By KEN CARPENTER
Great Bend Post
Grant Matthews is back in the band room at Great Bend High School after participating in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. Matthews has been the high school's band director since 2019. On New Year's Day, he played the tenor drums in the first known Rose Parade band composed only of band directors. He said he enjoyed the experience.
“It was a pretty unique opportunity getting to meet directors from all 50 states and even a couple from Mexico,” Matthews explained. “We had only three days to put everything together so we all had to turn out band director brains on and make it happen, a good way to salute bands and band directors and music education.”
270 band directors participated in the band. So what was it like marching for two-and-a-half hours in front of thousands of people?
“It was a challenge,” Matthews said. “Some people were just happy they made it all the way and some people didn’t. I actually had to drop my drums on a cart about halfway through and just march the rest of the way because my back wasn’t going to make it the whole five-and-a-half miles with drums on.”
Matthews didn't rule out marching in another Rose Parade but noted that he wouldn't want to carry the tenor drums again. He said he would at least know how to prepare for a similar experience.