By Madeline Pulliam, C0-Staff Development Director
Conestoga’s marching band paraded down Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C. over Memorial Day weekend. From May 26 to 27, the marching band and color guard performed at the capital in the National Memorial Day Parade. Performers traveled from Conestoga on the morning of May 26 and began their trip around the capital later that day. Preparation for the parade began in the weeks prior to the trip.
“We are marching in a parade with a bunch of different bands from each state as a pre-show. We’ll start practicing parading, which is a little bit different than on the football field, and we will have the music, so just practicing that,” junior and trumpet section leader Matthew Ma said.
On the trip, they also visited various tourist locations around Washington, D.C. Upon arrival, they went on a motorcoach tour of historic Washington, D.C., visiting local landmarks. Senior Shea O’Connell, a baritone section leader, was excited for the sightseeing.
“We’re going to this space museum where we see airplanes and NASA things,” O’Connell said. “I’m really excited for that, and I think it will be really fun because we’re going together as a school group, so it’s not like I am going with my parents or something like that.”
They also attended the official National Memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the United States Capitol, featuring the National Symphony Orchestra, which was broadcast on PBS. Junior and color guard section leader Claire Arnault looked forward to the trip.
“I am really excited to be back with the band again,” Arnault said. “We don’t really get to do this because it’s basically in the fall for football season, so it is going to be really fun, especially to see the seniors one more time before they go and get to perform with them again.”
Madeline Pulliam can be reached at [email protected].
