Brownsburg Band Prepares for a Once-in-a-Lifetime Trip
There are two famous parades in the U.S. that top the list for marching bands across the country: Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and the Rose Parade (also known as the Rose Bowl Parade) in Pasadena, California, on New Year’s Day.
This January, more than 230 Brownsburg Marching Band and Color Guard members will make a trip to California for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“Between the Rose Parade and Macy’s Day, several hundred bands apply each year,” says Chris Kaflik, director of bands and performing arts department chair at Brownsburg High School. “We did the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2021, and we were waiting for the Rose Parade because that particular parade really exposes the size of your band. This year, we have 20 to 30 more members in the band than we did in 2021.”
Kaflik says over the years, they’ve worked to improve the competitive nature of the marching band and have focused on the types of shows they select year after year. They’ve also strengthened the marching band through new schedules at the middle school level.
“This year, middle school band will meet every day,” he says. “In the past, it used to be every other day for less than an hour, but if we’re looking at the competitive side of band, they were getting half the time other bands received. Now that they’re meeting every day, it sets us up in performing arts at a much higher level moving forward.”
Band leadership applied for the Rose Parade in the summer of 2024, and this fall began working on a show that included bright colors, floral designs and specific music for the season and the upcoming parade.
They’ll leave on Dec. 27 and return Jan. 2.
“On this trip, we’ll do four different performances,” Kaflik says. “All groups that go to the Rose Parade also do a performance at Disneyland. We’ll participate in Band Fest, a fall competitive showcase from groups all around the world. Also, Bands of America (BOA) holds a combined performance for the high school bands while we’re there.”
The schedule does allow for a bit of sightseeing too.
Kaflik says students will visit Huntington Beach, the Griffith Observatory and theme parks — Universal Studios, Disneyland and California Adventure — and of course, the famous In-N-Out Burger.
They’ll have the opportunity to get a backstage look at the preparation for the Rose Parade and help work on the finishing touches for various floats.
“There are storage areas where the floats are built, and our students will walk through and see some of those in the final stages, but you can sign up to help too. Then, on the morning of the parade, we have to be there extremely early, and they’ll get another behind-the-scenes look,” says Ed Rouch, director of bands at Brownsburg High School.
When the announcement was made earlier this year, students were excited, but some didn’t know what it was.
“We have kids who have never traveled,” Rouch says. “For some, this will be their first time on an airplane. For some, it will be their first time seeing the ocean. Most haven’t seen the Pacific Ocean at least. Once we told them all the details of the experience, they were even more excited.”
Not only is the California trip meaningful for the individual student, it’s a memory they’ll have as a group — a group that spends a lot of time together throughout the year. It’s something the directors hope they will cherish.
“We are building a culture where students are learning how to work together and develop their skills at the national level,” Rouch says. “Those skills really apply to things outside of music and band. They’re learning work ethic, the feeling of family and being a part of something larger than yourself. They spend a lot of time together.”
Students learn the value of pushing through and working as a unit.
“You have to be fully engaged, and there’s something about knowing that you can accomplish something that you thought was beyond what you could do. It’s invaluable,” Rouch says. “They learn to work hard and have fun while they’re doing it. You’re not necessarily going to receive anything. You learn that working hard at a high level can be fun and fulfilling anyway.”
Kaflik says when you spend two hours working on eight counts of a 10-minute performance, it teaches focus, commitment and other skills that transfer to that engineering career or other similar options.
Just like any team sport or program, they’re only as good as their weakest link, and the results are a passionate group of students who want to make themselves and those around them proud.
“This isn’t just how good a person is with their music, but are they practicing with the same intensity and level of execution as you are,” Kaflik adds. “When it comes to game time, we want to be great. It’s challenging athletically, and it is like a sports team, but no one is on the bench. Every person participates, and we’re all in this together.”
The trip is an opportunity the band directors have been aiming at for several years.
“Few students in America get to experience this, and this is something we’ve been really thoughtful in planning and trying to provide something pretty special,” Rouch says. “But we would be remiss not to say it takes so much support from our parents and the community to make this possible. We’re incredibly thankful for the businesses, community members and parents who make it happen.”
The Rose Parade trip is expensive with airfares and lodging, but simply driving the semi-trailers with their equipment will cost thousands. The band department is still accepting donations to help with the cost.
Visit brownsburgbands.com to support the Brownsburg band students in this unique opportunity.
