Rose Bowl performance an experience of a lifetime for Lebo student
Reed Ulery
Photo courtesy of Bands of America Reed Ulery of Mt. Lebanon marched with the Bands of America in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., Jan. 2.
Photo courtesy of Bands of America Reed Ulery of Mt. Lebanon marched with the Bands of America in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., Jan. 2.
Wherever Reed Ulery’s childhood has taken him, his passion for music has followed close behind.
From being born in Columbus, Ohio, to moving across the Atlantic Ocean to England and then into the suburbs of Atlanta and Nashville, the few jaw-dropping moments that pure sound has brought to the Mt. Lebanon High School senior’s life makes him realize it’s all worth it.
While the memories of playing in his first classical piano duet with his teacher in second grade to the prelude of his first ever concert in sixth grade when he heard that big band sound for the first time, the freshest and proudest memory happened less than two weeks ago when he marched playing the mellophone with the specially selected honor band by Bands of America in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., Jan. 2.
“There have been a few times in my life, during musical experiences, that just made me completely in awe,” Ulery said. “It allows me to realize why I do what I do. I remember the first time hearing about the opportunity at a summer camp geared toward marching band that I attended two years ago. They didn’t have all the details together but six months later I was sent information to apply and audition.”
When the applications came in the mail, Ulery knew he was going to apply but being selected for the honor was nearly a pipe dream.
“I thought if I did my video audition well then I might have a chance to possibly participate,” Ulery said. “I was hoping for the best. I’ve been a drum major the past two years, so I’m more of a field conductor and help teach. I wasn’t playing much but was extremely involved. I hadn’t marched horn for two years and it was a little bit out of my element. When I heard back that they wanted me at the end of February I was ecstatic.”
Ulery joined the 300-member band that consisted of wind instruments, percussion, color guard and dancers in California on Dec. 28 to play together for the first time in front of the hundreds of thousands who packed the 5 1/2-mile route, not to mention the millions around the world who tuned into the broadcasted parade on major television networks.
“We had to all come together and be adaptable to morph into a whole group,” he said.
“I’m just speechless about the experience,” he added. “It was incredible. The only thing we had in common was they sent us our music months ago to learn our parts. I was just standing there in awe playing with that group. Everyone who was there wanted to be there and that is a huge part in making any group successful, whether it’s music or not. That’s how you do some amazing things.”
After arriving in California, Ulery and the honor band performed at a dress rehearsal for parents and families that attended, at the Rose Parade Bandfest, on Main Street U.S.A. in Disneyland and their final performance at the Rose Parade.
Not only was it nice break for Ulery from the frigid Pennsylvanian winter and the nervousness of sending in college applications – a list that has been topped by Northwestern, Indiana University at Bloomington and Ohio State – to further a career music education.
“Between moving and my interests, there hasn’t been one thing that I’ve done all four years of high school,” Ulery said since his family moved to Mt. Lebanon his sophomore year. “I have a variety of interests and I’ve tried to follow all of them.
His favorite part of the his eight-day trip wasn’t getting to enjoy the California sun and had little to do with the popularity of the event, but it was with whom he was performing alongside. Ulery marched and produced music with members of the United Sound Program, a group that uses peer mentorship to teach special education students how to play instruments.
“We had five United Sound musicians and their peer mentors right behind me in the parade block,” he remembers. “As a senior in high school who wants to major in music education, I think that was the most inspired I’ve ever been. I’m honored to say that I marched in the parade with the honor band but most importantly to know that band included those musicians. Those kids are inspirational.”