Carmel junior to march in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Performing before an audience of 2.5 million live spectators and likely 50 million television viewers could make a seasoned musician anxious.
Not Kristyn Angsten of Wauconda.
After all, the 16-year-old has been playing the tenor saxophone since fifth grade.
The Carmel Catholic High School junior will be among 235 high school students performing in Macy's Great American Marching Band during the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
"I'm not nervous at all," Angsten said. "I know it's not going to be an individual thing. They are looking at the whole unity of the band. Unless I, like, trip or something, I'm not afraid."
Angsten is no stranger to crowds, though there aren't nearly so many attendees at Carmel band performances, or at her piano and choral concert recitals.
"She has no idea what she's in for," said her mother Robyn Angsten. "We're just thrilled that she made it."
The Macy's marching band will lead the parade, which will be broadcast live on NBC starting at 10 a.m. Thursday.
This is the band's second year performing after its launch in 2006 in honor of the parade's 80th anniversary.
Participants usually submit applications with audition tapes to be selected. Students like Angsten, who attended an elite drum major camp at Eastern Illinois University, were invited to apply.
Only one other Illinois student, from downstate Arthur, was chosen this year to be part of the Macy's band out of hundreds of candidates nationwide, said Rachal Smith, spokeswoman for the band.
Angsten is the first Carmel student to participate in such a high-profile marching band.
"Not very many high school kids could say they were in the Macy's (Thanksgiving) Day Parade, period," said David Wiebers, Carmel's instrumental music director.
Wiebers said Carmel is usually known for its academics and football program.
"It's just more exposure in an area that the school hasn't been (recognized for)," he said. "These are unique little things that happen at Carmel all the time that kind of get pushed back because of the big thing. There's many examples like this that don't necessarily get their 15 minutes of fame."