At a Glance: Saluting America's Band Directors™

This special appearance in the 2022 Rose Parade® as well as future events is a way to recognize and salute the extraordinary dedication and accomplishments of band directors everywhere—public and private schools at all levels, colleges and universities, the military, community bands­. 

Ask almost any person who has been led by a band director and you will hear that their life was positively changed by a motivational leader who taught, inspired and mentored them, not only in music, but in life itself. 

The Michael D. Sewell Memorial Foundation, based in Pickerington, Ohio, spearheaded this effort. The Foundation was created to recognize and carry on the work of the late Pickerington band director Mike Sewell, who dedicated his life to the music programs in Pickerington and the Columbus/Central Ohio area for more than 38 years. 

A spectacular animated float led 270 band directors from all over the country forming the Band Directors Marching Band™ that played and marched in the 2022 Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. The music for the New Year’s Day 5.5-mile parade route was directed by nationally-known music educator and innovative band director Jon Waters, who also directed performances in Pasadena.

Yes! This is the first Rose Parade entry consisting of both a float and a marching band. Also, we have assembled the first known marching band in which all members are band directors. 

270 directors; 48 states represented; 4,539 total years experience teaching and directing music; 16.5 average years music teaching experience; 46 directors with more than 30 years experience; 110 directors with fewer than 10 years experience; 8 Grammy Music Educator of the Year nominees (quarter finalists to finalists); 76 teacher of the year recipients (local, district, state or national); 181,000 number of students taught by our marching band directors (based on 40 new students for every year of teaching); 24 directors marching with a relative (spouse, parent, grandparent, etc), or their former director.

Director who is coming the farthest: Kelley Taylor—from Texas and teaches in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Second farthest: Andrew Goldie, who teaches children of military personnel in Germany.

The Saluting America’s Band Directors project was created and executed by an all-volunteer, advisory team of professionals from the fields of music education, project management, marketing, information technology and development. For complete descriptions of our team members, visit banddirectorsalute.org/our-advisory-team

Yes. The Saluting America’s Band Directors project was created to bring attention to the extraordinary work being done by band directors and music educators everywhere. You can support the efforts of the Michael D. Sewell Memorial Foundation (a 501(c)(3) organization) by visiting this page.