NYC, Yonkers, White Plains, Eastchester and Throggs Neck Celebrations
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling will be plentiful for Maria Regina High School’s first-ever marching band during this year’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The all-girls talented ensemble, rare onto itself, will not only have the honor of participating in the New York City parade on March 17— the oldest and largest St. Patrick’s Parade in the world— but will also march in four other popular regional parades honoring the patron saint of Ireland.
Maria Regina’s band will join a contingent of thousands of marchers and bands from throughout the New York metro area and pass His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, who will review the procession from the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Throngs of celebrants lining both sides of the avenue’s route stretching from 44th Street to 79th Street will cheer the marchers. Maria Regina’s band is scheduled to march between 1:45 to 3:15 PM.
Anticipation is running high as it will be the first full-scale New York City St. Patrick’s Parade since the pandemic struck two years. A tradition since 1762, this year’s parade will be dedicated to first responders and essential workers.
It will be a very busy week for Maria Regina’s band, starting with the White Plains parade on Saturday, March 12, from 11:30 AM to 1 PM. On Sunday, March 13, it will march in two parades, first, at Throggs Neck, the Bronx, from 11 AM to 12:30 and then at Eastchester from 1:45 to 3:15 PM. The band will conclude at the Yonkers parade on Saturday, March 19, from 1 to 2:30 PM.
Maria Regina’s marching band made its debut last October in the 44th Annual Bronx Columbus Day Parade, the only all-girls among the 50 groups, including several other high school ensembles that marched in the popular community event.
Outfitted with brand new special uniforms and equipped with bells, snare and bass drums, Maria Regina’s 11 young musicians are: Twin sisters Allison and Emily Ibarra of Mt. Vernon (both play bells); sisters Clevisa Bujaj (bells)and Jessica Bujaj (bassdrum)of the Bronx; Shaiyanne Noisette (snare drum) of Mt. Vernon; Angelina Costa (bells) of Yonkers; Kelly Cambillo (snare drum) of White Plains; Nathalie Bello (bass drum) of Elmsford and Gianna Buccieri (bells) of Port Chester; Amber Korcz of Peekskill and Mariam Ahmed of Dover Plains leading the Marching Band.
Musical experience and the ability to read music are not required to participate in either the band or string and rhythm orchestra. Both are under the direction of Steven Finkelstein, a professional percussionist who previously served as the marching band and orchestra director and music instructor at Aquinas High School in the Bronx, specializing in working with young musicians who have little or no experience.
