To be recognized is an honor: and fortunately enough Senior Angel Estrada was recognized for being an outstanding piccolo musician and marching band member, so much so, that he was invited to become a member at the US Army All-American Marching Band.  

He was able to work alongside 125 other members of people who have a similar passion and love for marching band all around the country, from New York all the way to California.

Estrada was placed against other musicians, who have all submitted their audition tapes for the exclusive selection.  “My audition tape was made up of 3 videos, one video was an introduction of myself and my other accomplishments on band. The second video was of my actual playing and that was about 7 minutes, because I thought that I better bring something interesting about myself to grasp people’s attention, by playing a really technical piece. Then the third video was a video of me marching and playing,” said Estrada.

Thereafter, a panelist of judges, including one of the directors of the US Army All-American Marching Band, Dr. T. Andre Feagin, looked through everybody’s audition tapes and only chose a select few, and Estrada’s name was in the bunch.

When he was selected, the school held a ceremony for him before the entire department.

From there, Estrada was notified of his acceptance, and soon sent off to the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, to begin working with and getting to know his fellow marching band members in the week long stretch of rehearsals.  

“The only thing that was different was the pacing of everything. Since everyone there already knows how to march, we didn’t need to go through the basics. Since they’re all seniors who have already been involved in marching band previously, it was definitely a lot easier to get straight into the rehearsal,” said Estrada.

The week long rehearsals that they have been a part of, allowed Estrada to gain a new experience in working with the new people he met from around the nation. “I definitely feel like I became a better musician because I took a lot from my peers around me and I learned new things about my instrument that I may have known, but not put into use,” said Estrada.

Estrada was the first in Annandale High history to be accepted as a full fledged member into this elite band. Hopefully we will see others follow in his pace and be as successful as he.

But for now, we all must congratulate this successful man, for he will forever be named as a legend in the marching band and Annandale High School books.