Scott Travers, band director at St. Michael’s School in Newport, will join band directors from across the country next January 1 in the annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses® Rose Parade.
A custom-designed animated float will lead a “marching band of band directors”, a group of 270 band directors and music teachers from across the country. The Michael D. Sewell Memorial Foundation, based in Pickerington, Ohio, is the sponsoring organization behind the project. The foundation was created to recognize and carry on the work of the late Mike Sewell, who dedicated his life to the school and community music programs in Pickerington and the Central Ohio area for more than 38 years.
The parade entry will convey the theme, “We teach music. We teach life.” The extraordinary dedication and accomplishments of band directors are well known to their students, to parents and to school teachers and administrators. No matter where they teach and work—public and private schools, colleges and universities, the military, community bands—dedicated music educator and leaders work long hours to not only teach and direct music, but to teach life itself. Students’ lives in particular are positively changed by a motivational leader who taught, inspired and mentored them.
Mr. Travers originally heard about this project from a friend who is a band director in Maine and was immediately interested when he found out about it. He submitted an application back in December of 2019 with the intention of marching in the 2021 parade. The pandemic forced the cancellation of last year’s parade, but the group was allowed a spot in the 2022 parade. He is looking forward to meeting and marching with music teachers from all 50 states and Mexico. The Band Director’s Marching Band will perform three songs in the parade “Seventy-Six Trombones”, “Strike up the Band!”, and “Stars and Stripes Forever”; as well as “Sing, Sing, Sing” at a performance leading up to the parade called Bandfest.
Mr. Travers is an Aquidneck Island local and started playing flute when he was in 5th grade at Gaudet Middle School and studied music education at the University of Rhode Island. He is now
the music director St. Michael’s School in Newport and is also a staff member for the URI Athletic Bands.
“Music is a great way to bring people together. I am incredibly excited to march in the Rose parade and share this amazing experience with my students.” said Scott Travers.
You can view the parade on New Year’s Day on ABC6 at 11am EST. The Band Director’s Marching Band is in slot 59, and will likely be in the second hour of the parade. Complete details on the Band Directors Marching Band project are available on the Saluting America’s Band Directors website, BandDirectorSalute.org.
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