Hinsdale Central High School’s marching band once again performed in an impressive setting, this time, in the heart of Rome for the city’s New Year’s Day parade.
“It was great,” said Matt Kurinsky, one of the band directors.
The people who lined the streets along the parade route were enthusiastic and welcoming, Kurinsky said.
The band, which has experience on a grand stage, played “Sweet Home Chicago,” “Tonight” from the musical “West Side Story,” “Sleigh Ride” and Central’s fight song.
In 2015, the band appeared in London’s New Year’s Day Parade and, two years ago, the students performed in the Veterans Day Parade in New York City.
Unlike New York and London, Kurinsky said, the crowd in Rome was not behind barricades along the route, so spectators could greet and meet the parade participants.
“It’s an appreciative crowd,” he said.
In particular, the crowd really enjoyed interacting with Central’s mascot, the Red Devil.
“They loved our mascot,” said Chirathi Jayesinghe, a senior from Oak Brook, who plays clarinet in the band. “Everyone was taking selfies with him.”
High schools in Europe do not typically have marching bands, Kurinsky said. Student musicians perform concerts, but do not play and march.
“That’s why they import us for these parades,” he said.
Central was one of seven or eight American high school bands in the Rome parade, which also included cheerleaders and entertainers, such as acrobats and people on stilts, and European bands with people of all ages, Kurinsky said.
The New Year’s Day Parade was part of the 2020 Rome Festival of indoor and outdoor concerts in and near Rome.
On New Year’s Eve, Central’s band played in Frascati, a hilltop town known for its wine about 12 miles southeast of Rome.
“It was like a street festival,” Kurinsky said.
The students performed at three different places in the town, on the steps of a church, in a courtyard and on an overlook with a picturesque view. They played a 10-minute set at each spot and then headed to the next.
“It was a little bit of a free for all, but very fun,” Kurinsky said. “The crowds were huge and very close.”
“The streets were filled with people,” Jayesinghe said.
Central’s group had time for sightseeing, too, visiting the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Vatican and Pompeii among other Italian treasures before flying back to the United States Friday.
Jayesinghe, who had been to Italy before, said she was looking forward to forming new bonds with students on the trip, but expected the actual performing to be kind of boring.
“I ended up loving it,” Jayesinghe said. “It was some of the most fun. With all the attention from the Italian people, we felt important.”
Central’s contingent, which arrived in Italy on Dec. 28, was comprised of 115 students and 35 chaperones and members of the school staff.
Kurinsky’s son and father-in-law, who was born in Italy, accompanied him, he said.
The logistics of the trip also were challenging as the parade organizers made the travel arrangements.
The group flew home on three different flights, with three different airlines and layovers in three different cities, Kurinsky said.
