After several months of practice, Marching Band and Color Guard competed at the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA ) tournament hosted at Baldwin Park High School on Oct. 18., winning first in their division and second place overall.
Performing their custom-made show, “Cosmic Codes,” the band, with 171 members — 50 people over the minimum requirement for their division — won first place in Division 6A. The only other school in their division was Chino High School, whom they competed and won against, scoring them first place. In the sweepstakes award, Walnut placed second which Chino placed first. With a team of coaches, a theme was chosen for the show, along with the songs that would fit the theme, allowing the composer to have parameters when arranging the music. During this competition, the band scored four points higher than the previous year at the same competition.
“The show is going spectacularly. The show is very challenging, but the students and coaches are working very hard to make it happen,” band director Corey Wicks said.
With over four months of practice, the band performed their show for the first time outside of Walnut High School. In August, the annual band camp was held where students started learning the music and places for the show.
“When we start out the season, I try to get to know the new [band members] as best as I can, since it’s their first time. It makes it easier for them to come up to us anytime they have questions or problems,” senior flute and oboe band captain Chinar Gajjar said.
However, before winning, the process of getting the band to perform together in time during the show included several band leaders who oversaw the formations.
“Specifically in the flute section, it’s hard to march with a flute. It’s very light and you have to put a lot of your shoulders into it and keep it [parallel to the ground],” Gajjar said.
For seniors, it was the last show they would perform with the marching band, and so they held their annual tradition of playing a video to summarize all of their moments together in marching band.
“After that competition, I felt pretty confident. I feel like a lot of people gave their all, and I’m so proud of them,” french horn player senior Madeline Muruato said. “Especially [since] it’s the freshmen’s first year doing it, it made me want to cry because that was me four years ago.”
