Heritage High School band

In only its second marching season, the Heritage High School Legion of Generals Band received an invitation to the 2010 Fiesta Bowl, quite a feather in its shako.

The Ringgold, Ga., band is one of four, regional, public-school music programs taking their half-time shows on the road to prestigious musical events and national competitions this month and next.

Banks from Soddy-Daisy High School and Walker Valley High School have been raising money for almost two years to fly to the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif.; and London, England's, New Year's Day parade, respectively.

This marks Walker Valley's third trip to the London New Year's Day celebration. The Cleveland-area show band will play the King of Pop's music down the two-mile parade route from Piccadilly Circus to Big Ben.

"We chose 'Thriller' because the people of London love Michael Jackson," said Walker Valley director Alan Hunt. "We'll stop and do the 'Thriller' dance a couple of minutes at the end of the parade route where the review stand is located."

Cleveland High School's marching band returns Monday from the U.S. Scholastic Band Association's National Championship in Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md.

Their show "Trinity: Sounds, Shapes and Ideas in 3s" claimed first place in Class 5 division at the USSBA Southern Regional championship two weeks ago in Finley Stadium.

"This has been a great season for us. We've practiced hard since July and played well," said Erica Tipton, one of three drum majors at Cleveland High.

"We want to show we're not just some band in a little town in Tennessee, but that we can march and do well in national competition," said the senior.

SODDY-DAISY HIGH SCHOOL

Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif.

Director: Eric Majors.

Trip dates: Dec. 28-Jan. 2.

Sightseeing: Tours of Hollywood/Los Angeles, Universal Studios, Disneyland, dinner-dance aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, Calif.

Entourage: 145 students, 260 total traveling.

Cost per student: $1,250 includes all expenses.

2009 show: "The Big Show." Drum corps-style drill with music "Everybody's Everything" by Santana, "Land of Make Believe" by Chuck Mangione and Malaguena.

Parade route: Just under 6 miles, playing "Main Street America" and "Chattanooga Choo-Choo."

Comment: "This will be my first time to fly," said freshman trombone player Robert Glenn. "I'm looking forward to going to Disneyland and Universal Studios."

HERITAGE HIGH SCHOOL LEGION OF GENERALS

Fiesta Bowl Parade in Tempe, Ariz., and BlueCross BlueShield of Arizona's Fiesta Bowl National Band Championship

Directors: Blair Callaway and Bill Wynn.

Trip dates: Dec. 30-Jan. 4.

Sightseeing: Grand Canyon, horseback riding in Box Canyon, tour of Rawhide City.

Entourage: 100 students, 141 total traveling.

Cost per student: $1,300 includes all expenses.

2009 show: "Planes, Trains and Automobiles." Drum corps-style drill with music "Leaving on a Jet Plane," "Midnight Train to Georgia," "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" and "Ride."

Parade route: 1.75 miles; playing "76 Trombones."

Comment: "We are one of only nine high school bands asked to the Fiesta Bowl," said director Blair Callaway, "plus the two bands for the college teams that will compete."

WALKER VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL

New Year's Day Parade in London, England

Directors: Alan Hunt, Colby Burris and Donald Benton.

Trip dates: Dec. 28-Jan. 4.

Sightseeing: Tours of London and Greenwich, Oxford University, Windsor Castle and Tower of London; catch a West End musical; free time allotted for short day trips.

Entourage: 80 students, 150 total traveling.

Cost per student: $2,850 includes all expenses.

2009 show: "Souled Out." Show band played music by Earth, Wind and Fire and Youngblood Brass Band, closed with "Proud Mary" featuring vocals by two band members selected for All-State Choir.

Parade route: 2 miles from Piccadilly Circus to Big Ben; playing "Thriller" with choreographed dance at end of parade route.

Comment: "I'm looking forward to seeing Big Ben and the London Eye," said Walker Valley drum major Emily Petty, 16. "I've been spend hours online looking at sites and trying to find some way to cram it all into our free time. We hope to take a train and go to Paris for a day while we're there."

CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL

U.S. Scholastic Band Association National Championships, United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

Directors: Jim Burton, Zach Riggins.

Trip dates: Departed Nov. 5, return Monday.

Sightseeing: Baltimore, Md., harbor; Washington, D.C., Capitol Visitor's Center, Library of Congress, Supreme Court building, Union Station, Smithsonian, Arlington National Cemetery, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Vietnam Wall, Jefferson Memorial.

Entourage: 118 students, 162 total traveling

Cost per student: $250 (does not include lunches and dinners)

2009 show: "Trinity -- Sounds, Shapes and Ideas in 3s" with original music by Key Poulan and Brant Karrick.

Championship: The corps-style band will compete with 15 other bands in Class 5 from across the country.

Comment: "I think it's awesome how all the little things in three's work together in our music. We have three drum majors, three movements, and the third movement is in three-quarter time. And we play triplets and other notes in groups of threes," said drum major Erica Tipton, 17.