Foothill High School Band Will March in Philadelphia for 250th Independence Anniversary

Foothill High School's marching band has grown into one of Nevada's most celebrated performing arts programs under Director Travis Pardee, who has led the Henderson school's band department since 2002.

The program is now recognized as the largest high school marching band in Nevada, surpassing even the state's university programs. It encompasses marching band, color guard, jazz band, concert and symphonic bands, percussion ensembles, indoor drum line, and winter guard — with total enrollment in the hundreds across fall, winter, and spring activities.

The competitive marching band earned a top finish at the Bands of America California Regional Championship in Rancho Cucamonga, winning the Class AAA title and advancing to the finals, with caption awards in music, visuals, and general effect.

The band also marched in the Bruno Mars Day Parade on the Las Vegas Strip on April 10, a celebration honoring the GRAMMY-winning artist ahead of the kickoff of his world tour at Allegiant Stadium. The event included a street renaming: Park Avenue outside Park MGM was officially designated Bruno Mars Drive.

The Foothill Marching Band is a 13-time Bands of America regional championship finalist and has performed in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland; the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C.; the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City in 2014; and the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, in 2017.

The band is scheduled to perform in the America 250 parade in Philadelphia on July 3. The 250th Salute to Independence Parade is part of Philadelphia's Wawa Welcome America festival, a once-in-a-generation celebration marking the nation's semiquincentennial.

Winter programming expands the program's reach to include concert band, jazz band, winter guard, and winter percussion, with students competing in gymnasiums and on large mats in indoor settings separate from outdoor marching season.

Pardee is the past president of the Southern Nevada Band Association and was named Music Educator of the Year by the Nevada Music Educators Association in 2015, the same year he received the Myra Greenspun Award for Teaching Excellence.

Students and alumni describe participation in the program as a transformative experience, citing opportunities for travel, leadership development, community performance, and personal growth that extend well beyond the competitive field.