#3. 57 and a Trombonist

Some of the deepest passions emerge at a young age. For Yvonne Wieting, that magical age was five – when she received her first record player. This quickly sparked her love for music, a passion she also shares with her father. This led her onto a musical path that ultimately transformed her life.

Yvonne then took up the clarinet for a short time, until she transitioned to the trombone in middle school. This is where she joined the school’s band – and everything else is history.

The Waldwick High School’s marching band, her alma mater, became competitive in the mid 70s and was awarded best band in New Jersey in their class. Because of this achievement, they were then invited to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

“I’ve always loved this parade and my father took me several times when I was a young girl – so I was excited,” she said.

However, due to a rival football game that was scheduled for Thanksgiving Day, the district’s Superintendent didn’t allow the marching band to go to the Big Apple that year; disappointing almost everyone.

Many years later – after moving to Florida– one of Yvonne’s coworkers brought to her attention a newspaper ad for a marching band called the Second Time Arounders. They were looking for new members to join them on their journey to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

“I turned to my coworker and said ‘what are you crazy?’… I hadn’t picked up an instrument in 30 years,” said Yvonne. But she could not miss out on the chance to march in the parade – especially after she came so close in high school. Her passion for music never diminished, even after all those years.

The Second Time Arounders, the largest permanent adult marching band in the world, is located in St. Petersburg, Florida and only have two conditions to become a member (besides being a good player): that you are at least the age of 18 and that you have participated in a marching band at one time in your life.

Their mantra reads – “Dedicated to those who have marched in a high school, college or military band… and dreamed of doing it one more time.”

When Yvonne went to the first practice that fall, she was in a huge room full of over 300 talented musicians, and she was intimidated.

“I decided I wouldn’t be the low-hanging fruit in this band,” Yvonne explained. So, she took private lessons and began practicing every night – through hard work and an undying passion she became a trombone player once again.

That coming year, 510 band members marched down Broadway during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Yvonne quoted it as being “the best day” of her life.

“Joining has changed my entire life,” said Yvonne, “the camaraderie is absolutely amazing and I strongly believe that who you’re with has a lot to do with how happy you are.”

The trombone player’s life has since been engulfed in music once again – as she has joined a local community band and taken up the ukulele. Yvonne, along with the Second Time Arounders, have marched in several big events such as the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C., the Conch Republic Parade in Key West, Florida and the Torch Light Parade in Seattle, Washington.

Marching along a parade route can be tolling, but she has always been very active with riding her bike or rollerblading – so she hasn’t done much conditioning.

“Always do something you love and have a passion for, no matter what age, and everything will fall into place,” she said while reminiscing about her musical past.

Now Yvonne has found herself as 57 and a trombone player. It has brought her much happiness for the past nine years – along with her full-time CFO job. And the most exciting part of her story? The Second Time Arounders have applied to march again in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in the year 2019, when Yvonne will be 59.