Since the 1970s, high school bands around Northern California have gathered annually to perform at the Foothill Band Review. This event has become a tradition for Irvington’s band and guard as well. On October 26, they performed at the 50th Foothill band review, held at Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton.
The day began early in the morning, with performances from Irvington Wind 1 and 2. Students in full black concert attire headed to Amador Theater, where the award-winning bands played a variety of pieces, including Havana Nights by Randall Standridge and The Redwoods by Rossano Galante. Leading up to the band review, students had been constantly practicing, going over their performance in their periods and afterschool practice.
After the concert, students changed into their marching uniforms and got into formation. Hundreds of people gathered to watch as Irvington’s marching bands paraded down Main Street. The junior varsity band, led by drum major Kirsten Zhou (11) went first, playing their song: March Grandioso. They were followed by the varsity band, which performed Mephistopheles.
After the performance, Marching coach Mr. Benavides remarked, “I think the kids came through really well this time. They really kicked it up a notch and focused well today.” Irvington’s marching bands had great performances at the competition; however, he noted there was still room for improvement.“For the next band review, varsity could focus more on their alignment as a block. For JV, continue working hard on the march. Both bands have been getting stronger and more confident throughout the year.” Band is sure to implement such changes in their routine in the next few weeks, ensuring it is ready to go for their next major band review.
The day ended with an awards ceremony at Amador Valley High School’s stadium, where Irvington’s bands and color guard received several awards. Varsity placed first in their division, and color guard second in theirs. Both concert bands placed as well, with Wind 1 winning first place, and Wind 2 close behind in second across all the divisions.
Drumline also had a stellar performance, placing first among more than 30 high school percussion groups — a noticeable improvement from previous years. Luna Yang (11), a member of the drumline, explained, “Coach Jacob pushed us really hard this year, and we could definitely feel the difference in our performance.”
Preparations for these band reviews began late July during band camp, and will continue until the end of November. Students spend 1-2 hours afterschool, three days a week, practicing their marches. They also meet during flex for sectionals.
This year, the marching band faced their own set of challenges: The unexpected school closures and the heatwave in early October significantly reduced practice times, which impacted their overall performance. Despite these setbacks, the band and guard pulled through brilliantly at Foothill.
Irvington’s band and guard are looking forward to their final band review on November 16. Despite the obstacles they’ve faced, this season has been incredibly fulfilling, and they are hoping to win sweepstakes at their next competition.
