Marching into the new year in style; two CCHS AVPA band students and their director, Dr. Tony Spano, will perform in the Tournament of Roses Honor Band & Directors’ Band.
For possibly the first time in Culver City High School history, two Band students will perform with the Tournament of Roses Honor Band—the official band of the Tournament of Roses Parade. Jasper Garner (trombone) and Octavio Villela (tenor drums), both juniors and AVPA music students, earned spots in the prestigious and highly competitive band for which students audition from San Luis Obispo all the way down to San Diego.
Making this experience even more special, Dr. Tony Spano, CCHS Director of Music and Executive Director of the CCHS Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, will march separately in the Saluting America’s Band Directors Foundation Directors Band–a full adult ensemble of music educators from across North America. Spano previously marched with the Band Director’s Band in the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.
In addition to marching in the Rose Parade on New Years Day, Garner and Villela will perform in a ‘Friends and Family’ Performance on Saturday, Dec. 27, at 3:30 pm in Robinson Stadium at Pasadena City College. All are welcome to attend this free performance of the Honor Band.
The Rose Parade airs on January 1st, 2026, at 8 a.m. PT, across multiple channels including NBC, ABC, KTLA 5, Hallmark Channel, RFD-TV, and Univision, and streams on services like Peacock, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube.
Photo caption (L to R) Octavio Villela, Dr. Tony Spano, and Jasper Garner.
