Blind band will be Rose Parade's first

The Columbus Dispatch ^ | Oct 21, 2008 | Jennifer Smith Richards

[tang-soo]

Blind band will be Rose Parade's first

Tuesday, October 21, 2008 3:12 AM
By Jennifer Smith Richards
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

The entire student body had been herded into the gym to sing The Star-Spangled Banner, which was video- recorded for a school project.

That was pretty cool, in itself -- several of the roughly 120 students at the Ohio State School for the Blind have perfect pitch, so it wasn't your average school-choir rendition.

What happened next was even cooler: Music director Carol Agler's cell phone rang and the crowd went quiet. She held the microphone to the phone's earpiece as a man, calling from California, invited the school's marching band to join the 2010 Rose Parade.

You'd have thought Paris Hilton or the Jonas Brothers had just walked in -- that's how loud the screaming was.

"Congratulations, and we look forward to seeing you all," said Gary Di- Sano, the parade's president in 2010.

The Rose Parade, which features flowers-only floats and takes place in Pasadena, Calif., each New Year's Day, has never hosted a blind marching band. In fact, Agler said she doesn't know of another one in the country.

Right now, there are only 17 band members, plus about as many sighted marching assistants who help them stay in formation.

"I think this will generate more kids in the band," said Agler, who co-directs the band with another teacher, Dan Kelley. They've got a year to whip the band into shape and to raise money for the cross-country trip.

Band members likely will practice marching on the school's campus and even on one of the gym's treadmills. The parade route is about 6 miles and will take about two hours to march, a grind the band isn't used to.

"I'm nervous, but I'm excited, too. It's gonna be hard, but we're gonna get through it," said Bria Goshay, a 15-year-old snare drummer from Columbus.

The band was formed in 2005 and played its first full season with about 20 members in 2006. Its uniforms are castoffs from another high school that got new ones.

During a regular season, the band plays for an audience a handful of times: at deaf-school football games, at a Dublin high-school pregame show, at the Ohio State University Skull Session in St. John Arena. The band recently marched in a Circleville Pumpkin Show parade.

Twenty-one bands from across the country have been booked for the Rose Parade, said music committee chairwoman Stacy Houser. Two others, Pickerington Central High School and Ohio University, are from Ohio.

"A blind marching band is such an incredibly unique thing," she said. "We're hoping it'll be an inspiration throughout the country."

Bands are chosen using several criteria, including marching and musical ability, uniqueness and overall talent.

Macy McClain, who plays the flute and piccolo in the band, likened the honor to being on American Idol.

"Except you don't have to stand in line," she said.

jsmithrichards@dispatch.com

[tang-soo]

Members of the Ohio State School for the Blind marching band react to news that their band has been invited to the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade. The entire student body was in the gym when the surprise announcement was heard.
Photo by Fred Squillante : Columbus Dispatch

How to help
The band's trip to Pasadena, Calif., will cost about $1,500 per person. Donations can be sent to the Ohio State School for the Blind Parent-Teacher-Staff Organization, 5220 N. High St., Columbus 43214

A look back: View an audio slide show from 2006 about the Ohio State School for the Blind band Click her for audio slide show.

For the last few years, the OSU Marching Band has kinda adopted the marching band from the Ohio School for the Blind through in part, the efforts of the OSUMB Assistant Director Jon Waters.

My son is a current member of the Buckeye - Ohio State University Marching Band and I help coach several prospective members each summer in preparation for the coming season's extensive tryouts. During these summer sessions, we have witnessed the remarkable efforts of the School for the Blind's Marching Band. They come to several rehearsals during the summer and play for the OSU band - and it is truly an inspiration to see these young kids work as hard as they do and to enjoy playing and sharing their abilities with their bandmates from Ohio State.

They also come to a skull session (a final marching band rehearsal in St. Johns Arena before each home football game) and play before an hugely appreciative crowd of about 13,000 people.

Be sure to check the audio slide show at the link above.

I though you would enjoy this story and I hope only responses displaying proper conduct will be posted. This thread will be shared with parents of some of these kids.

[Drango]

This rocks....The Rose Bowl parade is the 8th wonder of the world!

[Carl LaFong]

Outstanding.

[tang-soo]

BTTT.

[JavaJumpy]

I saw a report on this band but I can’t remember where or when...congratulations to them! That’s so awesome!

Thanks for the evening smile. :)

[RoadKingSE]

The only vision (no pun intended) I get is that of the Animal House marching band crashing in the dead-end alley. Lord I apologize for making fun of the blind marchers and all the starving children in Africa. (:^o)

[tang-soo]

Nice one. You knew what you were doing (you apologized), yet you posted anyway.

From the last paragraph I posted...
I though you would enjoy this story and I hope only responses displaying proper conduct will be posted. This thread will be shared with parents of some of these kids.

[Grammy]

Way cool! I grew up not far from the school, and knew kids there. Both my kids marched in band, and they both took a trip... one to Macy’s Christmas parade and one to the Orange Bowl. God Bless them, I hope they have a ball!

[Revolting cat!]

Not only that! The conductor leading them is deaf!

(and the children are starving in Africa!)

[Ramius]

Oh, c’mon... Lighten up.

I was in the marching band in high school. And yes... The first image I thought was of the band in Animal House. It takes nothing away from these musicians. They probably tell the same joke themselves.

Part of accepting the disabled in the mainstream is abandonment of special status.

[tang-soo]

Okay. If you truly think it’s funny, then come by next summer to one of the rehearsals and I’ll introduce you to the band and their parents. Then you can tell all the funny stories you want - to their face.

[Atlas Sneezed]

I love this story!

I can’t help notice, however, the following item from it:
“During a regular season, the band plays for an audience a handful of times: at deaf-school football games”

I find it deviously delicious that a band that can’t read music plays for the team that can’t hear it!

[Atlas Sneezed]

That was my first thought, too!

(I’m an old marching band member, so I’m entitled)

[tang-soo]

Actually the school for the deaf is located about a mile away from the Ohio School for the Blind. There are likely relationships between the two schools over and above the one you point out.

[Ramius]

Sorry, but you misunderstand.

My mom was a teacher in “special ed” programs for many years. Part of teaching these students to live successfully in the modern world was to get them to come to terms with their disability. Part of *that* was about getting adjusted to the term “retarded” and understanding that it just happened to be true. No, you’re not as smart as most people. Get over it. That’s a true thing. Learn how to live in the world. That’s the secret. And don’t get all worked up when people treat you different. You *are* different.

Blind people that think blind jokes are funny are more well-adjusted than most folk.

[Disciplinemisanthropy]

thats because their sense of humor is heightened

[dfwgator]

You’re sick to think of that!

Especially since you beat me to it.