Doty, Griffiths band directors marching in Rose Parade

DOWNEY – The Rose Float won’t be Downey’s only representation on Colorado Boulevard this New Year’s Day.

Downey Unified middle school band directors Laura Taylor (of Griffiths) and Andrea Keen (of Doty) will be marching in an all-band director ensemble at the upcoming Rose Parade.

The Salute to America’s Band Directors will consist of a float and of an ensemble made up of over 270 educators of different ages and backgrounds, from across all 50 states and Mexico.

Taylor described it as a “bucket list thing.”

“How many people can say they’ve done the Rose Parade,” said Taylor.

Rather than a traditional audition, participants were selected based on their experience.

“They basically wanted to know how long you have been teaching band, what your primary instrument was, and basically your qualifications, what you’ve done with your career and stuff.”

Keen – who has taught at Doty for over 28 years - will be playing the flute. Taylor – who has taught band and choir for 36 years - will make up part of the symbol line.

They will be performing four songs: three for the parade and one for a Bandfest performance.

While they’ve had the music since July to prepare, musical practice and preparation has been mostly solo - with the exception of a few zoom sectionals and meetings - due to the pandemic.

The first full, in person rehearsal will take place just a couple of days before the parade.

“You don’t have a lot of wiggle room,” said Keen. “You just have to get in and get it done.”

There is also the physicality of a 5 1/2-mile march to prepare for.

“I’m walking with weights,” said Taylor. “I have 6-pound weights on my wrist and I’m walking around the neighborhood, because the symbols are anything between 5-8 pounds apiece.”

“I’ve been walking since May or so.”

Keen said that she tries to get 18-20 steps a day, as well as working out at the gym.

She says that the biggest sense of pressure comes from their peers.

“I think it’s kind of funny that you have 270 people that are so used to being in charge, so it’s going to be 270 people who all have opinions on things we’re not allowed to,” said Keen.

She added that there was pressure to perform well.

“I don’t want to be the worst flute player of the bunch,” said Keen. “I feel honored to have been chosen. This is once in a lifetime; I don’t think they’ll ever do this again.”

“It’s kind of a cool concept. The Rose Parade, you think music, so you do thank your band director. We don’t always get thanked by our students verbally over the years, but it’s nice to feel that kind of love and comradery with other people who get what you have done for years too.”

Both Keen and Taylor expressed deep gratitude to their schools and the district, which they say have been supportive of their upcoming endeavor, even helping fund part of it.

“It’s nice to have a district where we were kind of recognized for it, and they’re willing to help us with the finances so we can do that,” said Keen.

Both directors said that the reality of their soon-to-be experience hasn’t quite hit them yet.

Keen says that when it’s time, she just wants to “take it all in.”

“It is a once-in-a-lifetime type thing, and I want to be able to appreciate – maybe not every moment of everything - but, wow, there’s 270 of us and how many band directors are there in the United States, let alone North America.”

“We think so much I think sometimes of the kids or the school, or different things, and then at the end of the day, it’s like, ‘Okay, what am I doing for myself,’” added Taylor. “I’d say this is one of those things.”

The Rose Parade will air Saturday, Jan 1, at 8 am.