Lake Ridge senior leading Macy's Great American Marching Band

By Amanda Rogers

Mansfield Record

If you watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, you just might see someone you know.

Ella Beason, a senior at Lake Ridge High School, will be one of the two drum majors leading the 225-member Macy’s Great American Marching Band.

“They emailed me in September,” Beason said. “I was in band class with my other drum majors. It says ‘Congratulations, you’ve been selected.” I jumped up and I was running around. I ran into the band hall saying ‘I got selected for the Macy’s Day Parade!’”

Beason’s selection wasn’t random, she had to apply and be chosen by the Macy’s Parade. According to the parade website, the Macy’s Great American Marching Band “honors America’s finest high school musicians, color guard members and dancers.”

Even though she applied for the spot, Beason was still surprised when she was selected.

“I forgot about it,” she said. “Why would they pick some Texas kid?”

“At the Smith Walbridge camp (band clinic at Eastern Illinois University that she has attended for three years), you have the opportunity to apply for the position,” she said. “There’s easily 600 people at the camp. Then the rest of the audition is how you do at camp. The instructors evaluate your conducting. When they’re looking at applications, you have to be someone the staff would recommend.”

Beason might have been surprised to receive the honor, but music is in her blood. She has been in band since the sixth grade, and also plays the bassoon. Her younger brother, Ryder, a Lake Ridge freshman, plays clarinet in the band, her dad taught band at Mary Lillard for 15 years, and her mom was a band director and serves as the conductor of the Fort Worth Community Band.

Beason headed out Saturday to meet with her new band mates for her New York adventure.

“The whole week is basically rehearsals,” Beason said. “A little bit of sightseeing. I think I get to see a Broadway show and Times Square. I’m really excited to meet new people and make new friends.

“We have a banquet on Wednesday, meet at 2 a.m. Thursday, then leave Friday,” she said. “This is not something I ever expected. I love New York. I’ve been once. I went with the band last April.

“I’m super excited to be there and represent Mansfield and Lake Ridge,” she said. “It’s an honor to represent this community.”

It shouldn’t be hard to spot Beason – she’ll be leading the band.

“I will be at the front and will be holding a mace, it’s a long pole,” she said. “I’ll be the taller of the two drum majors so I should be visible.”

Ten others bands will be performing, including the L.D. Bell Blue Raider Band, New York City Police Marching Band, Alcorn State University “Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite” and Temple University Diamond Marching Band.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be broadcast from 8:30 a.m.-noon Thursday on KXAS NBC 5 and streaming on Peacock.