Calexico High School's Mighty Bulldogs marching band performs its field show, "Fantasmic," on Tuesday during the Halftime Festival in El Centro. (Eric Miller) |
When the Holtville Viking Band of Pride took the field and stood at attention the crowd was ready, ready for a show.
“They’ve worked hard for this,” Holtville senior and drum major Carmen Santana said before the first performance of the night. “And they deserve to show what they’ve been doing every day at 7 in the morning,” she said.
Such were the sentiments of the high school marching band students from around the Imperial Valley as they met for the 14th annual high school band Halftime Festival on Tuesday evening in El Centro.
The Imperial Valley Music Educators Association held the festival once more — again hosted by The Great Spartan Band at Central Union High School — in order for the bands of Holtville, Brawley, Southwest, Imperial, Calexico and Central high schools to show off the field shows they’ve been working hard on throughout the fall.
“It’s a great showcase of what each of us tries to provide for our students,” said event coordinator and Central band director Renee Baker.
“I really appreciate seeing how hard the bands are working,” Baker said. “It’s like every year they take it up a notch. It’s really becoming a great event,” she said, estimating that there were close to 5,000 people in attendance.
After Holtville put some “Fear” into the crowd with its eerily themed music and the Brawley Union High School Marching Wildcats tuned their instruments to the sounds of today’s top hits on the radio, the crowd stayed enveloped in the field shows.
“I’ve liked all of them so far,” 15-year-old Holtville High School sophomore Jessica De Anda said while the Southwest Eagles Marching Band & Pageantry performed the hits of the ’60s and ’70s.
Everyone in the stands seemed to be waiting to cheer for their favorites.
“I’m waiting for Calexico,” 16-year-old Christina Garcia, also a Holtville sophomore, said. “It’s supposed to be a really big band. And Imperial does pretty good.”
“I have a lot of friends there (at Central) and they’re saying Central is going to be the best one,” Jessica said.
“It’s pretty good,” Imperial resident Amanda Whitehead said of Southwest’s show. “I like their movements and how they were singing along with that last song.
“Holtville has a really good programming going on,” Whitehead added. “This year they’ve improved so much so I’m really proud of Holtville.”
Band parents, drill team, tall flags and majorettes’ parents alike were also proud to see their children on the field.
“My son is in that Central band, a trumpet player,” El Centro resident Carl Barnhill said.
“I’m very proud to live in the Valley to see all the kids doing so well,” he said.
Staff Writer Roman Flores can be reached at 760-337-3439 or rflores@ivpressonline.com
“They’ve worked hard for this,” Holtville senior and drum major Carmen Santana said before the first performance of the night. “And they deserve to show what they’ve been doing every day at 7 in the morning,” she said.
Such were the sentiments of the high school marching band students from around the Imperial Valley as they met for the 14th annual high school band Halftime Festival on Tuesday evening in El Centro.
The Imperial Valley Music Educators Association held the festival once more — again hosted by The Great Spartan Band at Central Union High School — in order for the bands of Holtville, Brawley, Southwest, Imperial, Calexico and Central high schools to show off the field shows they’ve been working hard on throughout the fall.
“It’s a great showcase of what each of us tries to provide for our students,” said event coordinator and Central band director Renee Baker.
“I really appreciate seeing how hard the bands are working,” Baker said. “It’s like every year they take it up a notch. It’s really becoming a great event,” she said, estimating that there were close to 5,000 people in attendance.
After Holtville put some “Fear” into the crowd with its eerily themed music and the Brawley Union High School Marching Wildcats tuned their instruments to the sounds of today’s top hits on the radio, the crowd stayed enveloped in the field shows.
“I’ve liked all of them so far,” 15-year-old Holtville High School sophomore Jessica De Anda said while the Southwest Eagles Marching Band & Pageantry performed the hits of the ’60s and ’70s.
Everyone in the stands seemed to be waiting to cheer for their favorites.
“I’m waiting for Calexico,” 16-year-old Christina Garcia, also a Holtville sophomore, said. “It’s supposed to be a really big band. And Imperial does pretty good.”
“I have a lot of friends there (at Central) and they’re saying Central is going to be the best one,” Jessica said.
“It’s pretty good,” Imperial resident Amanda Whitehead said of Southwest’s show. “I like their movements and how they were singing along with that last song.
“Holtville has a really good programming going on,” Whitehead added. “This year they’ve improved so much so I’m really proud of Holtville.”
Band parents, drill team, tall flags and majorettes’ parents alike were also proud to see their children on the field.
“My son is in that Central band, a trumpet player,” El Centro resident Carl Barnhill said.
“I’m very proud to live in the Valley to see all the kids doing so well,” he said.
Staff Writer Roman Flores can be reached at 760-337-3439 or rflores@ivpressonline.com
