Two Mahoning Valley educators who normally direct marching bands will be the ones doing the marching in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day in California.

Stephen Orlando, band director at Niles McKinley High School, and Gabriella Sandy, band director with Liberty Local School District, will be among 350 musicians nationwide making up The Band Directors Marching Band.

The band was created to spotlight the dedication and accomplishments of band directors everywhere, and it made its debut at the 2022 Rose Parade.

“I remember watching it (and thinking), ‘Oh that’d be real cool to do,’ but I had a little girl at the time, so I couldn’t do it,” Orlando said. “Then they did the Macy’s (Thanksgiving) Parade (in 2023), and I told myself if they ever do this again, I’m going to apply and try to do it.”

Sandy went to school with someone who participated in the first Rose Parade appearance, and when they announced a return to California, she said she thought it would be a good opportunity to make her first trip to the West Coast.

“It was a no-brainer for me,” Sandy said. “This will be a one and done for me, mostly because of the expenses. But I figure if I can do one nice band trip out there, and then hopefully in the future I can go on my own for a vacation.”

Participants had to submit an application with references and are responsible for their own travel costs. The band for the 2026 parade features directors from all 50 states as well as Canada, Mexico and Panama. They will arrive on Monday to rehearse for the 5.5-mile parade, where they will accompany a float titled “Banding Together.”

Orlando, a Girard native who plays tuba, and Sandy, a Niles native who plays trumpet, know each other well. Sandy was a senior at Niles-McKinley when Orlando was a student teacher there during the 2012-13 school year, and she worked as an assistant with the Niles-McKinley Marching Band after he was hired. The two also play together in the quintet Park Avenue Brass, and both are Youngstown State University / Dana School of Music graduates.

Both musicians said they have been working to get back into marching band shape. Orlando, 35, has been walking on a treadmill with his instrument. Sandy, 31, also increased her walking in preparation and got in plenty of steps last month when Liberty’s band performed at Disney World. She’s also been working at building her upper body strength. A trumpet isn’t heavy, but carrying it in playing position for a two-hour parade route takes its toll.

The musicians also need to memorize the music they will play along the parade route. The repertoire includes a march medley, “76 Trombones” from “The Music Man,” Luther Vandross’s “Brand New Day,” “Amazing Grace” and a mashup of “Strike Up the Band” and “When the Saints Go Marching In.”

“It’s almost nostalgic in a way,” Sandy said. “I think back to when I had Carla (Dean, retired band director) over at Niles, and I’m just like, this is actually fun. I forgot how fun this was. It’s been nice to sit there and memorize all the tunes.”

Memorizing the music definitely has been a challenge, Orlando said, but he believes it will be good for his students to see him putting in the work for the New Year’s Day parade.

“They hear me harp on them and ask them to do this, that and whatever,” he said. “Sometimes, I’m just standing on the ladder telling them what to do, and they’re probably thinking, ‘Why don’t you come down here and do it?’ So I think it is important to have them see that I had that passion to do this type of stuff, even before I was teaching. I loved marching band. I still do.

“I marched five years of high school, eighth grade through 12, and then I did four years of college. Then, all of a sudden, you’re just done. I teach it, but it’s not quite the same as being a member of the group. My passion for music started with me playing. I wasn’t teaching, I was playing. So it’s nice to be able to play in a group like that again and not being the one that’s responsible for everybody.”

Sandy agreed.

“I see a lot of positives,” she said. “I think it shows them that, even outside of doing the band director thing, I can still go and play and have fun. Frankly, the one thing I’ve missed while teaching is playing.”

The Tournament of Roses Parade starts at 11 a.m. Thursday with live coverage on multiple networks.