Stay tuned: the West Geauga High School Marching Band is scheduled to perform to an international audience at the 2023 New Year’s Day Parade in London, England.
Stay tuned: the West Geauga High School Marching Band is scheduled to perform to an international audience at the 2023 New Year’s Day Parade in London, England.
The band, which was initially asked to play for the 2021 parade, received a second, revised invitation in November to play for the 2023 parade. This invitation came with a bonus surprise — a chance to film a commercial to be aired at this year’s event, which is expected to be broadcast to about 350 million viewers worldwide
“The London committee reached out to us about a second visit to present our invitation to the 2023 New Year’s Day Parade,” said band director Taylor DeSapri in a recent interview. “During the presentation, the band performed for the parade committee and then the committee members presented an official framed invitation and some gifts from Buckingham Palace. The parade committee told us that they were very impressed by our performance during the presentation and asked to send out a film and sound crew to film a ‘virtual performance’ that will be included in this year’s parade broadcast.”
At the upcoming 2022 London New Year’s Day Parade, the marching band will be featured in the commercial advertising next year’s event.
“Taylor and I thought they were going to highlight some of the other American bands in the broadcast, but we have a full five minute ‘virtual performance’ of just the (West Geauga marching band),” said band director Jason Branch, who has been leading the group for 12 years.
Fans stateside can watch the performance on their local PBS station — which, locally, is Cleveland WVIZ/PBS. The commercial will air sometime during the broadcast of the parade between 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Jan. 1, 2022.
Branch and DeSapri like to try to offer fun and unique performance opportunities for their bands. When the high school marching band returned from Disney World in November 2019, they immediately began brainstorming what might come next. They applied to both the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the London event.
“Both parades are very selective,” Branch said. “But the London committee checked out our YouTube page and said they couldn’t stop watching our videos. They were very complimentary. Right after that, they flew out to West G to present an official framed invitation.”
Their first invitation arrived in February 2020, but then COVID-19 hit and the parade committee postponed all American travel.
“When our invitation to the parade was postponed, we were very grateful to still have the opportunity to participate in the parade in 2023. It’s going to be an amazing performance and travel opportunity for our students,” DeSapri said.
While the trip is not cheap, at a cost of roughly $3,500 per student, Branch and DeSapri hope to offset that amount by applying for grants and seeking corporate sponsorships. Regardless, they predict about 160 of the 180 members of the band are likely to make the trip.
“I am very excited to be able to go on such a unique trip with the band and so many friends,” said Ryder Frankmann, a junior clarinet player. “It’s gonna be unforgettable. I am confident that this will be unlike any other trip I’ve been on before and I can’t wait to see just how great it’ll be.”
Jamie Smithengell, a junior sousaphone player, echoed Ryder.
“I am absolutely thrilled to have the chance to travel to and perform in London next year,” she said. “This trip does not compare, at all, to any of my past travels since I have never been on a plane or out of the country. I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to spend the holidays in London with the marching band.”
