Niles McKinley High School Band Director Mr. Stephen Orlando is fresh off an unforgettable trip to Pasadena, California, where he was selected as one of 350 band directors from around the world to march in the iconic Rose Parade on New Year’s Day.

To prepare for the demanding five-and-a-half-mile parade route, Mr. Orlando spent weeks training on his treadmill—tuba in hand. “It definitely paid off,” he said. “It was the longest parade I have ever participated in. I have a lot more respect for all of the high school bands that take part in this parade. It requires an incredible amount of dedication, endurance, and stamina to complete.”

Mr. Orlando arrived in California on Sunday, December 28, joining the Band Directors Marching Band for an action-packed schedule leading up to the parade. Each day began with early breakfasts followed by bus rides to two-to-three-hour rehearsals held at Glendale Community College and Arcadia High School. The ensemble also participated in the Pasadena City College Bandfest, performed for float judging, and took part in the OneLegacy Donate Life Through Music service event.

Between rehearsals and performances, the group had opportunities to explore Southern California, including dining in Los Angeles, visiting Universal Studios, Hermosa Beach, and touring the historic Rose Bowl Stadium. “I met a lot of new colleagues and reconnected with several friends from my college days,” Mr. Orlando shared. “We all agree that although we come from different places and backgrounds, us tuba players are all cut from the same cloth.”

The band itself was made up of 350 musicians from all 50 states, as well as Canada, Mexico, and Panama, all of whom applied for a spot in the ensemble. Participants ranged in age from (“boomers to zoomers” as Orlando calls them!) and brought with them an estimated 5,493 combined years of experience teaching and directing music. While Mr. Orlando is accustomed to leading a marching band, performing in one presented a new challenge. “The hardest part for me was memorizing all of the show music,” he said. “It had been a while since I had to do something like that, but I was able to learn it over the first week of winter break by practicing every day for a couple of hours.”

Despite rainy conditions—only the 11th time in the parade’s 137-year history—Mr. Orlando described the experience as incredibly rewarding and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be part of such a historic event.

Congratulations, Mr. Orlando! Thank you for representing our school and sharing your remarkable experience with us.