This past Christmas break, our very own Riordan Marching Band participated in the Rome New Year’s Day Parade. With an itinerary including performances, tours, and a visit with Pope Francis, this trip was an extremely valuable experience for all the members of the band. 

After departing a few days before the New Year, the band landed in Rome. The next day began walking tours of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. That night they performed an evening concert at Santa Maria in Portico Campitelli. The third day of their trip comprised a performance in Frascati in the morning, a walking tour of Frascati, Mass with the Archbishop of Frascati, and a tour of the Roman Catacombs, topped off with a New Year’s Eve party with the other American bands in their hotel. The next day was the main event, with the New Year’s Day Parade crowning the trip for the band. In the final days of the trip, they traveled to Florence and the Accademia, along with a Papal audience and a tour of the Vatican, which Sid Thomas ’25 describes as, “a really beautiful and humbling experience”. 

This Rome trip has been 2 years in the making for Band Director Lance Ohnmeiss, and all those involved, “It was a large collaborative effort between parents, band directors, staff, and administration as well as a large group of outside partnerships.”

Due to Covid, this is the first band trip since the band’s London New Year’s Parade trip in 2019, and the first since our school became coed. Of course, this trip is only the end of a highly successful year for the Riordan Marching Band. Throughout the 2023 marching season and drumline season, the band has been awarded 8 awards and some members of the band were awarded individual accolades as well. 

The band continues their work this winter as the drum line and color guard are beginning their season, and we wish the band well as they continue their work this year.