Kutztown Area School District is forming a marching band to perform in the Aug. 1 Bicentennial Parade as a way to celebrate Kutztown’s past, present and future.
“Kutztown is turning 200 years old and I thought that we should definitely do something for the school district,” said Kutztown Middle School band director Carl Zeplin. “We wanted to have kids involved, anybody elementary through high school. Also we’re inviting alumni back and community members, anybody who wants to march. It’s kind of a neat thing to be involved.”
Anyone interested in marching are invited to join, including all ages of students, alumni and community members.
Zeplin hopes those who march in the band gain “a sense of pride in the community. Hopefully there will be people that haven’t seen each other for a long time, get together and rekindle old friendships… Just get as many people out that day to celebrate our town.”
For parade spectators, Zeplin said, “I hope they enjoy seeing it, seeing the fun the people are having, but also hopefully they’ll see the camaraderie and the town pride that we have.”
The band will play a medley of three patriotic songs, “You’re a Grand Old Flag,” “Stars and Stripes Forever” and “The Caissons Go Rolling Along.” Participants can obtain the music from Zeplin and Kathy Mohler, KASD Music Teacher. Listen to the arrangement online at www.matrixmusic.com, type in 3 more patriotic parades by Allen Gray.
“It should be a lot of fun for everybody,” said Zeplin, encouraging everyone who knows how to play an instrument to participate even if it has been a while since they last played. “I’m hoping that the middle school band, if we get a lot of participation from the kids, will be the core of it and know the music so people coming in who are a little uncertain and haven’t played their instrument for a while will feel a little more comfortable about it knowing they have someone to lean on. If you have 50 percent who can really play the music, the rest will fall into place and it’ll be a good time.”
The Kutztown Patriot will be participating in the marching band. This editor marched for her high school band at Daniel Boone and later at Kutztown University as a flute and piccolo player.
All participants will be given a free Bicentennial t-shirt to wear as the uniform. Shorts, sandals, and sneakers are all acceptable attire. Email Zeplin your preferred t-shirt size and instrument you play to Zeplin at czeplin@kasd.org. Deadline to get a shirt is July 1.
The marching band will meet at Kutztown Area Middle School on Aug. 1 at 5:30 p.m. for 45 minutes of rehearsal and staging. At 6:30 p.m. a bus will transport the band to Kutztown University for the start of the Bicentennial Parade at 7 p.m. Rain date is Aug. 2 at 1 p.m. Afterwards a bus will transport the band from Kutztown Park to Kutztown Middle School.
Contact Carl Zeplin for more information or to join the marching band. Email him at czeplin@kasd.org.
