World Trade Center 10th Anniversary Tribute
NYC Veterans Day Celebration
November 10 & 11, 2011
An Interview with Melinda Marinoff
BD.com: Hello Melinda, thank you for taking time to do this interview with Banddirector.com. Before talking about the World Trade Center 10th Anniversary Tribute I would like to go back a little and ask you about The Band of Pride and the Veterans Day Parade.
BD.com: When did you get involved with the Veterans Day Parade and create The Band of Pride?
A: When NYC was attacked on September 11, 2001, I became passionately involved with helping out anyway that I could and wherever I was needed. In the months following the attack, there were approximately 14, 000 reserve troops from NY called up and later deployed to Afghanistan. As a native New Yorker, I felt it was simply my duty to honor our men and women in uniform by volunteering to help with the parade that year, and basically never stopped. By 2007, I was the parade’s official marching band and youth sponsor.
In 2009, the NYC Veterans Day Parade celebrated it’s 90th Anniversary. It’s the oldest and largest annual veterans day parade in the nation. I thought it befitting to acknowledge this by forming The Band of Pride. Thus, we debuted The Band of Pride on November 10, 2009, in the heart of Times Square. Dr. Kenneth Dye, University of Notre Dame was our guest conductor.
BD.com: What is the purpose of band of pride?
A: The band of pride supports music education by offering high profile performance opportunities to enrich the lives of students and foster a lifetime of music appreciation.
BD.com: A band traveling to NYC is exciting in itself but having the opportunity to perform in the Verterans Day Parade with the Band of Pride provides students and directors the opportunity to honor and show support to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve our country.
Q: What feedback have you received from directors, parents and students who have participated in the Veterans Day Parade and the Band of Pride?
A: The parade: Each year without exception , I am told by the directors “by marching in the parade and giving service to our veterans helps our kids grow as individuals in ways they have yet to image.” A director wrote “Without your help, this experience would have never happened. You have no idea what an impact this year has had on my program, but more importantly, on the lives of my students. The trip was truly an experience that will last these kids a lifetime.”
The Band of Pride: THIS EXPERIENCE WAS PRICELESS. We have over 1000 kids that have never played together, they came together in 5 minutes. That’s the impact music has on young people. “What the kids could do in 5 minutes of practice is a tribute to the dedication and hard work of all the directors..” “Goose BUMPS”….
DB.com: The World Trade Center 10th Anniversary Tribute, November 10 & 11, 2011 is a special event. To commemorate this, the NYC Veterans Day Band of Pride will honor the victims, their families, and the first responders by dedicating their annual Veterans Day Performance Program to the fallen and heroes in remembrance.
Q: When did you begin thinking of a 10th anniversary tribute?
A: As Americans, we are reminded of the supreme sacrfices our brave men and women and their families make each and everyday. To be candid, I have been thinking about a global tribute fostering peace and tolerance for several years. We have had an overwhelming response from band directors from our Allied nations to join us as one on Nov 10th in Times Sq. the unofficial capital of the world…
BD.com: Where can interested bands find out more information on The Band of Pride and the World Trade Center
10th Anniversary Tribute Celebration, November 10 & 11, 2011?
A: http://www.nycveteransdayparade.com or simply by emailing: mailto:www.nycveteransdayparade.com
BD.com: Thank you.
NYC Veterans Day Celebration
November 10 & 11, 2011
An Interview with Melinda Marinoff
BD.com: Hello Melinda, thank you for taking time to do this interview with Banddirector.com. Before talking about the World Trade Center 10th Anniversary Tribute I would like to go back a little and ask you about The Band of Pride and the Veterans Day Parade.
BD.com: When did you get involved with the Veterans Day Parade and create The Band of Pride?
A: When NYC was attacked on September 11, 2001, I became passionately involved with helping out anyway that I could and wherever I was needed. In the months following the attack, there were approximately 14, 000 reserve troops from NY called up and later deployed to Afghanistan. As a native New Yorker, I felt it was simply my duty to honor our men and women in uniform by volunteering to help with the parade that year, and basically never stopped. By 2007, I was the parade’s official marching band and youth sponsor.
In 2009, the NYC Veterans Day Parade celebrated it’s 90th Anniversary. It’s the oldest and largest annual veterans day parade in the nation. I thought it befitting to acknowledge this by forming The Band of Pride. Thus, we debuted The Band of Pride on November 10, 2009, in the heart of Times Square. Dr. Kenneth Dye, University of Notre Dame was our guest conductor.
BD.com: What is the purpose of band of pride?
A: The band of pride supports music education by offering high profile performance opportunities to enrich the lives of students and foster a lifetime of music appreciation.
BD.com: A band traveling to NYC is exciting in itself but having the opportunity to perform in the Verterans Day Parade with the Band of Pride provides students and directors the opportunity to honor and show support to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve our country.
Q: What feedback have you received from directors, parents and students who have participated in the Veterans Day Parade and the Band of Pride?
A: The parade: Each year without exception , I am told by the directors “by marching in the parade and giving service to our veterans helps our kids grow as individuals in ways they have yet to image.” A director wrote “Without your help, this experience would have never happened. You have no idea what an impact this year has had on my program, but more importantly, on the lives of my students. The trip was truly an experience that will last these kids a lifetime.”
The Band of Pride: THIS EXPERIENCE WAS PRICELESS. We have over 1000 kids that have never played together, they came together in 5 minutes. That’s the impact music has on young people. “What the kids could do in 5 minutes of practice is a tribute to the dedication and hard work of all the directors..” “Goose BUMPS”….
DB.com: The World Trade Center 10th Anniversary Tribute, November 10 & 11, 2011 is a special event. To commemorate this, the NYC Veterans Day Band of Pride will honor the victims, their families, and the first responders by dedicating their annual Veterans Day Performance Program to the fallen and heroes in remembrance.
Q: When did you begin thinking of a 10th anniversary tribute?
A: As Americans, we are reminded of the supreme sacrfices our brave men and women and their families make each and everyday. To be candid, I have been thinking about a global tribute fostering peace and tolerance for several years. We have had an overwhelming response from band directors from our Allied nations to join us as one on Nov 10th in Times Sq. the unofficial capital of the world…
BD.com: Where can interested bands find out more information on The Band of Pride and the World Trade Center
10th Anniversary Tribute Celebration, November 10 & 11, 2011?
A: http://www.nycveteransdayparade.com or simply by emailing: mailto:www.nycveteransdayparade.com
BD.com: Thank you.