Temple's Diamond Band Sees 'Once-in-a-Lifetime' Moment at Macy's Parade
For the Temple University marching band, performing in the iconic Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a dream come true. For senior trombone player Hugh Strother, it's more than just a one-time experience - it's an opportunity to make up for missing out on his childhood memories of watching the parade with his family.
Strother, who graduated next year but decided to stay an extra semester, had initially been disappointed when he learned that Temple would be performing in the parade. However, he soon realized that this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to take advantage of his final days as a university student and make the most of it.
The Diamond Band, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, will be one of the 11 marching bands performing alongside giant balloons and floats in New York City. With over 200 members, they'll perform a medley of songs, including K-Pop hits and their own fight song.
Band director Matt Brunner has been preparing students for this moment for years. As a teenager, he had always dreamed of performing in the parade, inspired by his high school band's appearance in 1972. This year marks the first time Temple will be part of the parade, after being selected from hundreds of bands who submitted their resumes and performance videos.
"We've highlighted our pop culture-themed shows, like our 'Barbie' performance, which was paired with student-made parody videos," Brunner said. "We want to show that this is a band that can bring energy and personality to the parade."
While many students are nervous about their debut in front of millions of viewers, they're also excited to put months of rehearsals into action. Senior piccolo player Saniyah Davis, who has never seen the Macy's parade on TV before, said she's eager to see all her hard work come together.
"It's exciting to see all the work we've done throughout the season to finally come to this point, but it's also nerve-racking that we know our performance is coming up, and this is a one-and-done thing," Davis said.
For Camilla Romero, a senior media studies and production major who plays tenor saxophone, the parade represents the culmination of her university experience. "Everybody in the band has worked so hard, putting all their love and dedication to it. I'm very proud of everyone who's a part of it."
The Diamond Band will take to the streets on Thanksgiving Day alongside some of America's most iconic performances. For this once-in-a-lifetime moment, they're ready to shine - and make memories that will last long after the parade is over.
For the Temple University marching band, performing in the iconic Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a dream come true. For senior trombone player Hugh Strother, it's more than just a one-time experience - it's an opportunity to make up for missing out on his childhood memories of watching the parade with his family.
Strother, who graduated next year but decided to stay an extra semester, had initially been disappointed when he learned that Temple would be performing in the parade. However, he soon realized that this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to take advantage of his final days as a university student and make the most of it.
The Diamond Band, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, will be one of the 11 marching bands performing alongside giant balloons and floats in New York City. With over 200 members, they'll perform a medley of songs, including K-Pop hits and their own fight song.
Band director Matt Brunner has been preparing students for this moment for years. As a teenager, he had always dreamed of performing in the parade, inspired by his high school band's appearance in 1972. This year marks the first time Temple will be part of the parade, after being selected from hundreds of bands who submitted their resumes and performance videos.
"We've highlighted our pop culture-themed shows, like our 'Barbie' performance, which was paired with student-made parody videos," Brunner said. "We want to show that this is a band that can bring energy and personality to the parade."
While many students are nervous about their debut in front of millions of viewers, they're also excited to put months of rehearsals into action. Senior piccolo player Saniyah Davis, who has never seen the Macy's parade on TV before, said she's eager to see all her hard work come together.
"It's exciting to see all the work we've done throughout the season to finally come to this point, but it's also nerve-racking that we know our performance is coming up, and this is a one-and-done thing," Davis said.
For Camilla Romero, a senior media studies and production major who plays tenor saxophone, the parade represents the culmination of her university experience. "Everybody in the band has worked so hard, putting all their love and dedication to it. I'm very proud of everyone who's a part of it."
The Diamond Band will take to the streets on Thanksgiving Day alongside some of America's most iconic performances. For this once-in-a-lifetime moment, they're ready to shine - and make memories that will last long after the parade is over.
They've worked so hard for years, and it's amazing to see them finally get their chance to shine on the big stage 
It's not just about performing in front of millions, but also creating memories that'll last a lifetime 
The fact that they're celebrating 100 years of the band is pretty cool too 
I'm sure it's gonna be an epic show!
... 200 members marching band? that's a lot of people 
... and hundreds of other bands applying to perform? sounds like recruitment gimmick to me 
... can we get some info on how they were selected? what's the criteria? transparency, please! 
! It's amazing that Hugh Strother got to stay an extra semester just to be a part of this - he must've been literally counting down the days until this moment 
. And can you believe it's their 100th anniversary? 
Matt Brunner is doing such a great job preparing the students for this - I'm sure they'll bring so much energy and personality to the parade 
. Saniyah Davis seems a bit nervous but I get it, she must be feeling all the feels 
. But on a deeper level, I think this teaches us about making the most of every opportunity and not taking things for granted. We all have our own reasons for staying or leaving early in life, but if we can find ways to turn those decisions into something positive, then that's what matters 
just imagine being 100 years old and still making waves 
temple uni marching band's diamond band is really cool 
they got to perform in macy's parade which is like a dream come true for many students 
especially Hugh Strother, he's making up for missing out on those childhood memories, that's so sweet! 
And can we talk about Matt Brunner, the band director? He's like, totally dedicated to this and has been preparing students for years to be a part of this iconic event. The fact that they're bringing pop culture-themed shows, like their "Barbie" performance, is giving me LIFE 
The fact that Strother, who initially felt disappointed about missing out on childhood memories, has turned his disappointment into an opportunity to shine is a powerful example of how our experiences can shape us in profound ways. 
. It's like they're chasing a fleeting dream, one that'll eventually disappear into the past once they step off the stage. But at what cost? Are they savoring this experience or are they just trying to make up for lost time? I think about my own life and how we all scramble to make the most of our 'last chances'...
. And honestly, who wouldn't want to play a medley of K-Pop hits in front of millions? That's like, the ultimate college experience 
.