In the City of Temecula’s

Star-Spangled Fourth Parade, 2006

“The Stars and Stripes Forever!”

(scroll down for pictures)

This year we again had a small band. But as you can see by the pictures below, the players were all of excellent quality. They played the two pieces, “God Bless America” and “Troopers Battlehymn” well and made the small band sound much larger. Musicians from Great Oak High School, Chaparral High School, Murrieta Valley High School, the Riverside Community College Marching Tigers, and Adult musicians from the community represented our small band.

As you can see in the pictures below, the band marched well even though we only marched during our last two rehearsals! We also pressed two “Band Moms” into service carrying the banner and a wagon with water. Thank you “Band Moms” for your help, we couldn’t have done it without you! Fortunately, this year the weather was as cooperative as the players were professional, so we had heat in the upper 80’s rather than the low 100’s that were had just two days before!

I would especially like to thank Mr. Jerry Burdick-Rutz and his Great Oak High School Marching Wolf Pack for their generous help. Mr. Burdick-Rutz directed the band this year and allowed the band to rehearse in his band’s band room. Many of the musicians in the band were from the Marching Wolf Pack!

All had fun, and I hope to see everyone in next year’s parade! If you have participated in the past, but could not participate this year, I hope to see you next year! Let’s get our membership back to the 35 to 45 we marched in the past. Hopefully, we can build this band to 100+ marching in the next few years, so ALL MUSICIANS are needed as well as non-musician support members to follow the band and give us water during the parade!

Unfortunately we did not have a color guard this year. This is really too bad since we had a “flag fight” routine choreographed for “Troopers Battlehymn” and were going to use the Great Oak Color Guard’s routine for “God Bless America”. Maybe next year you will join us as a color guard? Majorettes, Banner Carriers, a Drum Major with a military baton or mace, musicians, and a drum line are all needed! Join us and have a great time!

Enjoy the pictures and the simulated sound of our band (the sound is not an actual recording of the band but is an mp3 file produced using Finale Software from the actual score we played. Nothing can compare with the live performance).

Finally, I would like to thank each and every musician who participated. This is a unique band experience where all players are pushed to quickly learn music and marching in only 5 rehearsals. All of you did an excellent job and made this truly a “Community Marching HONOR band!” God bless each and every one of you for sharing your gift of music with our community.

God Bless American and all Americans,

Wade E. Walker, Jr.

Director – Temecula All-City Community Band