Thu. January 17, 2013
Chicago, IL -
Nine members of the Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles, Chicago's premier band for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, will perform for President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joseph Biden during the Presidential Inaugural Parade on Monday, Jan. 21.
A select group of members from the local band will join the 215-piece Lesbian and Gay Band Association (LGBA), representing 27 states, in the historic parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, which follows President-elect Barack Obama's swearing-in ceremony on the steps of the Capitol.
"We are honored to represent all of the LGBT individuals across America at this historic event through our music," Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles Chair Andrew Favreau told ChicagoPride.com.
The members from Lakeside Pride participating (in alphabetical order) are: Erin Campbell, Mellophone; Favreau, Clarinet; Denise Montiel, Percussion; Jessie Reuteler, Mellophone; Dale Spaulding, Euphonium; Brandon Strawn, Trombone; Melissa Terrell, Trumpet and Assistant Brass Captain; Kent Watkins, Flute; and Mark Wienand, Euphonium and Brass Captain.
"This is one of the most prestigious performances I will ever have the privilege of participating in," said Terrell. "I have marched in a lot of parades in my life, but none more exciting than this one."
The LGBA was selected from more than 2,800 bands to perform and is the only LGBT group in history to be invited to march in a Presidential Inaugural Parade. Their first appearance in the Inaugural Parade, which also included members from Chicago, was in 2009.
"The first time we marched in 2009, our start time was delayed and there were few spectators along the parade because of the freezing cold," recalled Weinand. "When we got to the reviewing stand, First Lady Michelle Obama was watching intently and President Barack Obama was saying his goodbyes to others in the Presidential Reviewing Stand. When we marched past the stand, the First Lady tugged the President's arm to watch us and he had a huge smile on his face. That warms a person no matter what the temperature of the day has been. He wanted to see us."
Favreau said the band's playlist includes: "Tonight" from "West Side Story," Lady Gaga's "Edge of Glory," Pitbull's "Give Me Everything (Tonight)," and an arrangement of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "Simple Gifts."
LGBA was founded in Chicago in 1982 by 7 member bands - including Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles (LPME) - and has grown to 37 member organizations in the United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland and the United Kingdom. In 2011, LPME was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.
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