Detroit Lakes High School's band director to perform in famed Rose Parade on Jan. 1 — with his dad

Detroit Lakes area residents will have a special reason to tune into the 2022 Tournament of Roses Parade when it's televised live from Pasadena, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 1. One of the marching bands taking part in the New Year's Day parade will include Detroit Lakes High School's own band director, Tim Siewert — marching alongside his dad, Jim.

"I'll be leaving on Dec. 29," said Siewert, who has led DLHS's instrumental music program for the past seven years.

A native of St. Peter, Minn., Tim grew up watching his dad direct that community's high school bands, which is how he acquired his passion for teaching and performing music.

"He's the one that got me interested in music and made me want to be a band director," said Tim in a Tuesday interview, adding that he made the trumpet his primary instrument because it was what his dad played and "I wanted to be just like him."

After graduating from high school and college, Tim took his first job teaching band in New Richland, Minn., where he spent five years before moving on to direct the band program in Pierz, Minn. He spent a year there before taking the job in Detroit Lakes, where he has made his home since.

Though he spends more time directing bands than performing in them these days, Tim said, he likes to play as part of the Lakes Area Community Concert Band, and a Fergus Falls-based big band ensemble called the Lakes Area All-Stars, whenever he gets the chance.

"I try to play with my students as often as I can too," he added, "because I love to play, and it keeps my 'chops' in shape."

When he saw a social media post about the Salute to America's Band Directors a few months back, Tim was very interested.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of something of this magnitude," he said.

As the band's website, banddirectorsalute.org , states, the marching band and the "spectacular" animated float accompanying it along the six-mile parade route will be unprecedented.

So when Tim's dad heard that he had applied, and was accepted to be a part of the ensemble, Jim decided he wanted to apply as well.

"He's been practicing at home, and walking on the treadmill," said Tim, noting that he's been spending some quality time on the treadmill as well. "

The parade is six miles long," he explained, noting that the stamina required for performing and marching along such a lengthy route demanded the extra effort.

They will also need to have the music memorized, as the entire group will only have a couple of rehearsals in California prior to the parade.

The extra effort is more than worth it, however: "It's going to be a fun, father-son thing. We'll both be crossing this one off our bucket list together."

Tim said he hopes to continue following in his dad's footsteps by leading the local high school band program until he retires.

"I love living and working in Detroit Lakes," he said. "It's where I plan to spend the rest of my career."

What: The 2022 Tournament of Roses Parade

When: Saturday, Jan. 1, 10 a.m. (CST)

Where: Pasadena, Calif.

How to watch: The parade will be broadcast live on both ABC and the Hallmark Channel.