Successfully beating out 600 other high school students for approximately 200 spots in the Tournament of Roses Honor Band, some of TCHS performers will march in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena on Jan. 1, 2018 to celebrate the new year.
The Honor Band has participated in the Rose Parade since 1930, consisting of PCC Lancer Marching Band members and high school students. As the Rose Parade is widely watched by viewers across the nation, band members must learn to march over 25 miles before being able to be in the Rose Parade.
Freshman Michael Cooper
When Michael Cooper saw his name on the online audition results list as one of the trumpet players, he was so happy that he couldn’t sit down for the rest of the day.
As a member of family of musicians, Cooper was expected to play an instrument. In elementary school, he chose to play the trumpet and never regretted his decision.
He thoroughly enjoys playing the instrument, and participates in organizations outside of school such as the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra, and now the Tournament of Roses Honor Band.
Surrounded by other talented musicians in the Honor Band, Cooper has become more aware of his duties as a member of the group and practices more often individually.
Since rehearsals are held only once a week, Cooper wanted to bring the best of his abilities to these limited practices to avoid bringing the group down.
“I’m excited to perform on New Year’s Day,” Cooper said. “Just being able to play for five hours straight is the hard part.”
As Cooper is a freshman this year, he is planning to try out again for the Honor Band during his remaining three years of high school.
Senior Sabrina Macy
Unlike Cooper, Sabrina Macy is in her final year of high school and wants to make the most of it by marching with banners in the pageantry of the Honor Band.
Before joining the Honor Band, Macy was already busy with Advanced Drama and Miss Temple City.
However, she wanted to enjoy her senior year as much as she can before graduating and tried out for the pageantry, despite her strenuous schedule.
“Usually on Sunday I relax and do homework all day, but now I do homework in the morning and then rush to practice after,” Macy said. “I never regret my decision though.”
Macy was inspired to try out for banners because she enjoyed marching with TCHS in the Rose Parade during her freshman year. Her favorite memory was when her parents and PCC staff members greeted her over the loudspeakers with a ‘Happy New Years, Sabrina’ when she passed by their stands.
She felt proud to be a part of POTC and wanted to represent PCC this upcoming parade, as she will attend the college next year.
In order to join the Honor Band next fall, as a freshman in college, Macy first has to audition for and be accepted into the PCC Colorguard.
Junior Patrick Liu
For years, Patrick Liu has watched the parade on his television, but this season on New Year’s Day, he will finally be the one on television, playing the snare drum.
Liu has always admired how the performers in the parade marched energetically and enthusiastically.
Now that he is a player in the Tournament of Roses Honor Band instead of a spectator, he likes how encouraging the people around him are.
Since rehearsals started in early November, the students and staff helped him to develop his musical abilities, and also taught him many life skills, time management being one of them.
“For me, band means a place to connect with other people and a place where friendships and memories are derived,” Liu said. “But it’s also about one little thing: it’s called the music.”
Although Liu has only played the snare drum since last year, he auditioned with about 25 others for the nine snare positions and was accepted.
Liu originally played the clarinet before coming to the high school, and he wanted to try something new. He joined drumline as a bass drum in his freshman year, then made a later switch to the snare drum.