Festival poster / Enlarge
The Fayetteville High School Band will play at Carnegie Hall in New York City later this month.
The FHS Wind Ensemble will participate in the 2011 Youth Wind Ensemble Festival on Tuesday, Nov. 22 on the Perelman Stage of Carnegie Hall and will be joined by high school ensembles from Cupertino, Calif. and Succasunna, N.J.
The group will play a free pre-Carnegie Hall performance at 7 p.m. on Nov. 15 in the Springdale High School Performing Arts Center.
In a recently released statement, band director Barry Harper said the FHS Band will also march in the 91st annual Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, Nov. 24.
In addition to the two performances, the band will also attend a Broadway musical, visit the Statue of Liberty, and take a dinner/dance cruise around the Hudson River. Students will also visit Liberty Square and the Liberty Bell while in Philadelphia.
The band takes a major trip every three years, and in the past has performed at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Tournament of Roses Parade, the Fiesta Bowl Parade, and the Hollywood Christmas Parade.
Harper said the final figures are still being put together, but the trip is expected to cost each student about $1,250. The band provides a host of opportunities for the students to raise money for their trip including installing and de-installing seatbacks at Razorback Stadium, serving as parking attendants for all Razorback football and basketball games, and cleaning up trash at the annual Bikes, Blues, and BBQ rally.
2011 Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade bands
(As of July 15, 2011)
- Bainbridge High School Band, Georgia
- Brownsburg High School Band, Indiana
- Center Grove High School Band, Indiana
- Copiague High School Band, New York
- Cullman High School, Alabama
- Alexis I. DuPont High School Band, Delaware
- Fayetteville High School Band, Arkansas
- Pendleton Heights High School Band, Indiana
- Pennsbury High School Band, Pennsylvania
- Talladega County All-Star Band, Alabama
- Turpin High School Band, Ohio
- The Tournament of Bands All Star Marching Band (Representing 14 States)
- Vestavia Hills High School, Alabama
