‘Reppin’ the O’: Four OCPS band students march in Macy’s Thanksgiving parade

Every year growing up in Queens, New York, Noah Sidabutar would watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV with his family.

He loved watching the bands, floats and balloons make their way through Macy’s Harold Square. 

When he returned to Queens in July to visit family and walked on Harold Square now as a Horizon High School junior, Sidabutar envisioned being the one to perform in the parade. 

His dream came true as he performed as a member of the Macy’s Great American Marching Band during the 99th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Thursday, Nov. 27.

“It was like a homecoming,” Sidabutar said. “I grew up watching that parade with my family, and being in it and seeing how much it meant to people was amazing. You’re in that parade, and you look to your left and your right and see hundreds of thousands of people and cameras around you with millions of people watching from home. I remember how excited I got watching that parade when I was younger, and being in it is just a crazy feeling.”

Sidabutar, along with two West Orange and one Lake Buena Vista high school students, marched down the streets of New York with a sea of people watching on the sidewalks and millions more at home viewing the parade on their TVs. 

From TV to reality

West Orange High seniors Enzo Ward and Westin Filby, Lake Buena Vista High senior Collier Alexander-Sawyer and Sidabutar all grew up watching the famous parade. 

“It feels like a full-circle moment,” Sidabutar said. “It’s really an honor. So many people love this parade, and it’s one of the biggest events of the year to so many people.”

Alexander-Sawyer said he auditioned for the Macy’s Great American Marching Band because he wanted to be a part of something bigger than himself and his school marching band. No matter where his family was spending Thanksgiving, his family always made it a point to stop the hustle and bustle of the holiday and sit down to watch the parade together. 

“Seeing myself up there was just a big accomplishment,” he said. “This was something brewing in my mind for the past year in terms of getting an audition for my senior year, and I felt confident in my ability as a musician. Getting that affirmation and acceptance, it really made it feel like my senior year was complete.”

To prepare, Sidabutar and Filby had to practice instruments they don’t normally play. Sidabutar had to play tenor drums instead of snare, while Filby had to play alto saxophone instead of baritone saxophone. 

To prepare, Sidabutar borrowed a set of tenor drums from his band director, Charlene Cannon, and practiced marching and playing through the streets of his neighborhood in the four weeks leading up to the parade. 

Filby also borrowed an alto saxophone to put in additional hours leading up to the parade to adjust to the difference between his usual baritone sax. 

But all the hard work for all four marchers paid off. 

What the high school students didn’t know from watching the parade on TV was the jam-packed schedule they would face to perfect a performance in a matter of four days. 

Unlike their high school band performances in which they have months to practice to perfection, the Macy’s Great American Marching Band directors expected excellence with every rep of the performance. 

The band only had 19 hours of rehearsal spread across four days to prepare for the biggest parade in the country. 

The boys said they were expected to run back to their spots to reset for rehearsal. Every rep was a chance to improve, and it was expected. 

Alexander-Sawyer had a little extra pressure on himself. The director of the band, Dr. Ward Miller, of Auburn University, asked him to be one of the first musicians to march in the parade, because he liked Alexander-Sawyer’s sound and marching technique. 

“He put me right in the front left, which meant I set the tone for the band once those drone clicks go up, and we take the first step,” he said. “The first thing that national TV saw was me taking that first step. I was very scared, but there was such a large pressure on me to make it perfect every time and that’s exactly what we did in every practice.” 

Being one of the few out of 185 selected to lead the parade was an honor for Alexander-Sawyer. He knew he was performing with some of the best musicians across the U.S., so to be given the responsibility let him hold his head up high, he said.

Nothing would compare to the exhilarating feeling of marching through the streets of New York to finally perform on Harold Square. 

Performance day

Getting to Harold Square on Thanksgiving Day wasn’t easy. 

The boys had to wake up at 12:30 a.m. to be ready to load the buses and head to rehearsal. Most of the students were running on an hour or two of sleep.

After rehearsal, the band went to Hard Rock Cafe. They scarfed down their meals and then heads started hitting the tables. 

“I’m telling you, everyone in that place just fell asleep on the table,” Sidabutar said laughing. “It was so funny.”

But then, it was go time. 

Not only was there a sense of anticipation as they waited for step off, but these Florida boys also were freezing, with the temperature in the 40s and strong wind gusts and wind chills making it feel as though the temperature was in the 30s. 

“Really what was going through my head as we were walking out into the cold was, ‘Oh, I’m shivering. It’s cold out,’” Ward said with a laugh. 

As tired and cold as they were, Ward said he knew their dedication in practice would pay off for a smooth and wonderful performance. 

They were nervous at first. They knew the history of the parade, millions would be watching and more would be waiting for them on the sidewalks to watch every step and hear every note they made. 

As they continued on the parade, the anxious nerves went away. 

“It was all about fun at that point,” Ward said.

Sidabutar said there weren’t many people at the beginning of the parade route, which started at West 77th Street and Central Park West, but after the first turn south onto 59th Street, everything changed. Thousands of people were cheering, singing along and waving as they enjoyed seeing the bands, floats, balloons and performers go down the street. 

Once on Harold Square, the Macy’s Great American Marching Band performed a Disney medley consisting of “This is Me” from “Camp Rock” and Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb.”

“It was something truly special,” Filby said. “You’re just finally seeing and being on the star in the center in front of Macy’s after walking past it all weekend, rehearsing in an indoor facility with a taped star. You’re just finally seeing it like that. The host of the parade was right there talking to us, being in the city, it was just magical.”

Trip of a lifetime

Not only was the trip memorable for its musical experiences but also for the friendships Ward, Filby, Alexander-Sawyer and Sidabutar made that they  all said would last a lifetime. 

Ward said he was nervous at first meeting new people from across the country, but he realized they all had something in common that would unite them: They all performed in marching bands. 

“You would think we’re all different, but really, we’re kind of all the same, because we’re all part of the band culture,” he said. “That allowed us to sort of get really close over just only a week.”

The Macy’s Great American Marching Band brings 185 musicians and about 40 color guard and dancers together from across the country.  

Close bonds were created during sightseeing trips, including a cruise around the Statue of Liberty, a trip to the top of the Empire State Building and exploring what the Big Apple has to offer in Times Square. The friendships developed helped the students perform better during rehearsal and in the parade because there was less intimidation as they no longer were playing with strangers. 

“The thing about playing with new people for the first time is it’s all about building relationships with the people you’re around, essentially like you’re co-workers,” Sidabutar said. “It’s great we got to do the sightseeing activities, because we got to build relationships as we’re touring the city. Then come that first rehearsal, we’re ready and good to go in terms of the quick-pace learning.”

Sidabutar said the downside of having students from all 50 states participating in the parade is having to say goodbye. 

For the seniors, it was bittersweet. They could potentially see their new friends again, when the Macy’s Great American Marching Band creates an alumni band next year in celebration of the parade’s 100th anniversary and the 20th anniversary of the band. All of them intend to participate next year as alumni. 

“I got emotional leaving on Thursday, because I was taking a step back from all the new friends, kind of family, that I was able to build just within one short week full of rehearsals, practices and outings as a band,” Alexander-Sawyer said. 

But for Filby, Ward, Alexander-Sawyer and Sidabutar, the parade won’t be the last time they see one another. 

The four Orange County Public Schools students actually hadn’t all met before the parade. They met when on the flight out to New York. 

“The whole time we were like, we’re repping the ‘O,’ we’re repping OCPS,” Filby said. “It was kind of nice knowing we were all there and we all went through the same experience. 

They all will meet again at All-County Honor Band in January and All-County Jazz Band in April.

And, of course, at next year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.