CV marching band leaves for Inaugural Parade performance | News

When President Obama is sworn in for his second term next week, the Central Valley marching band will be there too, one of 15 high school bands�across the nation selected for the President's Inaugural Parade.

Chaperones were busy Thursday morning herding the 134 students through Spokane International Airport. Some of the students are nervous but for good reason. They're preparing�to play on a world stage.

"Knowing that there's millions of more people watching us, that's going to be the coolest part, definitely," sophomore clarinet player Andrew Matheison said.

video Freshman baritone player Elizabeth Webb was more concerned about�the flight.

"If you've been on the plane before, it's not a big deal, but if you haven't it's kind of scary," she said.

"Now that we're here at the airport, it's incredible,"�drum major Katy Dolan said before walking through security.

Dolan is one of two drum majors in the band.�She'll�lead�her peers�by the president and his family. While the rest of the band is playing and looking straightforward, she gets to salute the president.

"(The two drum majors) will�be the only ones 'allowed' to look over at the president," she explained.

The band has been practicing and preparing for this trip for a year.�They were scheduled to perform in Maryland this weekend already, and applied to perform in the inauguration parade. When the band was invited�Dec. 18, the students were elated.

"I think it's really a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we're really lucky to be a part of, and so�I can't wait to have the memories that I'll probably have for the rest of my life," Dolan said.