NORMAL - For University High School drum major Dan Grieco, it's always exciting when the band gets new music to start preparing for a performance.

That was especially true for a medley they received earlier this year because of when and where they will play it: on New Year's Day at the Outback Bowl in Tampa Bay.

"It's sort of retro," the U High senior said of the 1960s medley of "Hooked on a Feeling" and "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In."

U High's Marching Pioneers aren't the only area band members letting in a little sunshine over the New Year's Day week by heading to warmer climates to perform. The Normal Community West High School band will perform Wednesday at the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona, and several local high school graduates who will be in the University of Illinois band playing at the Rose Bowl and its parade Tuesday at Pasadena, Calif.

Grieco, fellow senior drum majors Hannah Lebovitz and Rachel Vazquez and about 75 U High band members will perform as part of a mass band. It will be composed of about 1,000 students from 12 high schools across the nation, said University High School Band Director Jason Landes.

Today, the band members and 10 adults will board a chartered bus in Normal with their instruments. They are expected to arrive Saturday in Tampa Bay.

Other families are traveling by car, and a rented truck is taking more instruments.

The band members who also play in the concert and jazz bands will compete Sunday against other schools of similar size. On Monday, students will practice for the mass band performance and play in the Outback Bowl parade.

Monday night, the band members will welcome the new year at Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay.

On Tuesday, they will be at Raymond James Stadium for pre-game and halftime performances for the Outback Bowl.

A trip to Walt Disney World at Orlando, Fla., will round out the trip before they return home Friday, Landes said.

Often high school bands from Central Illinois attend bowl games in a warmer climate every other year.

It requires a lot of involvement from parents and students to raise money and prepare musically for these events, according to band directors.

Band members from Bloomington High School won't be performing at a bowl game this year, but they will perform at various venues in San Antonio, Texas, during spring break in March, said Max Chernik, Bloomington High School's band leader said Thursday.

The Marching Illini headed to Pasadena include:

- Bloomington High School graduates Lauren Pence on clarinet, Aaron White on euphonium and Katrina Willitz on trumpet.

- Normal Community graduate Reid Gibson on sousaphone.

- Normal West graduates Kim Auxier on euphonium, Michael Kehl on trombone, Steven Kehl on snare drum, Vince Kenney on euphonium, Tobie Schroeder on tenor saxophone and Liz Troyer, a student staffer.

- U High graduate Meghan Rhoadeson trombone.

The Pantagraph was unable to reach band directors at Olympia, Tri-Valley and Central Catholic High School during winter break in order to include their alumni.