Manassas civic leader to play in Washington Redskins Band at Christmas Parade Saturday

When the Washington Redskins band comes marching through Manassas in the annual Greater Manassas Christmas Parade this Saturday, Dec. 6, there will be a familiar face among the musicians.

It will be Harry H. Horning of Manassas, a member of the unit since 1992.

“I really love being a member of the band. It gives me an opportunity to continue to play my trumpet which I have since I was seven years old and a chance to enjoy the camaraderie of the other band members. We are like one big family,” he said

For more than 70 years, the band has led sell-out crowds in the team fight song “Hail to the Redskins” which Horning said he has
played “thousands of times.”

The all-volunteer ensemble formed in 1937 when George Preston Marshall brought the team to Washington with the goal of entertaining fans from the moment they walked into the stadium until the time they left to go home.

“We entertain the fans before, at half-time, after games and when the team scores a touchdown or field goal,” said Horning.

“Hail to the Redskins” made its debut on Aug. 17, 1938 as the official fight song of the team. The song was written by renowned band leader Barnee Breeskin and lyrics were penned by Hollywood movie start Corinne Griffith, the wife of the team founder the owner Marshall.

The Redskins were the first team in the NFL with an official marching band and also first to have a fight song. It is one of only two teams with a band, the other being the Baltimore Ravens.

A resident of the area since 1977, Horning has been a financial advisor in Manassas for 34 years.

After graduating from Phillipsburg High School, N. J. in 1970, Horning enlisted in the U. S Marine Corps and was assigned to the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps at Eighth and I Marine Barracks in D. C. from 1971-1972.

“I gave up playing the trumpet for a long time but as a Shriner joined the Kena Temple Band and then at the request of the director of the Redskins band to join them which I did,” said Horning.

The band is made up of 120 marching musicians and a support staff of 30. Tony Cardenas of Manassas is a member of the support group and sometimes marches with the band.

Members range from as young as 21 up to one member who is in his 80s.

In addition to the “extravaganzas” the band performs at the stadium, it performs at many community functions such as the Manassas Christmas Parade and the Independence Day Parade in Fairfax. His only compensation is two free tickets to the Redskins games. In addition, Horning often plays “Taps” for local veterans funerals and Hail to the Redskins solos for special occasions.

Horning plays an active role in the community, serving four times as president of the Kiwanis Manassas Battlefield Club and twice as Lt. Gov. of the Kiwanis Capital District. He is a lay member of the Prince William Bar Foundation.

He and his wife, Susan, are the parents of a son, Harry II who works at the business, and daughter-in-law Kristen and two grandsons, Harry “Trip” III and Tucker Lee.

He makes a trip into the stadium each Wednesday for practice on songs ranging from marches to popular ones. On a typical 1 p.m. starting time for the Redskins, he leaves home at 8 or 8:30 a.m. and home at 6:30 or 7 p.m. He keeps his uniform in a locker at the stadium.
Horning was surprised to find a picture of himself playing the trumpet in the book “The Story of the Washington Redskins” that featured a page on the history of the band.