Several American marching bands that have the honor of appearing in the 2024 Rose Parade will boast an international lineup of musicians for the event. Other ensembles actually hail from different countries, including Japan and Costa Rica.
Here’s a closer look at three of the units:
Pipes on Parade — The Massed Pipes & Drums, making its Tournament of Roses debut, is among the marching bands with an intriguing backstory. Based in Twentynine Palms, the musicians include Southern California Pipe Band members from Pasadena, Los Angeles, Riverside, Rancho Cucamonga, Glendora, La Mesa, and even performers who aren’t part of an active pipe band.
“Our group is primarily made of individuals from across the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom,” says Joel M. Daniel, the Pipes on Parade director and a retired Marine.
The musicians will all meet for the first time a few days before the Rose Parade.
More coverage: Rose Parade 2024 survival guide: What you need to know before you go
Pipes on Parade was created “purely by a grass-roots effort via social media,” notes Daniel. “Basically, we said, ‘Hey, we have this opportunity. Who wants to join us?’ We had over 400 respondents; only 120 made it to the final run.”
Daniel has marched in the Rose Parade 10 times while playing the sousaphone. New Year’s Day will mark his first time on bagpipes.
Some “students, hobbyists and professionals alike have never been afforded the opportunity to march the Rose Parade … especially if they play in a bagpipe band, since we are definitely a rarity” there. Daniel says he is glad to “provide a platform for so many musicians, drum majors and dancers.”
Playing the bagpipes is “physically demanding,” and the instrument presents unique challenges for a marching band. Daniel compares it to playing four separate instruments simultaneously because bagpipes “work entirely off of a specific air pressure the musician creates and must…
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