COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Students at the Ohio State School for the Blind screamed with joy when they learned their marching band will make history at the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade.
It will be the first time a blind marching band takes part in the flower-bedecked parade in Pasadena, Calif., said the school's music director, Carol Agler.
It's the only blind marching band in the whole country, she said.
Sighted assistants help band members stay in formation.
Stacy Houser, the parade's music committee chairwoman, said Monday she hopes the selection will be an inspiration to others.
The band and the rest of the student body got the news during an assembly Monday when Agler held her cell phone up to a microphone for the announcement from Gary DiSano, president of the 2010 parade. The school's students range from kindergartners to high schoolers.
Macy McClain, the band's flute and piccolo player, compared the honor to being picked for "American Idol." "Except you don't have to stand in line," she said.
The band was formed in 2005 when the football team from the neighboring Ohio School for the Deaf was looking for a band to play at its games. Band members have played in parades before, though never in anything as long as the nearly 6-mile Rose Parade, so they'll be practicing on treadmills, Agler said.
Agler said the school will need to raise an estimated $1,500 in travel costs for each person making the trip, including the 17 band members and a number of alumni to beef up their ranks.
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And here's a zen moment. Seemed like a good day for that too. Although, I just viewed it and it seems less zen than I thought - kinda seasicky.
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9 comments:
Interesting article! I think I heard about that marching band awhile ago, but don't remember where.
I took a sign language class in college, and our professor showed us a video of a pep rally held at a school for the deaf. The cheerleaders were deaf too, but they could do their dance moves by feeling the beat of the music on the gym floor.
That's cool. I love it when people are accepting of others' differences. I hope they are able to raise the money they need.
so... the football team for the ohio school for the deaf was looking for a band? to find a band to play for them they went to the ohio state schhol for the blind.
what a perfect arrangement.
it's not very likely that the football players are gonna care if the band sucks and just listening to a game sucks anyway without the visual so it's not too likely that the band members are gonna care about the game.
and yeah sure, they didn't have to stand in line. but then again, they're gonna have to ~march~ and play their instruments for 6 miles.
just how long was that line for american idol?
;)
Tara - yeah, I've been holding onto this for a little bit for a slow day...
Churlita. Yes, me too.
Heather - pretty odd, eh? Hadn't thought of that. But obviously they can't suck too bad to be chosen.
And likely they hadn't thought of the distance either...
Okay, Okay......a BIT of my cynicism about the news media is removed.
Just a bit, mind you.
I smiled and was close to cheering when I read it.
How awesome for them!!
The deaf can feel the vibrations from the drums. The football players use a drum on the sidelines to time hiking the ball. Gallaudette University is just down the road a piece where a friend named Claudia Smith was a grad student.
I don't know what the blind do, by the way.
I've been to the Rose Parade and I hope they realize how cold it will be, even though it's Southern California, and dress accordingly.
It's a great honor but also really sad that they won't see the amazing floats, like taking a diabetic to a candy store.
Mel, there's always the low-paid feel-good story writer...
CEO - um, they listen?
Hearts, they will smell and hear everythign, and that will be exciting. And people can describe it to them.
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