Mr. Z goes to Washington

Saturday, Jan. 20, 2001 | 9:46 a.m.

Affectionately called Mr. Z or just "Z" by the students, Zabelsky pulled off a coup by campaigning for the Tigers marching band to earn an invitation to perform at the Presidential inauguration.

The process started months ago, long before anyone knew the outcome of the presidential election. Zabelsky initiated a letter-writing campaign to congressmen, senators and governor, as well as both presidential candidates, to have the band considered.

"Both Al Gore and George Bush responded with 'Thanks, but it is too early for inauguration plans,"' Zabelsky told The Record-Courier in Gardnerville.

"However Harry Reid recommended us to the Armed Services Inauguration Committee, which does all the preliminary screening and then meets with the Presidential Inauguration committee."

The committee sent Zabelsky a lengthy questionnaire, asking not only about the band's awards and special performances, but also the color of the uniforms and what formations it used. Zabelsky returned the questionnaire with videotape of the band in action at the Nevada Day Parade and the Tournament of Champions in Fairfield, Calif., and audiotapes of the band performing "Thunder" and "The Magnificent Seven."

Then he crossed his fingers.

Christmas vacation started and, while the nation stewed over chad, Zabelsky just stewed.

"The questionnaire had asked for the last date we could be notified in order to allow for fund-raising," he said. "I said Dec. 15, and we didn't even know who was going to be president then."

On Dec. 22, all of Zabelsky's plans came to fruition. He received a phone call from the inauguration committee.

"Anytime someone calls you with this kind of news, you need to be sitting down," Zabelsky said. "I didn't believe it at first. Over 100 bands applied."

This weekend, he'll be conducting one of those 100 - and the only one from Nevada.