Fine Arts faculty and students from North High School in Downers Grove have been invited to perform in the London's New Year's Day Parade & Choral Festival on January 1, 2023. On Wednesday, November 17, North High welcomed London's New Year's Day Parade & Choral Festival Committee for a ceremony and reception. View event photos HERE. View a broadcast of the invitation ceremony, HERE.
The committee was welcomed by district and school administrators and North High band and choirs kicked off the ceremony by performing in the auditorium. The London delegates who formally invited North High School to London in 2023 included Mr. Bob Bone, London's New Year's Day Parade Founder and Executive Director; Mr. Steve Summers, London Mayors’ Association, Chairman; and Mr. Jonathan Whaley, Director of International Participation. The delegates presented the invitation to Dr. Hank Thiele, District 99 Superintendent; Dr. Courtney DeMent, Principal; Mr. Brayer Teague, Fine Arts Department Chairperson; and Mr. Robert Barnett, Mayor of Downers Grove.
“On behalf of the Fine Arts Department, we are honored to be invited to perform in London. The New Year’s Day Parade is one of the greatest parades in the world, and our marching band is thrilled to have the opportunity to return,” says North High Fine Arts Department Chair Brayer Teague. “The London International Choral Festival will be an outstanding performance opportunity for our singers, and we are excited to plan a cross-disciplinary tour that involves so many student musicians.” Teague added, “It was a pleasure meeting the committee and introducing them to our district and school administrators and our talented students and faculty.”
“North High School band and choir students will have a life-changing week in the historic city of London performing in the parade and immersing in a full educational program visiting museums, historic sites and places of architectural and artistic interest,” says London’s New Year’s Day Parade Executive Director Bob Bone. “We look forward to seeing the North High School students and staff to ring in the new year in 2023.”
In the parade, North High band students will perform to a street audience of over half a million people, with up to 600 million around the world watching on television. The parade will stream on the PBS Network in the United States. In the Festival Concert Series, choir students will perform to packed houses in some of London’s most prestigious music venues. The North High School Fine Arts Department participated in the parade in 2019 and 2015.
