On Saturday, March 15, the Linganore High School (LHS) Lancer Marching Band traveled to New York City (NYC) for the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade.
Prior to the parade, the band spent a total of three days sightseeing in NYC.
Their first stop was to the Top of the Rock observation deck located in Rockefeller Center. The top level of the observation deck is 850 feet above ground level and offers a panoramic view of the city.
“I liked Top of the Rock best,” said sophomore Kaydence Pierce. “I liked seeing all the different buildings and all the small people and cars.”
Next up, the band went on a tour of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a Catholic cathedral designed in a Neo-Gothic style more than a century ago. The entrance of the cathedral has tall arches and large bronze doors. The inside is adorned with stained glass windows and ornate marble detailings.
The late afternoon/evening was spent exploring Central Park, which is an iconic part of NYC and one of the first urban parks in the United States. Central Park is regarded as a safe haven within the busy streets of NYC.
The band enjoyed their walk through Central Park before heading over to the Dave and Buster’s in Times Square for dinner. Band members unwinded from the exciting day by enjoying the buffet and playing arcade games with their friends.
Sunday morning was spent sightseeing on the Circle Loan boat tour. The boat navigates through Manhattan, passing famous landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty. The boat had both an upper and lower deck, with indoor and outdoor seating. It departs from Pier 83 and travels across the Hudson River.
Following the boat tour, members of the band took a walk on The High Line Park. The High Line is a train track converted into an elevated park and walkway.
Freshman Sanjay Bhattacharya said, “High Line Park was the best part of the trip in my opinion … it was more peaceful like Staten Island in a bigger, busier and different part of the city.”
From there, the band took to Broadway and attended the show “Gypsy,” starring Audra Mcdonald, at the Majestic Theater. Mcdonald is one of the most decorated Broadway actors of all time with six Tony’s, two Grammys, and an Emmy award. (Wikiwand)
The show “Gypsy” is set in the 1920s and 30s and features a mother and daughter striving for fame in the world of vaudeville, eventually being pushed into doing burlesque due to societal and familial pressures. It is based on the real life story of Gypsy Rose Lee, an American actress famous for her burlesque shows in the mid 1900s.
Senior Margaret Malone shared her enjoyment of the performance.
“All of the actors were absolutely incredible and made the story come to life, and Audra Mcdonald was so good,” Malone said. “I really enjoyed the choreography and the way the scenes were staged, and overall it was very emotionally poignant.”
The band concluded their evening with dinner at Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square.
Finally, Monday was the day of the parade and the band’s final day in NYC.
The NYC St. Patrick’s Day kicked off on Fifth Avenue and ended on East 79th Street, a total of 35 blocks long. It is the longest parade the Lancer Band participates in.
The band’s parade sequence consisted of the percussion’s cadence, the “Boogie” (a methodical dance characterized by stepping to the right and left), and a performance of “Patriots on Parade,” an upbeat march written by Ken Harris. This sequence was repeated until the conclusion of the parade.
Bhattacharya thought the parade was a fun, memorable experience. Bhattacharya said he prepared for the parade by drinking three cups of coffee and practicing marching in step.
“I got to play the flute, and ‘Patriots on Parade’ sounds amazing.”
You can follow along with the band at https://www.linganoreband.org/.
