McKinney Invites Triangle Business to Sixth Battle of the Bands

Durham is full of creativity.  In fact, it's home to the largest advertising agency in the Southeast, McKinney. Turns out, those folks also have a decidedly musical streak, and they get the urge to scratch that itch 'bout once a year.

This year, McKinney’s Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands gets in touch with its classical side by turning Beethoven lovers into headbangers, Mozart fans into metalheads and symphony-goers into stage divers. McKinney is calling all Triangle businesses to volunteer their musical talents for the sixth Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands, returning Saturday, September 22, 2012. McKinney’s sixth Battle since 2006 will showcase bands from around the Triangle for one night of corporate rock ‘n’ roll on the American Tobacco Campus lawn.

Why the classical twist? All proceeds from the Battle will benefit KidZNotes, a nonprofit organization that fights poverty and encourages positive decision making by instructing and engaging children in classical orchestral music. KidZNotes serves children in the poorest neighborhoods in East Durham where elementary schools are the lowest-performing in the city with a long-term goal of creating quality youth orchestras around the state.

“KidZNotes and the arts help level the economic playing field for the neediest of children,” said McKinney Chief Operating Officer Joni Madison. “We were so impressed with the great work they are doing in East Durham that we wanted to connect them with local corporations and businesses through the 2012 Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands.”

“We’re thrilled to be part of the Battle this year. Our kids, who are young budding musicians, will see that music can be an important part of your life always,” said KidZNotes Executive Director Katie Wyatt. “Almost anytime I ask any professional in nearly any field if they’ve ever played an instrument, the answer is yes. The skills and the passion for life and creativity found in the development of a child’s musical skills carry over into the skills they will need as successful students and professionals. The money raised from the event will go to our fast-growing program: We’ll enroll 200 kids who would not otherwise have the opportunity in our program of intense music and instrumental instruction, and build our orchestra to 200 for next year!”

Bands will be allowed entry into the Battle on a first-come, first-served basis. Bands that sign up before May 4 can take advantage of the “early bird special” and register at a reduced price. Each band must have a minimum of three members and a maximum of 10. Bands may have a member or members from a client or an associate company, but the majority of the band members must be on the company’s payroll.

Each year a panel of local celebrity judges and audience text voting determine which bands are rock gods and which are one-hit wonders. Past winners, in chronological order, include GlaxoSmithKline’s The Pharmers, Burt’s Bees’ The Beemones, Capitol Broadcasting Company’s Transmit This! Band from Beyond, McKinney’s Role Playaz and Quintiles’ Counting CROs.

Companies without a band who wish to show their support may participate via corporate sponsorship. Past sponsors of the Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands include McKinney, American Tobacco Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, Smith Breeden, The News & Observer, VIP Nation, Time Warner Cable, Durham Performing Arts Center, Red Hat and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.

For more information on more music related events in Durham, visit the Durham Event Calendar.