The Cavalier Marching Band is playing at the Macy’s Day Parade

‘It’s a huge deal, and it’s easily the biggest audience most of the people in band will ever have’

Almost any band director would claim the marching band works harder than the football team, and the Cavalier Marching band is no exception.

The CMB’s hard work has certainly paid off, considering they have been chosen to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

Band member and sophomore Marcellus Wright told The Tab: “It’s a huge deal, and it is easily the biggest audience I and most of the people in band will ever have.”

Marcellus Wright

“We are also the youngest band to ever to be a part of it, and we were chosen out of over a hundred applicants.”

Fourth year and bass section leader Brett Offut added: “I am not nervous now, but I will be when I get there. Overall I am just very excited.”

There are over 360 members in the marching band and each member is as dedicated as the next. Chanmee Pak, a second year, explains the marching band practice schedule depends on the football schedule.

“If we don’t have a game, practices usually take up four hours of the week, but if we do have a game that weekend, practices take up six hours that week.

“This does not include the practices that are held right before the game.”

Chanmee added: “I feel that people are more dedicated in college as compared to High School.

“They want to be there and they want the band to be good.

“I have a love/hate relationship with band. Sometimes I get stressed when I feel that it’s taking up a lot of my time, but once I am there I enjoy it because I don’t have to worry about anything except what we are supposed to do. Everyone is there by choice, and even if I complain sometimes I still want to be there.”

Marcellus, the bass drill instructor, shared a similar view: “Being in the band has been one of the privileges of my life. Everyone is working on this goal and accomplishing it together. We are a family.”

Brett has an added responsibility others don’t, which definitely piles on the pressure: “I have to help with the tap offs because my bass drum will project more, and this means I have to follow along with the snare section leader, so there is a little bit of pressure there.”

It sounds silly, but tap offs are actually very important. The entire marching band depends on the tap offs to march in tempo and it also is a way of correcting themselves and making sure they are not off beat. But no pressure, Brett.

Brett Offut (and friend)

“The Macy’s Day Parade is 100 percent required,” explains Brett.

“If you couldn’t make it you probably wouldn’t have been in marching band or you would’ve had to work something out with our director.”

The band will get to New York City Monday night, and they will be staying right in Times Square.

Practice before the parade on Thursday is at 3am and they need to load the buses in full uniform by 2:30am.

“I may actually get no sleep,” says Chanmee. “I know I should go to bed sooner, I’m just not sure if it’ll actually work out that way.”

The trip to New York is completely free for the band members, transportation and all.

“The only thing we have to pay for is breakfast if we chose to get it on our own, but lunches are planned and paid for.”

So what are they playing? “We are not allowed to tell you, you’ll have to tune in to find out!” says Brett.

I’ll honor that, but I did manage to get a sneak peak of the show when I watched one of their practices, and one thing is for sure: it is going to be awesome.

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