Marching band reunites for
parade
By Morgan Conklin
Summer
Reporter
The Purdue marching band is reuniting for the first
time since the Rose Bowl to represent the University in the Indy 500
Parade of Bands at 8 am Sunday.
Purdue began organizing this parade 82 years ago
when Paul Spotts Emrick, the Purdue marching band’s first director,
sought out the Indy 500 as a way to spotlight his band.
Purdue and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway send
out invitations to all high schools within a five-hour driving distance
to be part of the parade. Directors of the bands see this as an opportunity
for their students to experience something sacred to the Hoosier State,
said Kathy Matter, Purdue Bands public relations director. In all, 21
other bands will be performing.
The Purdue marching band will be the only band
playing for the opening ceremony. Bill Kisinger, associate director
of the "All American" Marching Band, said he is amazed by
the crowd’s reaction to the band. "Few bands can match the
power of our music," he said. "We march in the parade every
year and the audience never seems to grow tired of us."
Among other performers featured in the parade is
Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, who will be singing the National Anthem.
After the National Anthem, Purdue Bands will follow
tradition by playing "America the Beautiful" and "Back
Home Again."
Since it is summer and many band members are not
around, the parade is not a mandatory event for the students to attend.
However, of the 340 regular season band members, 200 are expected to
perform.
Rob Ballard, a junior in the School of Liberal
Arts and a member in charge of playing the World’s Largest Bass
Drum, said he is attending because it is a chance to be seen by more
than 250,000 people as the centerpiece of the parade.
He also said band members want to part of the parade
because; "It has been a band tradition for over 80 years. More
people see us at this event than any other minus the Rose Bowl."
The marching band has not practiced together since
its appearance in the Rose Bowl, but has been given a list of songs
to practice prior to the weekend.
Banquets will be held over the weekend to honor
senior band members and the other members that have committed their
time to play in the parade.
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