The Valencia High School football field was filled with musicians and dancers from local high school bands on Saturday for the inaugural “All Valley Showcase,” hosted by the Saugus High School Instrumental Music program, aiming to promote preseason camaraderie.
Approximately 390 students from five schools, four from the Santa Clarita Valley and one San Fernando Valley school, joined together for one night to perform their newest sets and create a positive atmosphere before competition season.
“I think most people would [say] that the band programs are usually overlooked throughout the community. All of the programs up here [in the SCV ], are very inclusive, very open,” said Andrew Sherman, Saugus instrumental music booster club president. He added that many music students dedicate their mornings, evenings and weekends to working hard and perfecting their craft, which is why he believes it’s important to allow such a platform for them to showcase their work.
“To be able to come out and show off what they’re doing, to their fellow musicians, to the parents and to the community, it’s great for them. It’s rewarding,” he said. “For me [a highlight] has been seeing the kids cheer each other on and have a great time.”
Students from all schools interacted and uplifted one another through loud cheers and applause, and compliments during intermission and in between sets.
Castaic High Coyote sophomores Sophia Rojas, Barbara Rangel and Alicia Gonzalez all joined the school’s band on their own separate accounts, but have come to have a common love for the program.
“I never imagined myself joining band … I wanted to try something new and it was really fun and I found my passion,” said Gonzalez.
The trio were happy to get their preseason jitters out of the way and also give the new band members a taste of what competitions will be like.
“This is like a family,” added Rangel. “It’s a great experience.”
For Saugus High School freshman Angelino Vargas, performing with the band and witnessing the local schools showcase their work was, “so much fun,” he said, adding, “We’re different schools, opposing schools, but no matter what if we’re going against each other we still show our support and love to one another.”
It’s important to create a platform where “students can feel welcomed, comfortable, and in a safe space where there will always be a place for them,” he said.
“The All Valley Showcase is posed to become a staple event, fostering connections between students, schools and the broader community through the power of music,” stated a post-event news release.
