All-star band to march in 2025 Rose Parade
Tom Philips, the longtime band director at Lakewood's Mayfair High School, has had a dream to march in the Rose Parade on New Year's Day before he retires in 2025.
But he needed help.
So last year, he invited the band directors from neighboring high schools — Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Gahr, John Glenn, La Mirada and Norwalk — to partner with Mayfair to create a super band to perform in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena on Jan. 1, 2025.
“All the directors jumped on board,” Philips said, “and together, we made an audition video on a rainy Dec. 4, 2022, at Ron Yary Stadium in Bellflower.”
After an agonizing wait to find out if the band was accepted, the answer recently — and finally — came, from Ed Morales, Tournament of Roses Parade president: “Yes!” His video announcing the acceptance decision was played at each school last month. Shouts of joy could be heard on each campus.
The 605 All Star Band consists of 407 students, with 360 in the marching band and 47 in the color guard. It will be one of the largest bands, if not the largest, to ever march in the Rose Parade.
The band's name is a reference to the schools' neighboring the 605 Freeway.
“This is great, a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Leonardo Ruiz, a ninth grader who plays the trombone with the Mayfair Monsoons.
“It left me speechless,” gushed Kadyn Esguerra, an 11th grader in Mayfair's color guard. “I never thought I would ever participate in an event like this!”
Derek Bedell, Mayfair's football coach, congratulated the schools.
“As a kid who grew up in Pasadena, whose dad was a member of the Tournament of Roses and whose grandfather was president of the Tournament of Roses, this hits home for me,” he said.
“It will be awesome.”
Philips, who has been at Mayfair since 2000, said the 605 All Star “Super” Band — the members use “super” when talking about the band, though it's not part of the official name — was chosen out of hundreds of entries to march down Colorado Boulevard in 2025.
“Officials estimate that we will perform for over 700,000 people on the 5 1/2 mile parade route, he said, “and we will be seen by 45 million people worldwide.”
In past parades, Philips said, high schools have combined from the same city or the same school district. But, he said, this will be the first time that schools from three separate school districts have performed. The districts are Bellflower Unified, ABC Unified and Norwalk-LaMirada Unified.
“All of our bands are major award winners and the pride of each community,” Philips said. “Our goal is to promote music within our districts and cities, build our programs and give our kids an opportunity to perform on the world stage Jan. 1, 2025. This event is life changing for our schools and students.”
Julie Denmion, assistant principal at Mayfair Middle and High School, congratulated Philips and fellow band directors.
“You are superstars,” she said. “You certainly have earned such an honor. Well done.”
Besides Mayfair's Philips, the other band directors participating in the 605 All Star Band are Omar Vidana, Bellflower High; Frank Hinojoz, John Glenn High; Robert Stearns, La Mirada High; Ramiro Castaneda, Norwalk High; Darren Loney, Gahr High; Bobby Westphal, Cerritos High; and Juan Perez, Artesia High.
Philips, who started playing the trumpet in the sixth grade at DD Johnston School in Norwalk because it “brings joy to my life,” said he had wanted to be a music teacher and band director since his freshman year at La Quinta High School in Westminster. He has been a music teacher at Norwalk High and Nogales High in La Puente before he moved to Mayfair in 2000. He said he has been to the Rose Parade in person once and has watched it on television almost every year.
“Our 605 All Star Band is one massive, super band,” he said. “We can't wait to entertain on the world stage in the grandest parade ever.”
The project, with so many students and high schools, is daunting, Phillips said.
“But we cannot wait to start working with the students next fall,” he added.
And, the band director said, he plans to give every 605 community the chance to celebrate the students.
“We will march in every city before the big day,” Philips said, “so everyone can enjoy these students.”