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Band leaders have fond memories of 2008 trip
Published 11:37am Wednesday, January 16, 2013Four years ago, Tia Pederson and Anthony Iverson performed in the presidential inauguration parade for incoming President Barack Obama with the Fergus Falls Marching Band.
This year, they are helping out as band directors. Anderson is a director in the honor guard while Iverson is a instructor for the drum line. Anderson is a junior at MSUM and Iverson is a senior at Concordia.
Iverson said he got involved in the drumline this year because his father was a band director for many years and he got involved through him.
“They needed an instructor for the drum line, so I told them I was up to helping them out with that,” Iverson said. “Since (Iverson’s father) is retired now, I’ve sort of stayed with it.”
Pederson said Iverson was doing drum line and they needed someone to help with honor guard.
“I was pretty involved with band in high school,” Pederson said. That involvement helped her to become a band director.
Four years ago, Iverson played snare drum in the drumline and Pederson was in the color guard. They said what stood out the most was the support from the community.
“It was really fun to have news crews come and film us while we were rehearsing,” Pederson said. “And people donating so much money and caring so much.
“The trip was fun. Being in D.C. and seeing millions of people out there was crazy,” Pederson said.
“It was great seeing the support from the community….I mean it was incredible. Seeing so many people there too, being in one place all there for the same reason was very cool,” Iverson said.
Pederson and Iverson said that four years ago, Obama had looked away when they marched by.
“We saw him, but he didn’t see us,” Pederson said with a laugh.
Both Pederson and Iverson are proud to see the marching band once again make the trip to D.C. Fergus Falls is the only city in Minnesota to be chosen for the inaugural parade.
“It’s really an honor,” Iverson said. “All we can do is do our best and represent our community. As directors and even the kids, that’s what we’re really looking forward to.”
“I think this year there was twice as many applicants to be in the parade,” Pederson said. “For Fergus to be chosen again is really exciting.”
Iverson said being chosen says something about the band’s marching tradition.
“We’re a real traditional marching band and we stick to traditional marching tactics,” Iverson added. “I think that played somewhat of a role in the selection.”
Both are excited and proud of the marching band’s trip to Washington, D.C. The band will be performing in the inaugural parade on Jan. 21.
