Highly Ranked DPHS Band Is Invited to the Big Apple
– by Adina Fleeger –
The Dr. Phillips High School Panthers marching band prepares to perform in the 2016 St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York City.
Fourteen years before the Declaration of Independence was signed, the first New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade was held on March 17, 1762. This annual event, a much-loved tradition, is also recognized as the largest parade in the world. This year, as the parade makes its way through the streets of New York, the Panthers marching band from Dr. Phillips High School will be a proud participant.
The DPHS band is currently composed of 215 students, including musicians and color guard participants. Approximately 125 students will be traveling to New York City this year to participate in the parade, where the band is planning to play the DPHS fight song and selections from Riverdance. The band is under the guidance of Band Director Charles Watford; Associate Director Nicole Nasrallah; and the student leadership of drum majors Brittany Canfield, Stephon Davis and Tamia Dawkins; and field commander Alissa Sweeden. The color guard is directed by Kristin Bryant with color guard captains Elayne Nash, Carolyn Palmer and Caroline Stiles–Williams. Percussion instructors Matt Brown and Jeremy Katalenic also assist the band. Watford received his undergraduate degree from Stetson University and a master’s from Florida State University and has taught at DPHS for nine years. Nasrallah has been with the school for five years, after graduating from the University of Florida and receiving a master’s degree from Boston University.
The appearance in New York City will cap off an extremely successful season for the Panthers band. This year’s program, Out of This World, featured musical selections from David Bowie’s Space Oddity, Interstellar Suite, the motion picture Interstellar, and Star Trek. At the annual Marching Band Music Performance Assessment held in November, DPHS received straight superior ratings for all performance aspects, including marching/maneuvering, music and auxiliary (color guard).
The marching band season begins in late July when members participate in two weeks of band camp. Each day the students work on learning the new program with many hours devoted to mastering challenging musical selections and new marching formations. Practice continues throughout football season, as band members rehearse each Tuesday and Thursday to polish their routines before performing at halftime during football games.
As a participant in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York City, the Panthers band will become part of a rich tradition. The procession is not only the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world, but it is also the world’s oldest civilian parade. The Irishmen who started it in 1762 were stationed in the U.S. Colonies and homesick for Ireland. The parade offered them a chance to sing Irish songs and demonstrate pride by “the wearing of the green.”
Since then, the tradition has stayed true to its roots and does not permit floats or automobiles. Instead, the procession is composed of marching bands, firefighters, military and police units, and social clubs. The route travels for almost two miles down Fifth Avenue and is locally viewed by almost 2 million spectators. It will also be televised in New York City on WNBC.
While in New York, band members will have an opportunity to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and visit famous landmarks such as the Empire State Building, the Headquarters of the United Nations, and Ellis Island.
The parade appearance is just the latest honor received by the DPHS Panthers band. It was also invited to appear in the London New Year’s Day parade in 2012, where the group entertained crowds in Trafalgar Square. It also performed via invitation at the Music for All National Festival in March 2013. The event, which was held in Indianapolis, is one of the premier musical festivals in the country and provides students with great learning opportunities. Most notably, the DPHS band is the recipient of the Otto J. Kraushaar Award, in recognition of the achievement of receiving straight superior ratings at all district and state events in a school year.
Each year, many DPHS graduates continue to participate in marching band programs at schools like the University of Florida, the University of Central Florida, Florida State University and the University of South Florida. In addition, several former band members are pursuing careers in music or music education.
The Panthers marching band certainly lives up to the DPHS motto of “Never Less Than The Best!” ?
