&After performing in the Selma Band Review, the junior high, elementary and high school bands prepared to participate in the 90th annual Veterans Day Parade. This year’s downtown Fresno parade celebrated and honored the United States Navy, Nov. 11.

Leading off the second tier of the parade, the marching band was joined by the junior high and elementary bands in order to supplement the group’s size. Organizers estimate over 9,000 people took part in marching bands, floats and military vehicles. Local bands including California State University, Fresno, Bullard High and Kastner Elementary marched along a three-mile route that finished in Chukchansi Park. Over 50 FCS students marched downtown as one band for only the second time in school history.

Senior drum major Alex Aleman says that she is proud of the younger groups’ performance at the parade.

“Working with the elementary students was a fun and memorable way to spend my last parade as drum major,” Aleman said. “The little kids are extremely hyper, but I still enjoyed their positive attitudes and I know they loved marching with the older kids in such a big event.”

Although the band members did not get the sleep-in day that many of them had hoped for, director Michael Ogdon said they “did well and rose to the occasion” at the parade.
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“Each of the groups had specific things they had to do right for the music to work, and for the most part, they all did,” Ogdon said. “The band improved as they kept at it; the first time through, the song was alright, and they just kept gaining confidence. I was very pleased with them.”

While junior Jessica Massie does not get to see the band when marching ahead of them, she says she is very proud of the band and their performances throughout the year.

“I think the band has improved so much,” Massie said. “At first, I was a little worried about having the elementary kids march with us. I did not think that having the elementary kids with us would really do anything, but I was wrong. From what I heard from the band, they sounded amazing and the elementary kids loved it.”

The next performance for the band is the Fresno State Band Day, Nov. 21. After arriving at 8:45 a.m., the band will get a chance to perform at Fresno State and then stay to watch the game.

The band is also preparing for a Christmas concert in December, learning new music and polishing their skills.

FC Band: Tribute to the letter “I” from Tyler Duerr on Vimeo.

For more information on band, e-mail Ogdon or visit the Nov. 9, 2009 article, Selma Festival success rewards marching band or Nov. 12, 2009 article, Jazz band performs in Merced.