From football field to JFK Boulevard; marching band takes on Philly Thanksgiving Day Parade

   Littered with parade floats and giant balloons, the Philly Thanksgiving Day Parade is a festive event for all families every November. Originating in the 1920s, The Gimbel Brothers’ Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of the first and oldest versions of a Thanksgiving Parade in the US. Today, the parade features pop culture references from the year, Thanksgiving-themed versions of famous brands, and live music performances. Amongst the many Thanksgiving demonstrations, Clearview’s Marching Band and Cheerview have a spot in the celebration. 

   According to Marching Band Director Tyler Wiernusz, “The parade is by invitation through audition. We auditioned for the first time in 2020 and eventually performed at the 2022 event. This will be our second time performing, and it is a huge honor.” A rarity in most high school marching band programs, a large-scale parade such as this one is important to highlight in the community. Wiernusz said, “The band usually performs in the Wenonah and Mantua Memorial Day Parades, which are wonderful events in our community. However, a larger parade such as this one is quite rare for the program.” 

   The challenges of a parade this size aren’t to be underestimated. Drum Major Alex Meader, 12, said, “Because the frigid November air makes it difficult to sustain regulated heat in our bodies, the parade is definitely a challenge, especially considering how early in the morning it is. Nonetheless, I enjoyed marching in the parade my freshman year and am extremely grateful to be closing my Marching Band career this November with the same event that continued my interest in the activity.” Brass Captain Caroline Kilmer, 12, adds, “It’s a huge parade starting around the Franklin Institute and ending at the Philly Art Museum, which is about 1.6 miles. Due to the constant starts and stops of the parade, it lasts about 3 hours.” Woodwind Captain Sarah Propert, 12, continues, “When you think about just doing a parade, you're like 'oh okay, that's fine.’ Actually doing the parade, however, it takes a lot more mental and physical energy than you expect, and especially when it is long, it can be very tiring.”

   As the marching band winds down in competition season, the need for preparation and performance material has not dwindled. Like all musical showcases, material has to be prepared beforehand and coordinated across the entire band. “Parades and the Marching Band Field Show are two different performances and require separate preparation,” Wiernusz said, “One of the main differences between the two events is that we are going to be joined by the fantastic Clearview Cheerleading Program for this year’s parade. This means that all music and visuals need to be coordinated across about 120 students, which is a tall task.” Parade performance can be very different from the field shows audiences may be used to seeing. Instead of a typical 7-8 minute show, the band will have to adapt to a 1-2 hour performance. Wienursz emphasizes that “while there are fewer moving parts in terms of students moving around throughout the performance, the event is also much longer than we are used to in the fall. This means a lot more stamina for members of the group to give a great performance throughout the whole event.” 

   To prepare, the marching band commits to practicing and mimicking the conditions they can to raise the band's overall stamina. Meader, 12, said, “The Marching Band has a few short rehearsals leading up to the event in the first few weeks of November, practicing one or two songs to eventually sight-read while performing. In 2022, we practiced marching in unison around the school building while simultaneously playing our performance tune, gaining confidence in a skill the band had limited experience with.” Propert, 12, adds, “We practice our block formation marching, which is when we march in a bunch of lines and we have to keep consistent spacing and make sure the lines stay, well, lines. It is different than what’s expected during the competition season, because competition season is all about our show on the football field, and obviously, there isn’t a football field in a parade, but we utilize the same skills of musicianship, memorization, and marching in time and with proper spacing. And of course, we are still expected, and still expect of ourselves, to put on a good performance.” Even with sustained practice, the parade day is a strenuous and serious musical showcase for the students. Kilmer, 12, said, “It’s definitely different from our regular season, where we spend hours fine-tuning our show. It’s mainly individual preparation and much more relaxed. The real difficulty is the day of the parade. We arrive at the school around 5 a.m., get to Philly around 7:30, then march until 11ish, then we get back to Clearview around 1. It’s exhausting! I slept through Thanksgiving last time we participated in the parade.” 

   As the excitement of the holidays rolls around, the marching band is honored to perform large scale for the last time in their winter season. Meader, 12, said, “It is an incredible opportunity to celebrate the day with everyone around me, and I can’t wait to perform one last time holding the banner this November.” And the festivities of this event cannot be understated. Meader, 12, adds, “I believe the event is an amazing opportunity for our students to witness and celebrate their cultural identities, as the parade is inclusive to all varieties of performances which delve into traditional Christianity and its implications on Christmas in the US, to different ethnic troupes performing styles like hip-hop, salsa, African dance, Irish step, and more. Most floats intentionally celebrate unity and inclusion, so it is important to cherish the backgrounds of everyone to integrate values of equity and respect for differences in our students.” Co-Sponsored by 6ABC, the parade will be broadcast on local and national television on the day of Thanksgiving. Families and Friends can tune in to watch as these students represent Clearview Pioneers in the upcoming event. “Please tune in and watch the band on Thanksgiving morning. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to perform in such a wonderful event, and it would be great to have the support of the community. And if you are going to be at the event, make sure you cheer loudly when we pass by!” Wiernusz said.