the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music.
The students have been rehearsing nonstop since they found out the news in October. Many say this is a big opportunity for them because they've never performed out of state before.
"This is an exciting opportunity for a lot of the students here including myself, I have not traveled or flown in a plane in over 15 years. So this is a very exciting opportunity for me," said student Raphael Yap.
"Since this is my first semester here at CSULB, I've never had the chance to tour with the ensemble let alone to such an amazing location as Washington DC. So I was just overjoyed," said student Erin Sercel.
Follow Amanda on social media:
