Commonwealth Universities bands to perform New Year’s Day in London

By Christopher Miller

LOCK HAVEN, PA – United as a single band under the banner of Commonwealth University, collegiate musicians from Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield will be crossing the pond a few days after Christmas to take part in London’s New Year’s Day Parade and Festival.

“This is a few years in the making,” said Mansfield Director of Bands and professor of percussion studies Dr. Adam Brennan. “Before COVID in 2020, we received an invitation to participate in the 2021 New Year’s Day Parade, but we were not able to do it…we were in doubt if we would have been able to do it, period, because that invitation came so late.”

But Adam, ever so patient, waited for the folks in London to get back to him about performing in the future.

“They said they would come back to us, and in 2022 we received the formal invitation and were presented with it in October of that year to begin planning for the 2024 parade,” said Adam. “You have to be formally invited to attend.”

The invitation to London all started when a band alumnus recommended the university, pre-consolidation, to the parade committee.

“Eric and Wedny Griffin, through their encouragement, are the reason we decided to go through with it and participate in the parade,” Adam said. “They are both joining us as part of our staff.”

Professor Brennan is not a stranger to international travel with a band, but he swore he would not bring another band overseas again, until the invitation arrived at his door.

“The last time I did this it was a nightmare, logistics-wise,” he said. “With customs, carry-ons, instrument packing and shipments, gee – but this, this time it was a breeze with the company who puts on the parade…they think of everything!”

Shipping containers arrived at Mansfield University in late-October, complete with manifests, shipping weight estimate, serial numbers, labels, and the like.

“They are highly organized and I would certainly not have done it if it were not for this company putting it on, they are so professional with how they do things, from student passports, payment schedules for student affordability, meals, lodging, performance venues; it has turned into a wonderful experience.”

While in London, staff and students will be treated to tours of various historical sites, such as the Tower of London, Royal Albert Hall, the West End to see the musical Wicked, and to learn and experience a different culture than here in the states.

“I am so excited that our students have the chance to experience this,” Adam said. “So many of our students most likely haven’t been too far from the east coast of the United States let alone abroad.”

In total, about 73 people between Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield will be making the journey to London.

“We have 48 from Mansfield, 10 from Bloomsburg, 6 from Lock Haven, and 6 Mansfield alumni making the trip, along with 4 staff members.

The band will be performing the tunes Rule Britannia, Hey Baby, With A Little Help From My Friends, Land of 1,000 Dances (which was performed last when the band was invited to perform in the Olympics in London in 2012), and the drumline cadences.

As well, the wind ensemble will be performing pieces at different venues around London, these being Choral Prelude-Turn Not Thy Face by Vincent Persichetti, La damnation de Faust by Hector Berlioz, and the world premiere of a piece written by Dr. Adam Brennan himself: In Omnibus Contende Pro Altissimo (In all things let there be excellence).

Various fundraisers have taken place recently to help fund the trip to London, including one in our very own backyard organized by Renovo’s own Charly Kepler and the Greater Renovo Area Heritage Park.

“I really want to thank the Heritage Park for putting on the ham pot pie sale, as well as Pat Reeder’s Tavern and Smith Excavation of North Bend, they have all helped me out a lot with going to London,”Charly said.

Another fundraiser was the Give Campus Campaign through Bloomsburg University that was accepting financial donations for the trip.

“Each student is paying about $3,400 each, plus buying their own uniform, a simple one, which was about $126 or so,” Adam explained. “I am really proud of all the students and their willingness to put themselves out there to do this, it was hard work, and it is a fantastic way to represent Commonwealth University to the world.”

“I am delighted that we could open up this opportunity to all three campuses.”

The Record reached out to students from Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield for comment and was pleased to hear back from so many, in such a short amount of time.

Bloomsburg

Joclynn Ramsey, Psychology, Clarinet
I would say personally this opportunity is amazing, even though there’ve been a few bumps in the road along the way. Getting to participate in something this huge is just something that I will never forget for the rest of my life. My closest friends and I have been through a lot with school and our personal lives over the last few months and we have been so excited for this trip, because it truly is the trip of a lifetime. I lost my mom two weeks ago, and it has been so difficult for me to get back into normal life, but this trip is something to work towards. I live each day knowing that I’m making my mom proud and that I earned this amazing trip with some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met in my life. The music may be difficult, the marching may not be perfect, but the close knit friends I have going with me on this trip are going to make this the most amazing experience of my life thus far!

John Saunders, Music Education, Percussionist
Participating in the London New Year’s Day Parade is a dream come true. I am happy to be a part of this unique and wonderful opportunity, a moment I’ve eagerly waited for since the day I signed up. The opportunity to join this incredible event alongside my Bloomsburg friends fills me with excitement. Collaborating with students from Mansfield and Lock Haven has provided me with an opportunity to make new acquaintances. I’m very grateful for this trip and a chance to make new memories I will cherish for years to come.

Lock Haven

Charly Kepler, Health Sciences, Snare Drum
I think I was very lucky to have this opportunity to go overseas with the marching band. I play the snare drum with the band, there are four of us, and we are on the drumline, and we make a big difference with the way the band sounds. This is a once in a lifetime thing to participate in and I am definitely looking forward to the parade, it’s going to be insane! I am also very excited to see Wicked when we are there. The most important thing though is the parade. Being from CU – Lock Haven and only having about 20 band members, it is so much fun playing with all of us combined, from the other universities. We all met at Mansfield a few times, went over the music, marched the track to practice, and these were mandatory practices. I love the band!

Daniel Stoner, Media and Journalism, Trumpet
This is my first time traveling overseas for anything, and I guess it is just starting to sink in just how big of a deal this performance is. I’m very excited for multiple reasons:
1. I’ve never gone outside of this country as I said before.
2. I am very passionate about the music that we have prepared for this event. It’s really encouraging me to put forward my best effort.
3. Getting to work with other talented up and coming musicians is an opportunity I will never get tired of.
4. This collective effort from all of Commonwealth University is something that can be very beneficial for the reputation of this integrated institution.

Mansfield

Emalie Caccia, Music Education, Junior Drum Major
This will be a really good experience, to be in the parade, and march with our group. Most of us haven’t traveled abroad before, so this is such a great opportunity for us all. It has definitely been an experience trying to get set up and collaborate with the other Commonwealth schools who I might not have met before now.

Kaycee Hulslander, Music Education, Senior Drum Major
I didn’t realize I would have this opportunity because of the original COVID shut down in 2021, so it is very exciting. It is such a great opportunity to show the world what we are made of. We are advertising Commonwealth University to the world! I am hoping to also be able to see London, and experience the different musicianship over there. I am truly honored to be able to go with Mansfield at this time.

Local PBS station WPSU will be airing the parade live on television and the WPSU streaming service beginning at 7 AM on New Year’s Day. The link to stream the parade online is here: https://live.wpsu.org/. The parade may also be live-streamed online at the parade organizations’ website: https://LNYDP.com/