Area high school bands vying for state championship
They are marching for a perfect season.
For the past three months Ontario High School's marching band has taken the highest honors in all five of the tournaments they've entered.
The 148-member band, color guard and drum corps face their biggest challenge when they will be competing in the California State Band Championships on Saturday.
The event, which is sponsored by the Southern California Judging Association, will be held at San Gorgonio High School.
This is the first time they will be competing in an event of this type, said David Berry, the band's director.
For the past three months Ontario High School's marching band has taken the highest honors in all five of the tournaments they've entered.
The 148-member band, color guard and drum corps face their biggest challenge when they will be competing in the California State Band Championships on Saturday.
The event, which is sponsored by the Southern California Judging Association, will be held at San Gorgonio High School.
This is the first time they will be competing in an event of this type, said David Berry, the band's director.
"We've been blessed with great students who are diamonds in the rough,"
he said. "This year their absolute drive and determination to reach the
best has been evident from the first day on."
The marching band has competed in five tournaments to date and has gathered 20 awards, two first place and 18 sweepstakes.
This year's show is based on the music from Broadway show "The Lion King."
The notion of competing in the championship was something Berry never considered until last month. Berry said he was told by association judges that if the marching band competed in one regional tournament and placed, it could qualify for the championship.
Coincidentally, the band was performing the next weekend, Nov. 1, at Surf City Tournament, a regional event, Berry said.
Berry said he elected not to tell his students.
"We're focused on doing our best, it would have been a distraction," he said.
Shirley Herrera, 17, the drum major, said after the band had competed and earned another sweepstakes award, the members boarded the buses to go home just as after any other competition.
"All of a sudden they tell us to get off the buses. That's when Mr. Berry told us. People started crying and hugging," she said.
It was then they learned the historical significance, said Patrick Elias, 17, who plays the trumpet and has been in the marching band all four years.
Juliet Alba, 17, who plays the alto sax, said she never saw it coming.
"I was amazed, and I couldn't believe it. I wanted someone to pinch me," Juliet said.
For Patrick and Shirley, it is the best way to leave the band.
"I know I left a legacy for the school, for the band program," he said. "This is something you'll never forget."
The road to success has not been easy but the key, Juliet said, is keeping their focus on one tournament at a time.
"You can't lose focus of what is in front of you, that is the next tournament. You can't look ahead, or you will lose focus of what you're doing," Patrick said.
The band has spent the last week fine-tuning its music and adjusting the tempo, Shirley said.
Something that has worked to the band's advantage this year has been the recent growth in size, Shirley said.
"The bigger you are, the better sound you have," she said.
Striving for excellence is nothing new to the band. More than 250 trophies line the walls of the band room. Many of those accolades the band has received in the past 10 years, Berry said.
"This is not an unusual year, except the state championship, we're going to be in a run for it," Berry said.
Right now the focus is on the more than 20 trophies that sit on two 6-foot tables at the front of the band room.
They stand as reminders of not only their accomplishments but the history they have made at the school, Patrick said.
"It's how far that we've come during the year," he said. "We look at this season and we've gone undefeated in all five (tournaments) but we have a shot for one more, the biggest one of the year."
liset.marquez@inlandnewspapers.com,
California State Band Championships
Saturday at San Gorgonio High School, 2299 Pacific, San Bernardino.
Locals schools performing:
Eisenhower High School at 10:05 a.m.
Chaffey High School at 12:12 p.m.
San Gorgonio High School 12:25 p.m.
Don Lugo High School 6 p.m.
Ontario High School 7:30 p.m.
The marching band has competed in five tournaments to date and has gathered 20 awards, two first place and 18 sweepstakes.
This year's show is based on the music from Broadway show "The Lion King."
The notion of competing in the championship was something Berry never considered until last month. Berry said he was told by association judges that if the marching band competed in one regional tournament and placed, it could qualify for the championship.
Coincidentally, the band was performing the next weekend, Nov. 1, at Surf City Tournament, a regional event, Berry said.
Berry said he elected not to tell his students.
"We're focused on doing our best, it would have been a distraction," he said.
Shirley Herrera, 17, the drum major, said after the band had competed and earned another sweepstakes award, the members boarded the buses to go home just as after any other competition.
"All of a sudden they tell us to get off the buses. That's when Mr. Berry told us. People started crying and hugging," she said.
It was then they learned the historical significance, said Patrick Elias, 17, who plays the trumpet and has been in the marching band all four years.
Juliet Alba, 17, who plays the alto sax, said she never saw it coming.
"I was amazed, and I couldn't believe it. I wanted someone to pinch me," Juliet said.
For Patrick and Shirley, it is the best way to leave the band.
"I know I left a legacy for the school, for the band program," he said. "This is something you'll never forget."
The road to success has not been easy but the key, Juliet said, is keeping their focus on one tournament at a time.
"You can't lose focus of what is in front of you, that is the next tournament. You can't look ahead, or you will lose focus of what you're doing," Patrick said.
The band has spent the last week fine-tuning its music and adjusting the tempo, Shirley said.
Something that has worked to the band's advantage this year has been the recent growth in size, Shirley said.
"The bigger you are, the better sound you have," she said.
Striving for excellence is nothing new to the band. More than 250 trophies line the walls of the band room. Many of those accolades the band has received in the past 10 years, Berry said.
"This is not an unusual year, except the state championship, we're going to be in a run for it," Berry said.
Right now the focus is on the more than 20 trophies that sit on two 6-foot tables at the front of the band room.
They stand as reminders of not only their accomplishments but the history they have made at the school, Patrick said.
"It's how far that we've come during the year," he said. "We look at this season and we've gone undefeated in all five (tournaments) but we have a shot for one more, the biggest one of the year."
liset.marquez@inlandnewspapers.com,
California State Band Championships
Saturday at San Gorgonio High School, 2299 Pacific, San Bernardino.
Locals schools performing:
Eisenhower High School at 10:05 a.m.
Chaffey High School at 12:12 p.m.
San Gorgonio High School 12:25 p.m.
Don Lugo High School 6 p.m.
Ontario High School 7:30 p.m.
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