MC Marching Band to represent Mississippi in 2026 National Independence Day Parade

The MC Marching Band will help the nation celebrate its Semiquincentennial by performing at the 2026 National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C.

Whenever Duval Salvant thinks about representing Mississippi Christian University, the city of Clinton and the state of Mississippi as he leads the MC Marching Band down historic Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C. during the 2026 National Independence Day Parade on July 4, one word repeatedly comes to his mind.

“Terrified,” the MC Director of Bands said with a laugh. “I’ve never done a Fourth of July (parade) before.

“As a band director, I’ve done Universal Studios, and as a student, I’ve performed at Disney World and Universal. I’ve done a tour up the East Coast with a youth symphony at Loyola University that ended with a performance in Carnegie Hall. But this will be an entirely different experience.”

Not only will the band be performing at the focal point of America’s Semiquincentennial birthday celebration, but it will be officially pronouncing the University’s new name, Mississippi Christian University, on the national stage.

MC’s Marching Band is the only ensemble in the state of Mississippi selected to perform at the event. It will join bands representing each of the nation’s 49 other states during the parade.

So how did a marching band from Clinton, Mississippi, secure the honor of participating in the national celebration? Primarily due to the hard work of its director, said Stephanie Busbea, professor of art and dean of the School of Christian Studies, Humanities and the Arts at MC.

“Congratulations to Duval Salvant, the band, and everyone who helped make this trip possible. Their hard work and perseverance are bringing positive recognition to our University, and I know they will make us all proud at the parade,” said Busbea, who plans to attend the event and view the MC Marching Band’s performance.

“The students showed amazing commitment by raising the funds for this trip, and now they get to represent our state in such a special event. I can’t wait to see them marching with their new Mississippi Christian University banner in D.C.”

Former MC music professor James Sclater was asked to compose a bicentennial march for the MC Band to perform as part of celebrating the University’s 200th birthday in 2026. The MC Marching Band will play the first two melodies of Sclater’s “MC Bicentennial March” during their parade performance.

“We’re going to be marching down the road, playing a real march written by a Mississippian for Mississippi’s oldest college,” Salvant said.

With the opportunity to command the nation’s attention, Salvant’s approach to this once-in-a-lifetime musical event hasn’t changed. Simply play what you practice.

“You put your head down, make sure you sound and look as good as possible, and bring your product out there,” he said. “We’re not going to show up and do something we’ve never done before. Everything we do is calculated.

“We’re not going out there with little sheets of music. That takes away from the artistry of the band. This is going to be memorized. They’ll get to focus on where they’re going instead of staring at music.”

Salvant said he’s confident in the group making the trip to D.C. Of the 32 musicians, about one-quarter are alumni of the program; the rest are undergraduate students.

“This is a tight-knit group of students who have played together for a while,” he said. “I invited everyone who has been a part of the marching band since it was reinstated in 2019. It was nice to reward them for all the hard work they did to lay the foundation of the program that we enjoy today.”

While in D.C., the band members will also have an opportunity to sightsee for a half-day, and after the parade, they will experience a performance of the National Symphony on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol.

While he is looking forward to participating in the parade, Salvant said his real satisfaction lies in what the trip means to his students.

“I do it because it’s something for the students to look forward to. It’s something for them to strive for, and it’s a nice pat on the back for their years of dedication to their craft,” he said.

“It’s going to be a wonderful thing for the University, and a wonderful way to kick off a new name for the next 200 years.”