Paris band trip cost $231,176

By John Johnston
Managing Editor

Palm Beach County commissioners have approved $10,000 toward the cost of a $253,176 trip by Suncoast Community High School bands to Paris, France over the 2007/08 New Year holiday to perform in the annual Paris Parade Festival.

“This wonderful event was comprised of a series of very special, high profile, music and dance based performances throughout Paris and Northern France over the New Year Period,” according to Suncoast Director of Music, Ernest G. Brown.

The Paris Parade Festival was launched over the New Year period in 1992/3. The first Festival was made up of two events – a parade in Chantilly, and a parade in Montmartre. Over the years the parade has grown to include special New Year’s gala concerts, parades, and outdoor performances in numerous venues throughout Paris and Chantilly.

The festival is now made up of three separate events, and is held from Dec. 29 through Jan.1. On the 29th, a concert featuring performers from the US was held at the Salle de Fetes at the Mairie de Montmarte. Next up was La Grande Parade de Chantilly on New Year's Eve, and at which Suncoast performed.  And finally, on New Year's Day, Le Festival des Musiques du Nouvel An' Paris, complete with a parade, was held at the Trocadero under the world-famous Eiffel Tower.

The Suncoast Symphonic Band performed in concert Dec. 31 in the l'Espace Bouteiller located in the French town of Chantilly. Chantilly has an international reputation for its wine, horseracing, cream and its lace – made famous in the US with the 1958 song by the same name, “Chantilly Lace” -- written and performed by the “Big Bopper”, J.P. Richardson.

Also on Dec 31, the marching band gave the trip’s second performance in the ‘Grande Parade de Chantilly’.

“The performance proved to be a spectacular street parade and open-air concert set against the backdrop of the beautiful town and magnificent Chateau of Chantilly,” said music director Brown.

Part parade, part cavalcade, and part arena performance, the Trocadero Music Festival, provided the third major performance opportunity in the 'Paris Parade Festival', where the Suncoast Marching Band performed at the Trocadero, located directly across the River Seine from the Eiffel Tower.

“This festival provided our students with unique and unrivalled performance experiences, and its audiences with an enthralling and joyous celebration over the New Year period,” said Brown, adding: