Service Through Music projects, page 2

The Philip Barbour High School Band of Philippi, West Virginia hosted a free holiday concert for the community, and played "Seventy-Six Trombones" as part of the concert material. In conjunction with the concert, and to celebrate Victor Iapalucci's Rose Parade performance, "The Pride of Barbour County" also hosted a children's book drive to benefit the Philippi and Belington Public libraries in Barbour County. Children's books were collected and will be delivered to each public library just in time for Christmas.

The 87 members of “The Pride of Barbour County” are led by Victor Iapalucci who will perform in the 2022 Rose Parade® as a member of The Band Directors Marching Band. 

The Norwell Middle School Band held its fall concert on October 12, 2023. As a way of supporting the county food bank, donated canned goods and personal care items were collected as admission to the concert. A total of 170 items were donated to the food bank.

Norwell Middle School is in Ossian, Indiana. The Norwell Band is directed by Stephanie DePauw who is a clarinet player in The Band Directors Marching Band. Congratulations to the Norwell Middle School Band for using their music talents to serve the community! 

The Norwell Middle School Band held its fall concert on October 12, 2023. As a way of supporting the county food bank, donated canned goods and personal care items were collected as admission to the concert. A total of 170 items were donated to the food bank.

Norwell Middle School is in Ossian, Indiana. The Norwell Band is directed by Stephanie DePauw who is a clarinet player in The Band Directors Marching Band. Congratulations to the Norwell Middle School Band for using their music talents to serve the community! 

On May 29, 2023, 22 students in grades 6-12 from Crookston Public Schools volunteered to perform alongside community musicians during the 2023 Memorial Day Service in Crookston, MN. Two of the high school percussionists marched with the flags at the beginning and end of the service, and two high school band members also read poems during the event as Boys Staters. Crookston High School’s former director of bands, Mrs. Caitlin Becks, organized and conducted the musicians for this event, with assistance from University of Minnesota Crookston’s Mr. George French. Their musical selections included the National Anthem and several arrangements and medleys of familiar patriotic tunes, such as "American Patrol," "America The Beautiful" "America (My Country, 'Tis of Thee)," and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."

Congratulations to the Crookston Public Schools band members for their service through music!

On February 3, 2023, a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. The disaster led to evacuations and business closings. Air quality and water supplies were jeopardized. The impact was felt by citizens throughout the community including the 65 members of the East Palestine High School Band. The Bull Dog Band is led by Jennifer Mollenkopf who is a two-time member of The Band Directors Marching Band.

Saluting America’s Band Directors and the Michael D. Sewell Memorial Foundation stepped in to help the East Palestine Band. On March 2, Foundation President Karen Sewell and Project Manager Jim Kuebler traveled to East Palestine High School to visit the band. Karen and Jim spoke to the students sharing words of encouragement from across the country. They also delivered “Bull Dog Strong” t-shirts for each student provided by the Sewell Foundation.

In a nationwide effort, SABD and the Sewell Foundation raised nearly $4,000 to assist the East Palestine Band as they recover from this community disaster. Funds will help make it possible for the band to continue to operate in the face of the financial challenges caused by the derailment and the resulting hardship on the community. Thank you to SABD and members of The Band Directors Marching Band for caring for band students in need!

The Olive Branch Middle School Honor Band of Olive Branch, Mississippi was selected to perform for the Mississippi State Bandmasters Conference as middle school honor band for this conference in December 2022.  These students will perform later this year for a local nursing home in the community. 

The Olive Branch Middle School Honor Band is led by Terri Green. Congratulations to the Olive Branch Middle School Honor Band for their service through music!

A dream many years in the making came true when Bande de Musica La Primavera was selected to march in the 2023 Rose Parade. But the trip almost did not happen for the 190 musicians from Panama when last minute funding for their hotel fell through. Stepping up to the rescue was the Rancho Verde High School Band Department and Val Verde School District in Moreno Valley, California. Rancho Verde opened their school and their hearts to fellow musicians in need. 

Members of the Panamanian band, ages 9 to 18, stayed in the high school gym and practiced for their big performance on the football field. The Rancho Verde Band and the community provided 230 sleeping bags and hot meals for their guests. Additional support came from an online fundraiser led by the Michael D. Sewell Memorial Foundation. Thanks to their new friends, musicians of Bande de Musica La Primavera were able to put on an outstanding performance in the 134th Rose Parade and go home with life-long memories.

The Rancho Verde Crimson Regiment is led by Honglac Hathuc. Congratulations to the Rancho Verde community and the Crimson Regiment Band for their service through music!

The Bella Musica Conservatory is located in the City of Burbank, California. The instructional program includes a Corps of Drums which was mainly developed as a ceremonial unit. For their Service Through Music Project, students enthusiastically agreed to develop a simple ceremony at a local Veteran’s Memorial, where no organized event would take place.

They chose to perform at the Larry L. Maxam Memorial Park, in Burbank. Larry L. Maxam, USMC, a Burbank resident, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam on February 2, 1968. The Conservatory felt his service deserved attention, believing there weren’t enough events to honor the country’s veterans. Larger events were held in other areas, so this was their opportunity to try to make a difference and foster a sense of service in their students.

Their performance attempted to make a patriotic impact in the immediate community by having families become more aware of what the day means to those who have served in our country’s armed forces. That was their objective and contribution. From the first Bugle Call, neighborhood families came to the park to see what was going on. Students played with great enthusiasm. The performance transformed a very quiet Veterans Day in a Burbank neighborhood into quite a memorable one. After playing Taps, the Unit left the field with a great sense of pride. It had been a good way to honor veterans of our country’s Armed Forces.

The twelve members of the Bella Musica Conservatory  Drum Corps are led by Walter Salvari. Mr. Salvari will perform in the 2022 Rose Parade® as a member of The Band Directors Marching Band.

The Mountain Range High School Marching Band performed on Saturday, December 4 in the Denver Parade of Lights. Well over 100,000 people lined the streets of downtown Denver to see the parade, and more than one million watch it on television each year. The students were overjoyed to see so many happy children and families along the parade route, out to enjoy the holiday season. Many of our students (and directors!) can remember seeing their first band in a parade and saying, "I'm going to do that."

The 60 members of the Mountain Range High School Marching Band are led by David Evans. David is a member of The Band Directors Marching Band and will perform in the 2022 Rose Parade®.  The Mountain Range band staff also includes Dan Gustad, Vic Stauffenberg, Brooke Farris, and Katt Craig.