HS band invited to London New Year's Day parade

An important official from England visited several students from Dulaney High School on Monday, asking them to come to London for a big celebration.

The Lion's Roar Marching Band welcomed Lord Mayor Catherine Longworth of Westminster, England. She was in Timonium extending an invitation to the group to perform in London's New Year's Day parade in 2015.

"I think they're just amazing -- the commitment the kids show, the enthusiasm and the way they learn their choreography and they play. It's just amazing. Dulaney is pretty jolly good, and we only invite the best," Longworth said.

This is the second time the marching band and the wind ensemble have been invited to take part in the parade. They performed there in 2011, and students said it was a once in a lifetime experience.

"As we were actually performing and as we got to see the fountains and the thousands of people that were watching us and the thousands of people that we knew were watching us -- it was just unbelievable being able to see everything," said senior trumpet player Mark Hubbert.

In addition to performing in the parade, they'll spend about six days in London seeing historical sights and getting a cultural education.

"I'm excited for the parade because it's the New Year's Day parade, and I can tell my parents and family to watch. That'll be fun, but I'm also looking forward to sightseeing because I've never actually been to London," said junior drum major Xaria Crawford.

The band director said they're honored to be invited back to London, and they'll work hard between now and then selecting music and rehearsing for the big show. He said the experience will make them better musicians and more well-rounded students.

"It gives them the opportunity to experience other cultures and perform along with bands from both the United States and the world. Performing in front of hundreds of thousands of people is just an outstanding opportunity that they will remember for the rest of their lives," band director Barry Chesky said.

Now that they've gotten the invitation, the fundraising begins. They have to raise $3,000 per student to make the trip overseas. ?

Source: http://www.wbaltv.com/news/maryland/education/hs-band-invited-to-london-new-years-day-parade/-/9379316/22077802/-/idmj11/-/index.html?absolute=true

royals nicole richie esperanza spalding lyme disease symptoms cardinals jessica sanchez robert kennedy