Yorktown Native to March in 57th Inaugural Parade

A Yorktown native, who is the drum major and flight chief of the U.S. Air Force Band's all brass and percussion ensemble, will represent the Air Force in the 2013 inaugural parade on Jan. 21 in Washington, D.C. 

Chief Master Sgt. Edward J. Teleky is part of the 99-piece band and 80-person Honor Guard flight that will march along the 1.5-mile route that begins at 4th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue and goes past the White House. 

Originally from Yorktown Heights, Teleky began his Air Force career in 1987. 

His Air Force career highlights include conducting and directing more than 5,000 ceremonies, including White House and Pentagon arrivals for heads of state from more than 36 countries, state funerals for former Presidents Reagan and Ford, military funerals at Arlington National Cemetery and six presidential inaugurations. 

Prior to joining the Air Force, Chief Teleky composed and arranged music for ensembles covering a vast array of musical idioms, including complete musical and visual arrangements for competitive marching field units, according to his biography.

He served as a show designer, musical arranger, instructor and clinician for some of the top drum and bugle corps and high school marching bands in the world, including the Santa Clara Vanguard, San Francisco Renegades, Scrapers of Japan, Sunrisers, Skyliners and Bayonne Bridgemen. The Santa Clara Vanguard Percussion Ensemble premiered his award-winning composition, "The Dance of Ki," as they captured the 1995 DCI Percussion Ensemble Championship. He also performed in many Broadway musicals, including "Barnum," "The King and I," "Evita" and "Sophisticated Ladies."

Teleky earned a Bachelor of Music degree and a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School. He the author of several music instruction books, including "Fundamentals for the Pit Percussion Ensemble" and "The Universal Technique."

The U.S. Air Force Band and Honor Guard are stationed at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. Since its formation, the Air Force Band has marched in 15 inaugural parades (there was no parade in 1945, and the 1985 parade was canceled due to weather).

The band began in 1941 when the newly-formed U.S. Army Air Corps activated 59 bands into operation. It was initially called The Bolling Field “Band” and consisted of five men—a saxophone quartet and a bandleader. Over the next 71 years, the band expanded its size and mission to include six primary performing ensembles.

Teleky's son Tony shares his musical ability. His son is the drum line captain for the North Point High School Marching Band in Waldorf, MD, according to this article from the Air Force. 

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