Hoover High student selected for 2016 Macy’s Great American Marching Band

Joel Sullivan, a drummer in the Hoover High School marching band, has been selected to participate in the 2016 Macy’s Great American Marching Band as one of a select number of students from Alabama.

The band is celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and will take an honor position in the parade Nov. 24.

Students were selected based on their musical ability and past achievements. The opportunity was open to students from more than 14,000 high schools across the United States.

Stepping off from Central Park, the band will be cheered by 3.5 million live spectators, before arriving at Macy’s flagship store for their national performance for more than 50 million TV viewers watching the broadcast live on NBC.

The students will have the chance to participate in this prestigious band with more than 200 students from across the country. The musicians, under the direction of Drs. Richard Good and Douglas Rosener, Auburn University, and Barry Houser, University of Illinois, will be complemented by approximately 40 flags and dancers choreographed by Vicki Pfeiffer of Cheerleaders of America and WGI Sport of the Arts Marketing Manager Bart Woodley.

Dr. Good is the director of bands at Auburn University, while Rosener is associate director of bands and the percussion specialist. Located in Champaign, Illinois, Houser is the director of the Marching Illini and university’s athletic bands. Woodley has worked in the marching arts for 20 years. New to the MGAMB creative staff, Pfeiffer is known for choreographing numerous halftime shows as well as USO tours.

In addition to marching in the parade, all selected participants’ package plans will include a guest leadership seminar, meals, lodging and New York City sightseeing (9/11 memorial and museum, Thanksgiving dinner/dance and Broadway show).

The Band Hall, Tennessee, is supplying the Band’s custom uniforms. Sousaphones will be provided by Jupiter®, Texas, while Mapex by Jupiter is supplying the drum line instruments. Other percussion suppliers include famed manufacturers Vic Firth, Massachusetts, Sabian, Massachusetts, and Remo, California.

– Submitted by Joel Sullivan.