Previous mark for most piccolists playing "The Stars and Stripes Forever” broken, symphony says
Fans of the iconic “The Stars and Stripes Forever” — and its familiar piccolo showcase — got quite the treat Saturday night, July 6, in San Bernardino.
The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra performed John Phillip Sousa’s rousing patriotic tune with what it calls a record-setting 192 piccolo players.
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A musician with the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra performs Saturday, July 6, 2024, at the “America the Beautiful” concert at San Bernardino Valley College. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) -
The audience watches the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra perform on a screen at San Bernardino Valley College on Saturday, July 6, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) -
Singing group DC6 performs Saturday, July 6, 2024, with the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra at San Bernardino Valley College. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) -
Chester “Chet” Floyd, gala guest conductor for the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra, leads musicians as fireworks explode Saturday, July 6, 2024, at San Bernardino Valley College. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) -
Chester “Chet” Floyd, gala guest conductor for the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra, leads musicians as fireworks explode Saturday, July 6, 2024, at San Bernardino Valley College. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) -
Violinists with the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra perform Saturday, July 6, 2024, at the “America the Beautiful” concert at San Bernardino Valley College. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) -
A violinist with the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra performs Saturday, July 6, 2024, at the “America the Beautiful” concert at San Bernardino Valley College. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) -
Conductor Anthony Parnther leads the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra at the “America the Beautiful” concert at San Bernardino Valley College on Saturday, July 6, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) -
Singing group DC6 performs Saturday, July 6, 2024, with the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra at San Bernardino Valley College. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) -
Conductor Anthony Parnther leads the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, July 6, 2024, at the “America the Beautiful” concert at San Bernardino Valley College. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) -
Conductor Anthony Parnther leads the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, July 6, 2024, at the “America the Beautiful” concert at San Bernardino Valley College. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) -
One-hundred ninety-two piccolo players from across the state perform John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever” as fireworks blast into the sky during a Saturday, July 6, 2024, concert at San Bernardino Valley College. That number breaks the world record of 189 piccolists, the symphony said in a social media post. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) -
One-hundred ninety-two piccolo players from across the state perform John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever” as fireworks blast into the sky during a Saturday, July 6, 2024, concert at San Bernardino Valley College. That number breaks the world record of 189 piccolists, the symphony said in a social media post. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) -
David Saul Lee, a member of DC6, performs Saturday, July 6, 2024, with the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra at a San Bernardino Valley College concert. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) -
One-hundred ninety-two piccolo players from across the state perform John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever” during a Saturday, July 6, 2024, concert at San Bernardino Valley College. That number breaks the world record of 189 piccolists, the symphony said in a social media post. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
“With an incredible 192 piccolists, led by Maestro Anthony Parnther and Maestra Raphaela Lacerda, and the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra, we made history on July 6, 2024,” the symphony’s post-concert Instagram post titled “We did it!” states.
The world-record attempt came at the symphony’s annual “America, the Beautiful” concert scheduled near the Fourth of July.
Players from across California joined in the performance in hopes of shattering the previous record – 189 piccolo players – that was set July 4, 2016, in Dallas.
The concert at San Bernardino Valley College’s stadium also featured fireworks, music from “The Wizard of Oz,” “The Wiz” and “Wicked” performed with a vocal group and patriotic songs.
Symphony piccoloist Kathleen Dyer engineered the effort to recruit musicians to go after the record.
“It has been an absolute joy to receive the registrations — the enthusiasm is contagious,” Dyer said in a news release before the event.