The Seminole High School Warhawk Marching Band made their third appearance in the Tournament of Roses Parade today. Photo credit: Seminole High School

I always enjoy watching the Tournament of Roses Parade on the first day of the New Year, and this year was no exception. While watching today’s parade, I was genuinely impressed with the stellar high school bands that appeared in the event. One of these was the Seminole High School Warhawk Marching Band from Seminole, Florida. The 120-member group appeared under the leadership of Director of Bands Gerard Madrinan. This was their third appearance in the Rose Parade. The others were in 2005 and 2013.

The Warhawks are no strangers to honors. These stellar student-musicians appeared in the Disney Christmas Day Parade in 2007 and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2010. They were named the Virginia Beach National Marching Band Festival Grand Champions in 1978, multiple Grand Championships at the Tarpon Springs Outdoor Music Festival and Largo Golden Invitational, and more than 37 years of superior ratings at the Florida Bandmasters Association Marching Festivals. In addition, the Warhawk Band has won Bands of America Regional Finalists a whopping 25 times. They were also named Atlanta Regional Grand Champions twice, a Grand National Semi-Finalists seven times, and Grand Nationals Finalists twice. In 1996, the Warhawk Band was the National AA-Division Champion at the WGI Friendship Cup Championships held in St. Louis, MO.

Director of Bands Gerard Madrinan led the student-musicians of Seminole High School in Seminole, Florida, in their appearance in the 2025 Tournament of Roses Parade. Photo credit: Seminole High School

Gerard has been the Director of Bands at Seminole High School since 2013. His position as Band Director is the realization of a childhood dream. He says he was only ten years old when he decided to become a high school band director. “I always wanted to be a high school band director, and to do it right here at Seminole High,” he reveals. In addition, he serves as the Department Chair for Visual and Performing Arts, where he oversees the marching band, concert bands, jazz band, the winter guard, indoor percussion ensemble, and chamber ensembles.

Before his employment at Seminole High, Gerard served as a music teacher at Clearwater Intermediate School, the band director at Dunedin Highland Middle School, and as an itinerate music teacher at a several schools in Pinellas County. In all, his career as a music educator spans 25 years.

After his graduation from Seminole High in 1999, Gerard earned both his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and his Master’s degree in Instrumental Conducting from the University of South Florida, From 2005-2008, Gerard was an instructor with the University of South Florida Marching Band.

Additionally, Gerard is a member of the Florida Music Educators National Conference, the Florida Bandmasters Association, and the Pinellas County Music Educators Association. In 2024, he was named Teacher of the Year by Pinellas County Schools.