The Punahou Marching Band will play a special medley of School songs as it performs in President Barack Obama ’79’s inauguration parade, having accepted a coveted invitation to participate in the Washington festivities for a second time.

“We are very excited to have the honor of representing Hawai‘i and Punahou School again in the inaugural parade. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to bring the spirit of aloha to our nation’s capital,” said Marching Band Director Mark Falzarano. “We are moving very quickly to take care of the travel and performance details.”

The Buff ’n Blue contingent in the parade on Jan. 21, 2013, in Washington, D.C., will include the band’s musicians, JROTC color guard and Punahou cheerleaders.

The band will play a medley that includes the songs “Men of Punahou,”  and "A Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight" (commonly known among the School 'ohana as "Cheer Boys Cheer"). The medley was arranged by Punahou Music School students Taddy ’14, Mitchell ’14 and Karuna ’17, under the guidance of their music-composition instructor, Jon Magnussen ’86.

“To create one piece that we can play as we march, and to have students help put that together for this momentous occasion makes it extra special,” Falzarano said.

The Presidential Inauguration Parade is an American tradition that dates back to George Washington. Representatives from all 50 states will follow the president and vice president from the Capitol down Pennsylvania Avenue. The Punahou Marching Band also performed in Obama’s first inauguration parade in 2009.

The 2013 event is expected to be the most attended event of the year, according to the official website of inaugural events. The parade is open to the public and also will be televised.

USA Today photo/Michael Madrid