Five high schools from the Santa Clarita Valley competed in the 2024 Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association Championship on Nov. 23.
The local high schools that competed were Castaic High School, Golden Valley High School, William S. Hart High School, Valencia High School and West Ranch High School.
Hart and Valencia each won the championship title for their respective marching band and colorguard divisions this year. Hart received a score of 91.2 and Valencia received a score of 87.4.
Kelvin Flores, Valencia’s director of instrumental music, said his students were elated to see their hard work paid off and they feel unified. He said they had been working on the performance concept since February, and since then hundreds of hours have gone into practicing both on and off the field.
“We’re very thankful for our community for always supporting us and valuing what we do. Music education is such an important part in young people’s development and I’m really glad to be a part of it and see them develop and grow and shape a small part of their lives,” said Flores.
Flores added that it is not about the trophy at the end of the day, it is about doing high quality work and always striving for excellence. He hopes his students continue to strive toward their goals.
Hart Marching Band and Colorguard achieved its 16th championship win this year competing in Division 4A. Band Director Anthony Bailey said in a prepared statement, “It is very surreal,” when describing this win for the school.
“It is great to see that the hard work that the students have been putting in since June has paid off,” said Bailey. “Championships are not won the day of the event. Hard work and planning take place for months. Students and our wonderful staff show up each and every day and put in their best effort to make sure that we have a championship worthy performance in November.”
Bailey said that the show was designed to be accessible to any audience member and innovative as a marching band activity. He added that community support played a huge role in this victory, and parents and volunteers worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure every detail was taken care of, from logistics to morale.
“This 16th championship is more than just a title; it’s a celebration of teamwork, perseverance and passion,” said Bailey.
West Ranch Marching Band and Colorguard placed fourth in Division 4A, which came as a shock to Rod Schueller, music director at West Ranch, who felt the band’s performance at the championship was the best run they had all season, said Bob Buttitta, spokesman for West Ranch band boosters.
“We’re disappointed and bewildered with the scores, but that is the nature of a subjective adjudicated performance art,” said Schueller in an emailed statement. “As a performer and instructor, you know that, but it doesn’t make it any easier when things don’t turn out as you want. I could not have asked for a better performance, a better group of students or a more enjoyable season. I looked forward to every rehearsal and performance and this show was very personal to me.”
Schueller said he was very proud of the work ethic and perseverance his students showed this year, and he is already looking forward to preparing for the 2025 season and finding the students who will step into leadership roles.
Golden Valley Marching Band and Colorguard placed fifth in Division 4A, and Band Director Angel Nazario said he could not have been happier with the performance the students put out there.
“This show was completely dedicated to my daughter Ellie, who unfortunately passed away this year in March. It was a dedication to her and what her story can do for people around the world and whoever watches it,” said Nazario.
Nazario said the students were able to use this performance as an outlet to release their emotion and he felt they captivated audiences with it. He said he was so proud of the students who participated in this year’s show and that this year they broke their highest score given. Next year he said he is aiming for a higher score and a top-three spot.
Castaic Marching Band and Colorguard competed in the Division 3A championship and finished in 12th place.
“We got 12th place out of 12, which is not what we wanted, but I’m really proud of the kids regardless because we made it to the championships and that is something we didn’t do last year,” said Castaic Band Director Eugene Kim.
Kim said 24 total school bands compete in each division for a spot at the championship. Only the top 12 bands move on and Castaic was seeded at the 12th spot. Finishing in 12th place was not unexpected to Kim, but he said the band is aiming for a higher placement next year.
Despite Castaic being a younger and smaller group, Kim said his students show strength, spirit and determination, which make him optimistic about future competition season.
“I am so proud of my students. I think these are some of the hardest-working staff and students I’ve ever seen,” said Kim. “I don’t have to tell them to work hard. They are practicing on their own time; I have to kick them out after school because they keep practicing so much and they are determined to keep getting better.”
